The highlight of SOFA Chicago 2004 for members of CWA was the special exhibit, “Whole Grain: Sculptural Wood 2004,” curated by Mark Leach, deputy director, The Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC. Mark also chaired a lecture panel that discussed how artists expand the potential of wood as an artistic medium, using work in the exhibit as examples.

See an image of each piece in “Whole Grain: Sculptural Wood 2004”

Artist David Nash of Great Britain also gave an exhilarating lecture about the evolution of his ongoing relationship with wood. Reactions to his talk and fascinating video included such descriptions as “blown away” and “truly inspiring.” I know I will long remember that lecture.

Wood artists present at SOFA signed copies of three books featuring wood art that were published in the last year:

-       Nature Transformed, Wood Art from the Bohlen Collection, which catalogs the exhibit of the same name at the University of Michigan Museum of Art

-       500 Wood Bowls, part of the series published by Lark Books

-       Celebrating Nature, which catalogs the exhibit of the same name at the Craft & Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles and which was curated by Kevin Wallace