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| Laura Wambsgans - biography |
Tel. 818-662-7070 Fax 818-662-7075
| © Copyright 2008, Silvana Gallery, All Rights Reserved |
Creating a sculpture in stone is a delicate dance between me as the carver, and the stone as a “rock." A
partnership is created and between the two of us we balance my intensions and desires with what the stone is
fracture running deep into it. I push the stone as far as it will allow and the stone reveals all of its attributes
bringing the viewer around the piece to a focal point, values through texture and finally places where light and
shadow will visit throughout the day.
Standing toe to toe with my easel I am attempting to capture on canvas what I see in my mind's eye is the
finished painting. Usually I am painting a view that caught my eye. There is an Ahh-Haaa moment, when I see
something, for example the light dancing though tree branches and at that moment all the breath gets knocked
out of me, time stops and I freeze. In my heart I am aching for a brush in my hand. At least I sketch out the
scene and make color notes on a pad I keep with me. The best times are when I have my gear and can whip
out my easel and paint away. My focus while painting besides capturing the overall idea is on the basics,
composition, focal point, values and edges. If I am successful the final painting conveys the feeling of the day
and is pleasing to viewers.
An interesting change has occurred in the last few years. While carving my mind drifts and is thinking of
painting and while painting my mind wanders out to the carving studio. My work in both processes has
improved greatly with this melting of disciplines. Sculpting I am more aware of my lines, negative space and
values, painting I am sculpting the trees and mountains and considering the volume of each element. Both
processes are tough work, hard on my body and taxing on my mind. Both processes bring excitement and joy
to each and everyday, for which I am ever so thankful.
Awards
"85th Annual Pasadena Society Of Artists Exhibition", 2010 David Spruling Landscape Award, Juror Juan
Bastos
Bakersfield Museum Visual Arts Exhibit, Honorable Mention, Jurors Laddie John Dill and Margaret Nielsen
79th Annual Pasadena Society of Artists show, Award of Merit, 2004, Juror Wesley Jessup, California Museum
of Art
Santa Clarita Art Classic: 1990 Best Of Show, 1991 2nd place, 1992 1st place, 1996 Honorable Mention, 1997
Silver Award, 1998 Gold Award, 1999 Judges Special Merit Award, 2000 Silver Award, 2001 Gold Award, 2002
Gold Medal Award, 2003 Masters Silver Award, 2005 Masters Gold Award and Gold Medal in Oil.
Golden State Sculptors: 1991 3rd Place Award, 1996 Decker Studios Special Award, 1998 3rd Place Award.
“Affaire In The Gardens” 2000 and 2005 Award for Sculpture,
“Art For All Ages” 1998 First Place Award
"Impressions Of Sierra Madre", 3rd Place Award
"71st Annual Santa Paula Art Exhibit", 1st Place Award and 2nd Place People’s Choice Award
Public Art
2002 Commissioned by the City of Santa Clarita Cultural Affairs Office to create a sculpture, “Para-sails”. 2003
Commissioned by the City of Santa Clarita Cultural Affairs Office to create a sculpture, “Stage Lights and
Snakeskin”. 2004 installed “Comedy and Tragedy”, Canyon Theater Guild, Santa Clarita, CA. 2004
Commissioned by the City of Santa Clarita Cultural Affairs Office to create a sculpture, “Cool Coyote”.
Education
1990 thru 2006 MARBLE/marble Stone Carving Symposiums, Marble, CO
1997 Stone carving workshop, Pietra Santa, Italy
Instructors: Bruno Bresciani, Mirio Viviani, Kazutaka Uchida, Anthony Amato
Painting Mentors: William Hosner, Mian Situ, Timothy R. Theis, Joseph Mendez, Maggie Price and Margot
Lennartz
Affiliations
California Art Club (CAC)
Golden State Sculptors Association (1987 - ’98)
Pasadena Society of Artists (PSA)
Oil Painters Of America (OPA)
partnership is created and between the two of us we balance my intensions and desires with what the stone is
fracture running deep into it. I push the stone as far as it will allow and the stone reveals all of its attributes
bringing the viewer around the piece to a focal point, values through texture and finally places where light and
shadow will visit throughout the day.
Standing toe to toe with my easel I am attempting to capture on canvas what I see in my mind's eye is the
finished painting. Usually I am painting a view that caught my eye. There is an Ahh-Haaa moment, when I see
something, for example the light dancing though tree branches and at that moment all the breath gets knocked
out of me, time stops and I freeze. In my heart I am aching for a brush in my hand. At least I sketch out the
scene and make color notes on a pad I keep with me. The best times are when I have my gear and can whip
out my easel and paint away. My focus while painting besides capturing the overall idea is on the basics,
composition, focal point, values and edges. If I am successful the final painting conveys the feeling of the day
and is pleasing to viewers.
An interesting change has occurred in the last few years. While carving my mind drifts and is thinking of
painting and while painting my mind wanders out to the carving studio. My work in both processes has
improved greatly with this melting of disciplines. Sculpting I am more aware of my lines, negative space and
values, painting I am sculpting the trees and mountains and considering the volume of each element. Both
processes are tough work, hard on my body and taxing on my mind. Both processes bring excitement and joy
to each and everyday, for which I am ever so thankful.
Awards
"85th Annual Pasadena Society Of Artists Exhibition", 2010 David Spruling Landscape Award, Juror Juan
Bastos
Bakersfield Museum Visual Arts Exhibit, Honorable Mention, Jurors Laddie John Dill and Margaret Nielsen
79th Annual Pasadena Society of Artists show, Award of Merit, 2004, Juror Wesley Jessup, California Museum
of Art
Santa Clarita Art Classic: 1990 Best Of Show, 1991 2nd place, 1992 1st place, 1996 Honorable Mention, 1997
Silver Award, 1998 Gold Award, 1999 Judges Special Merit Award, 2000 Silver Award, 2001 Gold Award, 2002
Gold Medal Award, 2003 Masters Silver Award, 2005 Masters Gold Award and Gold Medal in Oil.
Golden State Sculptors: 1991 3rd Place Award, 1996 Decker Studios Special Award, 1998 3rd Place Award.
“Affaire In The Gardens” 2000 and 2005 Award for Sculpture,
“Art For All Ages” 1998 First Place Award
"Impressions Of Sierra Madre", 3rd Place Award
"71st Annual Santa Paula Art Exhibit", 1st Place Award and 2nd Place People’s Choice Award
Public Art
2002 Commissioned by the City of Santa Clarita Cultural Affairs Office to create a sculpture, “Para-sails”. 2003
Commissioned by the City of Santa Clarita Cultural Affairs Office to create a sculpture, “Stage Lights and
Snakeskin”. 2004 installed “Comedy and Tragedy”, Canyon Theater Guild, Santa Clarita, CA. 2004
Commissioned by the City of Santa Clarita Cultural Affairs Office to create a sculpture, “Cool Coyote”.
Education
1990 thru 2006 MARBLE/marble Stone Carving Symposiums, Marble, CO
1997 Stone carving workshop, Pietra Santa, Italy
Instructors: Bruno Bresciani, Mirio Viviani, Kazutaka Uchida, Anthony Amato
Painting Mentors: William Hosner, Mian Situ, Timothy R. Theis, Joseph Mendez, Maggie Price and Margot
Lennartz
Affiliations
California Art Club (CAC)
Golden State Sculptors Association (1987 - ’98)
Pasadena Society of Artists (PSA)
Oil Painters Of America (OPA)
| Laura Wambsgans International Salon of Traditional Art |