More to wood than wood
Don’t be fooled by the seemingly simple material of wood. Yes, its beauty is readily apparent when it is sanded and polished. The warmth of the material, the grain and depth of the wood’s finish is matched by no other material. As long as trees grow, humans will be using them to make things.
But a chunk of wood is more than just its material and strength. It implies the years it spent as a growing tree with millions of chemical interactions going on every instant of its life as a tree – processing sunlight and creating oxygen. Wood is a symbol of wind because the wind blows through its branches. Wood also is a symbol of heat or fuel because after wood has been cut, it is turned into lumber, made into something, or it is burned, which gives off energy.
For sculptor Michael Forbes, wood is more than just a material he has made things with for the last 25 years. It even means more than the implied elements of wind and fire. For Forbes, wood represents a continuance of his journey to mastery – even if he would probably seem embarrassed if you used the word “master” and “Michael Forbes” in the same sentence.
Forbes has a wonderful studio in El Prado. There are workbenches and tools and there is lots and lots of wood waiting to be turned into something. It’s what you smell when you come inside.
In a studio of this kind, you can apologize about dust, but you know if there were no dust there wouldn’t be the kind of creative work space it is.
“I feel blessed with this space. I’ve lived in taos 12 years now. I’ve lived in Santa Fe previously, and have also lived in Australia. I’m originally from Toronto,” Forbes explained.
“I’ve been a furniture maker for the last 25 years and I just recently started sculpture. In 2006 I won a prize in the annual Fall arts Taos Open. I won a ribbon and that was very encouraging and I’ve been doing it since. I still make my furniture, however,” he said.
And what was the motivation to start sculpting?
“I didn’t want to make chairs for a living anymore. At first, I thought I would work in stone. I thought I’d go and take a workshop so I could learn how to think in three dimensions. After all, furniture is three dimensions, but generally, people keep furniture up against a wall. With a sculpture, you relate to it in 360 degrees. But as I was planning, I was sitting here thinking that I have all these tools and this wood. Wood was what I should be working in, so I went to the library and read books. I became obsessed with sculpture,” he said.
But business has been off because of the deep recession.
“I haven’t sold much lately because of all that going on. Maybe it was the wrong time to switch careers,” he said and laughed, then added, “It doesn’t matter. I can’t help it. I’ll be sculpting no matter what.”
This week, Forbes said he began to work on some contemporary pieces. The lines are clean and the arrangements of wood grains and textures creates a pleasing combination.
“I’ve gotten very excited again. It took me 25 years to become a furniture maker. I imagine mastering sculpting might take just as long,” he noted, mentioning he learned woodworking in a very rarified atmosphere – an Ashram in India.
“Sculpture has made me feel rejuvenated,” he said, smiling.
“I’m surprised anyone has interest. It’s pleasantly surprising when anyone wants to buy one of my pieces. I’m sort of taken aback,” he confessed.
When talking about his plans for the future, Forbes gets excited thinking about the possibilities. He doesn’t seem to have any issues with trying something – at least once.
“If I were going to collaborate I would like for it to be a big mural relief carving, to really stretch myself.”
“I’d also like to open up my studio to an apprentice. I’ve been asked to teach woodworking through the university, but I think that atmosphere is too formal for me. I’d prefer to teach right here,” he said, opening up his arms, taking in all the waiting blanks of wood, the figures in progress and other projects he’s working on.
It would be quite an opportunity to get to work with such beautiful materials, excellent tools, and the master woodworker in the bargain.
“I’m not the kind of woodworker who goes to the forest and chews down his own tree,” he declared with a little laugh. “I’ll use any tool as long as it works. Removing stuff shouldn’t take that long.”
He acknowledges that he does have a tendency to make things harder for himself than they really are.
“I do things backwards. I see now why people do clay, or additive sculpture. I’m trying to teach myself how to look at things in a different way. It’s substractive. Once you remove something you can’t glue it back on if taking it away was a mistake. It took me a year to do an ear,” he said. “Maybe I’m making things hard for himself but I would never describe it that way when I’m in the flow.”
Where you can see Michael Forbes work:
Michael McCormick Gallery
106c Paseo del Pueblo Norte
(575) 758-1372
http://www.mccormickgallery.com
