John Voth’s Art Show at Enigma Restaurant – Artist Statement

John Voth’s

Exposed:  The Inner Beauty of Wood

now on exhibit at Enigma Restaurant

Around eight years old, in Northern Saskatchewan, came my earliest inspirations:  wind-carved snow sculptures were endlessly fascinating, and Jack Frost painted ever-changing scenes that kept building on our windows.  I had no concept of anything called “art.”  Spring brought further delights, and my imagination had a field day with the myriad forms leaves suggested.  Seasonal changes of clouds and northern lights completed the picture. When I was twelve, we moved from the northern hinterland to the “metropolis” of Lethbridge, Alberta.  I was blown away.  There I saw my first movie:  wow!

World War II, work, and survival took over.  Then an exploration trip to Vancouver resulted in my marriage with Lesia:  we have celebrated our 67th anniversary.  By the mid-60s, after I finished my degree in Education, I finally had some time for artistic endeavours.

One of my first sculptures, Beginnings, sits outside the south end of the Unitarian Church of Vancouver.  “How did the human species evolve?” was my question.  Tools!  Opposing digits were key to manipulating tools, hence my stylized homage to the opposable thumb.  Three-dimensional art-forms intrigue me.

I retired early from teaching, and quickly moved on to other projects:  while ripping out old cabinets during remodelling – yet another passion – I saw the beauty within the ruptured plywood.  In 1988, I developed a new technique of sculpting plywood:  I made 6-inch wide chisels from discarded whole-log chipper knives, which I use to expose the interior layers of 7-ply plywood.  I use acrylics to stain and further enhance the wood’s organic beauty.  Never before has the inner beauty of wood been exposed like this!

Approximately fifteen years ago, my wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease:  I did not have time to continue with art.  However, now I have much help, so am free to allow my creative juices to flow once again!

Enigma Restaurant presents

Exposed: The Inner Beauty of Wood

by John Voth

now on exhibit through September

reservations:  604-222-6881         4397 West 10th Avenue
info@enigmavancouver.com                    Vancouver, B.C.

Mon – Thurs: 11 AM – 10 PM
Fri:  11 AM – Late
Sat:  10AM – Late
Sun: 10AM – 10PM


Categories:

Recent News • Visual Arts