Ron Layport

biography  |  portfolio  |  artists listing

b. 1942, Elyria, Ohio


SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, MI


SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2009        Ron Layport & Ron Fleming: Narratives On Nature, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
                National Wood Invitational, Blue Spiral 1 Gallery, Asheville, NC
2008        Selected Works, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
                Collectors of Wood Art Forum, Scottsdale, AZ
                New Masters of Woodturning, St. George Art Museum, St. George, UT
                Over The Edge, Woodturning Into Sculpture, Prichard Art Gallery, University of Idaho,
                        Moscow, ID
2007-08   Palm Beach 3, Palm Beach, FL
2002-08   Turned Wood - Small Treasures, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2002-08   Turned & Sculptured Wood, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2000-08   Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Exposition, New York, NY
2000-08   Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Exposition, Chicago, IL
2007        Five Perspectives in Wood: SOFA Lecture Series, Speaker, SOFA Exposition,
                        Chicago, IL
2006        Woodturning On The Edge, Prichard Art Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID
                Our Turn Now: Artists Speak Out in Wood,  Touring
                        Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, OH
                        Kipp Gallery, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA
2004-06   Nature Transformed: Wood Art from the Bohlen Collection, Touring
                        University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, MI
                        Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, AL
                        Museum of Arts & Design, New York, NY
2005        Collectors of Wood Art Forum, Philadelphia, PA
                Ron Layport: Works in Wood, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA
                Innovative Perspective In Turning, Wood Turning Center, Philadelphia, PA, in
                        conjunction with the Brookfield Craft Center
2004-05   Selected Works, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2004        Celebrating Nature: Craft Traditions/Contemporary Expressions, Craft & Folk Art
                        Museum, Los Angeles, CA
2003        Put A Lid On It: Containing Human Experience, American Association of Woodturners,
                        Brand Library Art Galleries, Glendale, CA
                Collectors of Wood Art Forum, Santa Fe, NM
2002        The Bugs of Summer, Greater Reston Arts Center, Reston, VA
2001-02   Nature Takes a Turn, International Juried Exhibition,
                        Minnesota Museum of American Art, St. Paul, MN
                        University of California, Davis, CA
                        University of New York, Purchase, NY
                        Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN
2001        Selected Wood, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
                Collectors of Wood Art Forum, Presenter, Minneapolis, MN
                Against the Grain: Turned and Sculpted Wood, International Museum of Art & Science,
                        McAllen, TX


SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

2008         New Masters of Woodturning: Expanding the Boundaries of Wood Art. Martin, Terry &
                        Wallace, Kevin. Fox Chapel Publishing, East Petersburg, PA.
                Over The Edge: Woodturning into Sculpture. Christiansen, Jim & Rowley, Roger &
                        Van Ness, Gerritt. University of Idaho, Moscow, ID.
2007        Craft Arts International. Issue #70. “Animalist Traditions”. Wallace, Kevin.
                American Woodturner. Summer. Volume 22, Number2. “Small Treasures”.
2006        Small and Miniature Turning: A Complete Guide. Hampton, Ron. Guild of Master
                        Craftsman Publications Ltd, East Sussex, UK.
                Woodturning On The Edge. Rowley, Christiansen, Van Ness and Ellsworth. University of
                        Idaho, Moscow, ID
2005        Turning Points. Winter. Volume 17, Number 2.
                American Woodturner. Spring. Volume 20, Number 1. “An Eye for Platters”.
2004        500 Wood Bowls: Bold & Original Designs Blending Tradition & Innovation. Leier, Ray;
                        Peters, Jan & Wallace, Kevin. Lark Books, Sterling Publications, New York, NY.
                Nature Transformed: Wood Art from The Bohlen Collection. Ulmer, Sean. Hudson Hills
                        Press, Manchester, VT.
                Celebrating Nature: Craft Traditions/Contemporary Expressions. Wallace, Kevin.
                        Craft & Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA.
                Woodturning. Spring. Number 135. “Chicago Turns to Wood”.
                Woodturning. August. Number 139. Cover Page and Profile.
2003        American Woodturner. Spring. Volume 18, Number 1.
                Woodturning. August. Number 126.
                Woodwork. December. Number 84.
2002        Scratching The Surface. Hosaluk, Michael. North Light Books, Cincinnati, OH.
2001        Fine Woodworking. July/August. Number 157. “Lidded Vessel.”
2000-01   Fine Woodworking. Number 146. Special  25th Anniversary Issue.
1994        American Woodworker. February. Number 36.  “Approach to Furniture Design.”
1991        Fine Woodworking. August. Number 89. Cover Feature.
1989        Fine Woodworking. October. Number 78. “Walnut Chest.”


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Ron Layport spent 40 years in the advertising business, receiving numerous national and international awards for his work in design, writing and film production. In 2008, he was inducted into the Advertising Federation Hall of Fame.

Throughout the 1980s he designed and built one-of-a-kind furniture, his work was featured in Fine Woodworking, and various other woodworking publications. Introduced to studio woodturning in 1992 by David Ellsworth, Ron was turning professionally by the year 2000. His work is included in numerous exhibitions, collections and publications.


ARTIST'S STATEMENT

The instinct to make objects that address the connection of humankind to Earth, and to the creatures with whom we share this planet, is as timely today as it is timeless. Animal effigy figures have inspired utilitarian vessels and ceremonial objects since the earliest forms of human expression. I’m simply bringing my own voice to this ongoing dialog.