Docent’s Corner | Rhododendron by Bill Brown
Image credit: Bill Brown, Rhododendron. Anvil Arts Studio.
One of the largest pieces of art in the permanent collection of BRAHM is Rhododendron, a sculpture by Bill Brown. It was commissioned by BRAHM to hang permanently in the open and light infused Schaefer Gallery when the museum was designed more than 10 years ago. Rhododendron is an airy mixed media work made of steel and glass which transcends its materials to convey a feeling of movement, balance and lightness. Fifteen delicately colored pulled glass blossoms bloom from three spreading intertwined branches. The metal branches and leaves are forged steel that have been sanded, acid washed and clear coated to bring each one to life. Despite being almost eight feet wide and three hundred pounds, the sculpture seems to float in the center of the gallery.
The steelwork was completed and fully assembled in Bill Brown’s Linville Falls studio, Anvil Arts. The massive task of installation considered the perspective and light from the outside of the building as well as from within. After positioning the sculpture in the gallery, the artist fused the glass blossoms to the steel, being mindful of the unique properties of each medium, steel and glass.
Image credit: Bill Brown with sculptures from Refugee Series.
Bill Brown grew up surrounded by artists at the Penland School of Crafts, where his father, Bill Brown, Sr., was the director for 21 years. Bill had the privilege to be both an observer and a student. At an early age he became proficient in working in glass and metal and was taught by some of the top craftsmen and artists in their fields. At 16, feeling restless, he abandoned the artistic life, left home, and became a cowboy in Florida. He soon found himself at a forge making horseshoes. This experience honed his skills and sparked a renewal of his interest in metalwork. After an apprenticeship in Savannah, Bill returned to the North Carolina mountains to concentrate on functional and artistic metalwork. He also became a teacher and mentor and was instrumental in the establishment of the iron program at Penland.
Bill has maintained his studio and gallery in Linville Falls for 40 years where he focuses on architectural and commissioned pieces as well as art sculpture. His art is personal and cumulative. In speaking about how long it takes to create a work of art he said, “However old you are is however long it takes to make it.” Since 2015 he has concentrated on creating sculptures in his Refugee Series to promote awareness, engagement and support for the plight of refugees around the world. Each sculpture is a free-standing representational figure standing on a base which reflects elements of the refugee journey. A significant percentage of profit from each sale supports organizations that address refugee concerns.
Bill Brown’s Rhododendron at BRAHM is a fitting metaphor for the museum as it enters its second decade. It is a melding of matter and spirit, yielding both permanence and potential. It is strong and unyielding, yet delicate and renewing. Come to BRAHM and enjoy Rhododendron in the Schaefer Gallery.
This Docent’s Corner is brought to you by Eilleen Dempsey