Cook
Sculpture Studio
Artists
Statement
Frank W. Cook, Jr.
I
view sculpting as the amazing process of taking an inanimate
object and giving it life and emotion. To be able to take
a piece of clay, or stone, and bring it to life, full of emotion,
is the most rewarding ability that I could ever imagine possessing.
My
work is predominantly representative sculpture. I feel that
representative sculpture is very accessible and connects with
people through their familiarity with a subject matter that
they recognize or can identify with. At the same time it allows
them to see and feel the emotion of the moment captured in
the subtleties of the gestures and nuances within the sculpture.
The
inspiration for my work varies widely. Some of my pieces are
focused on capturing a personal introspection with a natural,
relaxed pose. On some pieces I will take something abstract
or fluid, like a feeling or a sensation, and give it a physical
form. Other times I try to capture the dynamic of a motion
or action, to freeze an instant, to capture that sliver of
time, so that the action can be studied in detail without
losing the full range of the motion. Or, in the purest sense
of inspiration, I will get an image in my mind and know exactly
what the completed sculpture will look like, before I even
sketch out a rough draft. I start each sculpture by asking
myself "How can I portray this thought, or this emotion,
in a unique way that will connect with people?"
I
am not formally trained as a sculptor. I was born and raised
in Atlanta, Georgia. I graduated from Georgia State University
with a bachelors degree in business management. In 1993,
after working in a local bank for several years, I found,
to my surprise, that I had a natural talent for sculpting.
I left the bank in 1996 to pursue a career in art. I took
classes at local arts centers that allowed me to explore my
interests in drawing, pottery, glass bead making and raku
firing. While exploring these other interests I found that
I receive the most satisfaction from sculpting and have since
focused my efforts toward refining and improving my skills
in that area.
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