A Sense of Balance:
The Sculpture of Stoney Lamar

This exhibition of the sculpture of Stoney Lamar presents work from 1987 to the present. Uninspired by traditional turned wood vessel forms, Stoney Lamar embarked on a personal exploration of the lathe and other tools of turners and woodworkers. This spirit of experimentation has firmly placed his work in the avant-garde of the old turning world. Not only was he one of the first to use multi-axial turning, but eventually, he added steel, color and distressed surface treatments.

With a history dating back to 1300 B.C. in Egypt, turning is an ancient process of working wood. At first, turned items were produced for utility but it wasn’t many centuries before they were embellished. The skill of turning has been honed and refined and now includes objects that are difficult to identify as having been turned. Some of Stoney Lamar’s work could be so classified, but careful examination shows the mark of the lathe, chisels, and most notably, the chainsaw.

For many, wood is a sacred material. But there is a long history in which artists have used wood in sculpture with only minimal regard for the wood itself, other than the fact that it is malleable. Stoney Lamar’s respect for wood is central to his creative vision and comes from his long association with this natural material. This exhibition is a testament to artistic endeavor, showing technique, color and surface can blend in works that explore balance and imbalance, order and symmetry, energy, rhythm and harmony.

ANDREW H. GLASGOW | CURATOR