Art - Calisch Statement Collaboration

Several summers ago, I traveled around the Appalachian Mountains with the sole intention of meeting and talking to folk artists. I have always admired the directness of "outsider" art and at a time when I questioned my own artistic motivation, I was looking to understand the creative drive of these untrained artists. Many of these artists seemed to create without regard for trend or financial gain and I was captivated by the unencumbered quality of their creative vision. I sat on porches, in kitchens, sheds, and trailers meeting craftspeople and artists--sharing stories, trade secrets, and even collaborating. The trip was intensely clarifying. I discovered an uncomplicated beauty in their work and manner. A playful but willful inventiveness connected the painters, carvers, and potters. The integrity and honesty of the "voice" was refreshing and I felt a kinship to that pure creative spirit. I responded most directly to the idea of “making something out of nothing” as artists often reused materials that had outlasted there usefulness elsewhere. Aspects of what I learned have filtered into my own creative process.

Since that experience I have been lured to create sculpture almost exclusively from found objects. My creative process now centers around collecting, exploring and rescuing materials, as opposed to fabricating each individual component from scratch. Working from collected materials is both limiting and liberating. Through my process, the collected objects all undergo alteration, but maintain some visual information about their original identity and function. The fact that each collected detail shows some sign of natural wear or past human activity intrigues me and suggests that each sculpture has an expansive history beyond my involvement with the materials. The work becomes a celebration of human activity; my own and the acts previous to mine. By rearranging and juxtaposing these collected components new motifs develop, new stories are formed, and layers of association and metaphor emerge.

Guided by an "in the moment" response to the materials and their previous histories, I put together sculptural wall reliefs and figurative effigies. These pieces draw on a multitude of sources including the visual language of architecture, the human figure, and cultural iconography. The pieces might remind one of a shrine, an altar, or an idol. Recently, the work has become flatter, more painterly. Although still driven by the sculptural concerns of space, mass and volume, my approach to the latest works has shifted to include a stronger appreciation for surface and color. The constructive approach in earlier works has given way to a technique closer to sculptural collage. This body of work is an exploration of the inherent beauty found in reclaimed materials, an acknowledgement of my passion for craftsmanship, and a celebration of the rich histories that are visible in each and every object.

Doug Calisch 6-1-01

Question Comments calischd@wabash.edu