Fruit and Flowers - Furniture by Mark Levin

-- Opening April 22, 2005 Artist Talk - Saturday 4/23, 2:30 pm

Continuing our commitment to Studio Furniture,
the gallery will open our April Spotlight:

"Fruit and Flowers – the Furniture of Mark Levin"
on Friday, April 22, with a reception from 6-9pm,
and will continue through May 31. There will also be an
Artist Talk on Saturday, April 23, at 2:30 pm.

Originally from the Chicago area, Mark learned woodworking at the hand of Bobby Falwell of Northern Illinois University (who had in turn been taught by Wendell Castle). As a result, Mark’s work has always been "about the wood", while at the same time pushing the limits of form.

The design foundation for his work is very instinctual and is based on both natural and man-made forms that he finds pleasing. These nuanced forms range from leaves, flowers, butterflies and women to automobiles, machinery and architecture. Interestingly, while Mark does sketch work before he creates it, the origin for his furniture and sculpture is the delineation of the silhouette. He visualizes the piece in a black, monolithic material rather than wood, knowing that if the form has visual impact in this "black dress" it will be that much more potent when endowed in wood.

The title of this Spotlight exhibition "stems" from his latest body of work: representations of fruit (such as the Pear Table) as well as his more familiar Flower-based series. He says, "I’m fascinated and humbled by some of nature’s most basic produce; fruit, vegetables and eggs. They are perfect miniature sculptures where everything is just right; proportion, form, texture and sensuality. They would do Brancusi proud". His Flower series is an "offshoot" of his long-running Leaf Series; both seem to combine the best elements of the feminine form with the floral delicacy of petals.

for print versions of: Paganini Flower Shelf or Pear Table click name of item