BEN STREAR •   GRAND RAPIDS, MI

Originally from Colorado, Ben Strear attended the Rhode Island School of Design where he received a BFA in Furniture Design. After graduating in 2006, he was awarded the Robyn and John Horn Woodturning Fellowship at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.

In 2007 Ben moved to New York City where he found success both fabricating and managing the production of projects for high profile architects and artists. It was also during this time that Ben defined a formal language for his own sculptural woodwork. After relocating to North Carolina in 2016, Ben began to focus on creating sculptures full time.

Ben has exhibited his work both nationally and internationally. In 2018 he was the recipient of the Bob Stocksdale International Excellence in Wood Award presented by the Center for Art in Wood. Ben and his family currently reside in Greensboro, NC. 

"My process and materials are simple: I sculpt and carve wood. While wood by itself is very beautiful, the materials’ transformative qualities are what I enjoy the most. Using both shallow relief and chip carving, I create objects that possess fine detail expertly transposed over beautiful forms. While I have always tried to sculpt forms that have an inherent sense of history, I have been working on utilizing my style of pattern design and carving to develop a more narrative body of work. I have been pulled toward illustrating visions of destruction, albeit in the most beautiful way possible. This is a reflection on how I’ve been trying to reconcile the finite nature of all I know and love against the immense yet vacuous nature of human history."


ASSOCIATED EXHIBITIONS

MAIN LEVEL GALLERY

Opening Reception: Friday, March 1st (5-7pm)

March 1 - April 24, 2024