Cherry and Paulownia with Glass
Title: Cherry and Paulownia with Glass
Artist: Dorothy Gill Barnes
Nationality: US
Date: 2016
Materials: Cherry, Paulownia, glass, wire
Dimensions: Variable dimensions: 36 in. dia.
Price: NFS
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Credit Line: Photo by John Carlano
Owned By: The Center for Art in Wood
Object ID Number: 2016FFDBG2
Object Number: 2016FFDBG2
Notes: Cherry and Paulownia with Glass also grew out of my interest in different kinds of natural materials. I became familiar with Paulownia while teaching at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN. I was intrigued by the round hole through the interior and the varied colors and textures of the exterior bark. Like mulberry, another one of my favorite materials, Paulownia is a tree that people are often eager to get rid of—which makes me feel comfortable harvesting it. I wanted to use the holes in the Paulownia to connect with some scraps of glass that were discarded by a former student in the glass program of the Department of Art at The Ohio State University, where I have been a visiting artist for a number of years. I liked the idea of mixing the Paulownia with the glass, but I soon decided I needed another element of wood as well. I settled on cherry in part because its bark can be polished to a gleaming dark brown, which contrasts nicely with the Paulownia. A number of students and colleagues worked with me on the piece, and when I needed more Paulownia to finish the sculpture, Albert LeCoff put me in touch with furniture artist Jack Larimore, who sent me some wonderful new pieces. On my recent return to (now) the Center for Art and Wood in 2016, I deeply appreciated the Center’s unique dedication to artists working with wood and trees. Cherry and Paulownia with Glass was made specifically for the Center’s exhibition, Beyond the Trees, comprised of my work and Dona Look’s. This exhibit coincided with Wendy Maruyama’s The WildLIFE Project. I was honored to exhibit with such gifted artists in basketry and sculpture and again thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I especially appreciated the opportunity to create three new, large-scale pieces for the show. The best surprise was when the Paulownia sprouted new growth during the exhibition.