A Message from Peter Driscoll: The John Skau Project Sent: 3/22/2010 9:02:30 PM

In November of last year a invitation came across the email highways, inviting us artists to participate in what sounded like a very unusual exhibit called "John Skau's Wood: A Point of Departure." It came from a Greensboro Gallery, "Bricolage: A community arts space offering re-purposed materials for creative projects, workshops & gathering space, 716 West Market Street, Greensboro NC  27401."  Briefly, artists and photographers were invited to participate in a two-tiered event. Photographers were first to pick up wood (donated by John's widow) which had been left in the studio of John Skau, a woodworker who died in 2007, photograph it in any way they wanted, and then return the wood, intact, to Bricolage. Artists were then invited to pick up the same wood, combine it with their "medium," using at least 50% of Skau's wood in their design and create an original work of art. This culminated in one of the most unusual Gallery Openings I've ever heard of, or had the pleasure to attend, on March 5th, 2009, at Gallery B, 520 S. Elm Street in Greensboro, NC. Approximately a dozen photographers and 25 artists participated, and the photography of the wood, and quality of art exhibited was... well, outstanding! To explore this event in greater detail: www.bricolagearts.org. My two entries are  "55" is the arched piece, laminated  wood measuring about 15" across the base, with antique Ivory piano keys laminated to its' surface, and "Off the Wall", 4' wide by 2" Maple veneer strips, 5' long by 1-1/2" Black Walnut veneer strips, interwoven.
The pieces are in Greensboro at the moment; the wall hanging is at Gallery B, and "55" at the Hemphill Branch Public Library. Pictures will also be available on my blog, the gods of cyberspace being cooperative.