LARRY MARLEY

MEDIUM

Sculpture

ARTIST STATEMENT

“I seek to use the creativity and freedom of form in woodturning to showcase the inherent beauty of wood, to learn from each piece, and to be inspired by sharing my journey with others.”

ARTIST BIO

People frequently comment that the whimsy in Larry Marley’s work stands in direct contrast to his fine art woodworking attention to detail.

Larry is a full time artist from Mission Viejo, CA. He uses traditional woodworking trade craft skills and tools to create the work you see here. His tools range from antique hand tools more than one hundred years old, to modern CNC. Hands down, his favorite tool is a sharp bench chisel.

The colors you see in his work are the natural color of the woods used. No, stains or pigments are used. Roundish elements like the Fish and Gravity wells are made using Segmented turning. This is the process of logically dividing the piece into layers of mitered rings that are assembled then turned on a lathe. You can see a demonstration sample of this in the booth.

Most pieces begin as a series of thumbnail sketches. Once a design is clear, a full size mechanical drawing is made. Then critical dimensions can be measured and entered into a software application he created to process this information and create a cut list. The pieces are then cut, assembled, and usually turned, carved, and sculpted to final form.

Some pieces (like the clown fish in the “Under the Sea” wall hanging) incorporate a modified marquetry technique he developed for use in turned objects.
For Kinetic sculpture, he uses a variety of techniques including math, experimentation and slow motion video to observe and refine its function.

His work is frequently whimsical, wanting to remind people to let go a little and smile. He loves to watch people take in his work, especially the kinetic art as the expressions and interactions of the viewers remind him of a Norman Rockwell painting.

Ideas for his pieces come from everywhere in daily life. When he imagines a piece, he writes a brief description on a list of ideas that he always carries for reference. When it is time to begin a new piece, his list is there to inspire.