Grouping: Embrace, ash, sycamore and acrylic paint; Romeo, beech,sycamore and airbrushed acrylic colors (top shelf).
Purple Mist, “is sycamore wood, it is turned, carved, pierced and airbrushed with acrylic paint;” (upper left, bottom shelf) Olli, sycamore and acrylic paint (bottom left); Chance, maple burl, beech and acrylic paint (center left); Juliet, box elder burl, sycamore and acrylic (center right); and Incitatus, sycamore and walnut (far right). Photo by J.L. Kronika.
Delicate and richly hued wood forms distinguish the work of Joey Richardson. In a recent interview, she shared details about her process and the story behind one of her works. Exploring personal symbols and involving many steps to complete, these are some of the most amazing sculptures this author viewed at the 16th Annual SOFA expo at Navy Pier.
The works are created with a multi-stage process. Joey begins by lathe turning the rounded forms and culling out the bowl forms in wood. She then uses a dental drill and a variety of bits to incise and perforate the bowls, and to texture the lathe formed curves. The surfaces are selectively finished with airbrushed color. Many of the works use reclaimed local timber and her process involves a lot of deliberate hand work.
Richardson is a student of Binh Pho. She feels especially fortunate to be a woman working in woodworking, a predominantly male arena. In her work, Joey explores and illustrates stories through symbolic forms and repeated motifs, allowing each work to “have its own heart.” In Olli, she mourns and considers the reality of her son’s bad back. The problem was discovered during the meteor shower, which flows down one side of the delicate bowl form. An incised rain cloud form is the tears she cried; while pheasants on another area represent the love her son has for hunting. Horses are a repeated symbol, representing her love of riding and the empowerment of the rearing horse image. All of the trees are Y forms, repeating the artist’s question: “Why?” But deep in the bowl a cloud of flying butterflies in the natural tones of the wood transitions to the bright green of growth and the hope imbued with positive developments.
Del Mano Gallery represents Joey Richardson, among a talented trove of other artists.
For more information about the gallery: www.delmano.com
For more information about Joey Richardson: www.joeyrichardson.com/
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