Jack Nelson
As an avid traveler, sailor, and scuba diver, the elusive, dazzling quality of sunlight brought to life all that I encountered in the world. I try to capture that in my artwork. The way the sun plays on the water, the way the wind fills a sail, the way the water carves a stone -- all inspire me to create shapes that move, dance and play. I have chosen resin casting as my medium because of its unique ability to capture light -- which is, after all, the essence of what we see. Because of this quality, the pieces I create are always alive -- the light sparkles and moves over the curves and throughout the whole form to remind me of the way sunlight dances on the water, or ice crystals float on the wind. My work connects me to the natural world that I love.
I have been fortunate to have studied and worked with a master sculptor for eleven years -- Louis “Red” von Koelnau, who had created cast resin sculpture for forty years and whose work is prized by collectors all over the world. Working with Red has taught me the painstaking process of mold making and casting. Adapting his methods, and inspired by the wonder of natural forms, I have been able to create my own artistic vision. I am very grateful for his insight and his support in my development as an artist.
The long and demanding sculptural process involves many stages and I begin by creating a form, carving and shaping on a small scale, often in clay or wax. That form is enlarged using another material, carving and refining it further, until the object is ready to be used in the complex process of making a mold. This involves technical precision and many separate steps. When the mold is completed, resin is mixed and poured -- a challenging and not always successful process. When the resin has cured, I remove the mold and begin the finishing process, grinding the rough form within with successively finer grits until I can apply a final double polishing. Then the piece is ready to be numbered and signed. From beginning to end, the process for one finished piece is long, and I do every step myself. It is always a surprise to see a new piece emerge with a life of its own, taking in light and giving it back. My sculptures are complete only when imbued with light.
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