Branching Out Artist Roundtable: Brent Skidmore, Erik Wolken, and Zak Weinberg
On July 30th, 2020. We sat down with three exhibiting artists featured in "Branching Out: Works in Wood from North Carolina," Brent Skidmore, Erik Wolken, and Zak Weinberg.
About the Artists:
Brent Skidmore:
While Brent’s background is in sculpture, he primarily makes studio furniture these days when he is not teaching or working to promote change through collaborative making in the Asheville community. Although his studio practice is currently not full time, he maintains an active commission schedule and a vibrant studio as a Grovewood Gallery artist in residence.
Brent has been teaching in many capacities for 24 years at universities and many of the craft programs across the nation such as Penland, Arrowmont, Anderson Ranch and Peter’s Valley. While in Charlotte, from 1991 to 2004, Brent taught at Central Piedmont Community College and UNC Charlotte. After these appointments, he left academia to pursue life as a full time maker during the years of 1998 to 2004. In 2004, he received the coveted North Carolina Individual Artists Fellowship. Following this, he relocated his family to take a position at Kendall College of Art and Design where he taught 3-D design, Woodworking and Functional Art and was an instrumental leader in their newly established BFA degree in Sculpture and Functional Art.
In 2007, Brent returned to North Carolina to serve as Director of the Craft Studies program at UNC Ashville where he currently serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Art and Art History and teaches an array of offerings in art and craft studies, including the History of American Studio Craft, all levels of sculpture, functional art and serves as mentor to students across disciplines. Along with his commitment to his family, avid bike riding, hiking, studio work and educational positions he serves as an advocate for craft education, scholarship, and the professional development of young artists. Brent serves as a board member for the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design, working to advance the awareness and importance of craft in academia and the mainstream. He is also a board member for Craft Emergency Relief Fund, CERF+ in Montpelier, VT that works to safeguard and sustain the careers of craft artists and
Erik Wolken:
I like to think creativity at its core is problem solving, and that is how I approach my work. Tackling the creative challenges presented to me by my clients, or by my own work, gives me the opportunity throughout the process to make decisions that will lead to someplace interesting. This is my ultimate goal.
Zak Weinberg is a multi-disciplinary sculptor and fabricator. He received a BFA and certification in Public/Architectural Art from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida in 2016. He currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina, assisting Thomas Sayre in his studio, and Clearscapes with their Public Art projects.
Through the alter-ego Grebniew Kaz (name backwards), a relationship has been forged with a laser cutter, creating and exhibiting machine fabricated wood relief sculptures. Together, they draw inspiration from the visual dialect of architecture, cultural patterns, historic symbolism and motif; utilizing digital precision techniques to transmute future artifacts, envisioning a modern identity for global unification. Each piece is an expression of universal language to celebrate the harmonious balance of difference.