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The Nature of Water sculptures are landscapes distilled to the essence of water and stone.
They speak of our essential connection to water, how water connects us to each other and to all life.
Available individually or in groups of four, unified by the named theme.
Each measures 14.25 x14.25 x 2.5 inches
To order and pricing information contact: pmg@gracewood,com
Artist’s Statement
Water has always been my refuge and solace. I want to create art that speaks of our essential connection to water, how water connects us to each other and to all life.
I’ve always loved water. I grew up near the Pacific Ocean and swam competitively. Traveling, I have plunged into the warm waters of Hawaii, Micronesia and Bali. Even rain in the city is interesting. I watch the water patterns flow over irregular surfaces, tiny rivers roiling down the gutters to leave a pool just big enough for one sparrow’s bath.
It's a challenge for sculpture to capture the essence of water, as water has no inherent shape and is constantly changing. My most important research was to be immersed in it, bringing the movements of water back into my body. The physical sensations and understanding guide my hands in sculpting these reliefs.
Working in the studio feels as if I am conjuring a stream or wave into being as the clay and plaster record my movements. The goal is to distill a vast landscape to its essence of water and stone, movement and stillness.
The water and sand or stone are all modeled by hand. I grind dried clay into background different grades of sand and gravel. Composing a tiny beach, creating every rock or broken shell allows each landscape to emerge as a whole, complete, just as land emerges from receding waters.
Sketches for new sculpture fill my drawing books. New ideas keep coming. Water is a living thread connecting everything. Art about water involves the history, present, and future of life on this planet. That is a deep well of inspiration.
I hope this work brings you pleasure.
Patrick Gracewood
One Day Quartet - Dawn, Noon, Dusk, Midnight
Journey Quartet - Wave, Pool, Stream, Falls
Desert Quartet - Overnight Sensation, Mirage, Gone by Afternoon, Oasis
Afternoon Eternity
The first of a quartet about water and time.
First Wave
28.5 x 10.25 x 2 inches
North Shore
28.5 x 10.25 x 2 inches
The Nature of Water
Hour of Gold is the piece that began the water series. Measures 27.5 x 43 x1.5 inches.
