K. Allen Gallery Presents “Form and Function

Wood – it’s all around. Its intrinsic beauty coupled with its functional qualities make it a mainstay; no matter how hard new-found materials attempt to topple its reign. The celebration of this sustainable material doesn’t end with the 2 x 4’s in your home –that’s just the beginning.

“Form and Function,” a show of artistry in wood, will be on display at the K. Allen Gallery through September 17. The exhibit will cover everything from large-scale sculptural pieces down to functional wood turnings that showcase the everlasting anomalies of wood grain. For many of these artists the right piece of wood is like a gemstone. They examine the qualities within and open them up to polish the deepest and most desirable patterns, then juxtapose them in challenging forms that leave viewers in awe.

Take for instance Michael Bauermeister whose work is of a scale that mimics the human body. His pieces are glued, turned, carved, cut painted, carved again and than finished. Or, examine the artistry of John Dickinson who constructs levels of wood and textures to obtain an almost Asian style. Jump to an artist like Mark Nantz, whose craftsmanship has gained him too many awards to mention. Next to him would be George Peterson, another multi-national award winner that is the Gold of sculptural wood. His work is raw – in a Door County sort of way – and fits in well with a hand hued log home.

These artists and more shown through September 17 at the K. Allen Gallery, located at County Q and Highway 57 in Sister Bay. For more information call 920.854.4100 or email [email protected].