David Edgar, Recycled Plastics Sculptor and Stan Godwin, Photographer
June 8th – July 18th
The Marion Art Center, located at 80 Pleasant Street in Marion, MA is pleased to announce the opening of two exhibitions on Friday, June 8th. An opening reception will be held from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Recycled plastics artist, David Edgar will be exhibiting his “Plastiquarium” sculptures in the Cecil Clark Davis Gallery and Stan Godwin, photographer, will be exhibiting in the Patsy Francis Gallery. The two exhibitions will run from June 8th to July 18th.
Of his work David Edgar says: “As a sculptor, my work has always been strongly informed by the 20th century tradition of found object assembly. Perhaps, in the context of a mid-life catharsis, I recently interrupted over 25 years of working in steel, and began making decorative artworks from recyclable detergent bottles. With quality of craft as an important issue for me, I find that making recycled plastic art truly energizes my creative spirit. One of the results is the marine creatures of the Plastiquarium.”
“. . . . there are a number of recognizable influences that place the work into the context of a larger continuum. The Plastiquarium certainly fits within the genre of collage and found-object assembly. The American Pop Art movement, particularly the work of Andy Warhol, validates the use of commercial packaging images as symbolic elements characterizing our producer/consumer society. More recently, a folk art tradition of crafting toys and collectable decorative objects out of aluminum beverage cans has emerged in Africa and Asia.”
“Working with these consumer-based recycled materials results in expressive, uniquely crafted and affordable artworks that are accessible to the public. The material aspects of the media include pieces that are colorful, lightweight and durable. Although my previous studio work is entrenched in academic intellect, this new work embraces a festive aesthetic with lighthearted imagery that I hope resonates in contrast with our increasingly stressful society.” In other words, David’s sculptures are a feast for the eyes and the soul.
David Edgar lives in Tryon, South Carolina where he is retired from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte as an Associate Professor of Art. Previously Edgar served for three years as the chair of the Art Department and was Associate Professor of Sculpture at Ashland University in Ohio. He is also the former Executive Director for The Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach, Florida where he served for 12 years. David is a graduate of Tabor Academy in Marion and will be celebrating his 40th Reunion with fellow Tabor alumni over the June 15th weekend, along with Stan Godwin, his classmate and fellow artist.
Stan Godwin grew up on the Cape and graduated from Tabor Academy in 1972. After graduating from Rochester Institute of Technology he moved to Commerce, TX and started working in the Photography Division of East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University-Commerce). He taught a large variety of courses including Basic B&W, Color, Nature and Wildlife, Visual Perception, Digital Imaging, and was the lead for one of the first 5 digital photography programs in a US university. 30 years later he retired as the Interim Head of Art, Coordinator of Photography.
In 2005 Stan received the “Star of Texas” award for his lengthy contribution to photographic education. His photographic work has been published in hundreds of magazines, newspapers and books over the last four decades. Stan’s former students work in all areas of photography from studio to fine art. His work continues to be shown in galleries and on the web. He is a past President of the Photo Imaging Education Association and also served as Consultant to that group.
After a 30-year hiatus Stan moved back to his childhood home on Cape Cod, a 250 year old antique, where he lives with his wife, daughter Camra and Tiger the cat!
Of his photographs, Stan says: “These images represent an exploration of the inner and outer landscapes we see each day from a limited point of view. Rather than portray the whole environment they are an attempt to tunnel our vision on a fleeting scene never to be quite the same again. We are often taken in by the panoramic vistas of the Cape, or the interior architecture of a room and fail to see the smaller areas of beauty, design and tone. These images attempt to render these intimate areas visually for the viewer to enjoy.”
The Marion Art Center Gallery is open on Tuesday through Friday from 1:00pm to 5:00pm and on Saturdays from 10:00am until 2:00pm. Admission is free and open to the public.