George Peterson's wood sculptures have an organic quality that respects the nature of the wood itself. "I take an intuitive and spontaneous approach to my work. The action of shaping the wood with my hand-held tools is satisfying in a very basic way."
George Peterson is fascinated with the irregular shapes resulting from wood shrinking and drying. His wood sculptures have an organic quality that respects the nature of the wood itself.
Peterson has exhibited his work from Los Angeles to New York including the Boston Fine Art Museum (MA). His sculptures are in the collections of Mint Museum of Craft + Design (NC) and the Wustum Museum (WI). George currently works from his studio in North Carolina.
“I take an intuitive and spontaneous approach to my work. I begin with a fresh cut tree that I get from my local tree removal service. After trimming the log with my chainsaw, I then attach the block to the lathe. I use gouges to carve the wood as it turns on the lathe. Depending on how I align the grain in the object, I can encourage it to warp in a certain way. The action of shaping the wood with my hand-held tools is satisfying in a very basic way. As I work the wood, I collaborate with it. The wood has a voice, and I have a voice, so we interact. The finished piece illustrates that interplay.”
