Cook Sculpture Studio

Artist’s 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 bachelor’s 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.