Marty McConnaughey's Gallery

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Marty McConnaughey

There is a feeling of expectancy, when I hold natural elements in my hands. The thought that these materials can be turned into a raw, refined piece of art, is mind boggling. Yet, I strive to achieve just that.

The simple gourd, with its caked on mud, flaws and cracks, begins the challenge. What is it offering me? What will it allow me to use? What mystery lies beneath? I can only find these answers by immersing myself in scrubbing and sanding the outer shell.

It is never a disappointment, to discover the principal foundation for my design. Applying layers of various stains, brings about the true beauty of the gourd shell.

The pine needles and grasses, I have harvested and processed are ready to be formed into a fluid design to draw the viewer in.

The coiling technique, is said to be one of the first methods for basketry, used in cultures around the world. The hours I spend adding one pine needle at a time is always worth it. I receive tremendous satisfaction, in using materials that may have been discarded, to create a visually unified sculpture, that enhances the materials found in nature.

My passion is to keep this hand crafted technique from being lost in our automated world, by bringing art from nature into our lives, to be appreciated by many.

Sincerely,
Marty McConnaughey