dave wertz

October 21, 2013

Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Show

Debi Ernst called a few months ago and invited me to bring some horses to the Ninth Annual Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival. All of the usual issues and concerns about an outside show jumped into my head. But, after a bit of checking around, I decided to just follow my heart and do this show.

Port Warwick is beautiful and everything Debi promised. All of the art and artists were top notch, and we were happy to be there, showing off the horses, meeting some old friends, and made some new ones.

This was one of the first chances to bring the Slightly Contained horses out and show them off. Like their bigger and smaller sisters, these horses were received by the folks of Port Warwick with lots of excitement and enthusiasm. I take this as another indication that this new scale nicely fills the void between the Expansive Horses and the Contained Horses.

The show was judged by Jeffrey Harrison, Chief Curator of the Chrysler Museum. This man loves art and was the most engaging judge I have ever met at a show. He not only wanted to see the art, he wanted to hear the back-story behind it. Jeff did not skimp on the time or energy it took to view each piece of art and learn about so many different artists. Hurricane did not shy away from Jeff’s scrutiny. She stood tall with that little cock of her head; she knows she is one hot-ass girl. It paid off yet again; she won the Walt Whitman Sculpture Award. Congratulations, Hurricane!

Thanks to Debi, Jeff, all of the staff, and the other artists who made our time in Port Warwick so sweet. These folks went above and beyond to support us, and all of those horses we showed up with.

October 21, 2013

Black Cadillac’s New Home

TEW Gallery recently sent me a picture of her in her new home in Australia! I am sure she is enjoying the amazing view from Dan & Veronica’s beautiful home. My thanks and appreciation to Dan & Veronica for bringing “Black Cadillac” into their collection and giving her such a fabulous home. I trust she will be well behaved and bring much enjoyment to her new owners.

October 4, 2013

Center In the Square

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[image caption=”Center In The Square; Roanoke, Virginia USA”]https://ametalsoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/51174-centersquare2.jpg[/image]
[image caption=”Center In The Square; Roanoke, Virginia USA”]https://ametalsoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/5c451-centersquare.jpg[/image]
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Location
Center In The Square
Roanoke, Virginia USA

Installation Date
September 2013

Information
[fancy_link link=”http://centerinthesquare.org/” target=”blank”]Center In The Square[/fancy_link]
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This art installation is a collaboration between Center in the Square and local metal sculptor, Dave Wertz. It is a rich and exciting example of what can happen when a large foundation, Western Virginia Foundation for the Arts and Sciences, comes together with a local artist. Together, they have created an art installation project that supports the themes and concepts behind the historic renovation of Center in the Square. Now, in addition to the amazing aquariums that offer us an insight into the beautiful underwater world of fish, we have an art installation that will intrigue and excite the imagination and creative energy in all who visit.

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Wertz says he started making fish many years ago simply because his son is an avid fly fisherman. “I wanted my son to believe that I really was an artist, so I made something I knew he loved — fish.” The fish series proved to be very popular. Like everything, though, the fish designs had to grow and change — from the original, realistic Steelheads of the Pacific Northwest to the present abstractions of colorful and whimsical tropical creatures that suggest far-flung exotic places. Each fish is an original: a one-of-a-kind piece of art. They are hand fabricated from hot rolled carbon steel and then painted and patinaed as only Wertz can do. These fish look as if they have just finished a long hard migration. Let’s just say, getting some personality out of a fish can be a challenge, and from the look of these fish, Wertz has figured it out.

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September 23, 2013

Log Home Living

I have come to know that, when you live life as an artist, you never know what is next or how “things” will work out, but if you just keep putting one foot in front of the other amazing things happen. A while back, my dear friend, Lucy Buckner Tkachenko, offered to include some of my Expansive Horses in a photo shoot of her sweet little log cabin beside a fast running stream in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. Now that is what good friends do — they think about you and offer a helping hand along the way. So I carried some big ol’ horses up to this cabin and, after a quick chat with the photographer, I was gone. When I returned later to gather up the girls, Lucy and the photographer were gone. I jumped back into my studio and kind of forgot that it ever happened. Well, a little over a week ago, I found out that a lot had been going on! Long story short: Go get The 2014 Annual Buyer’s Guide of Log Home Living and check out the fabulous home Lucy has made for herself and check out the Expansive Horses in the front yard. Very cool! Thank you, Lucy

September 22, 2013

2013 Biennial Exhibition

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ametalsoul Studio will be exhibiting work in the upcoming 2013 Biennial Exhibition at the Perspective Gallery; in cooperation with the New River Land Trust.

LOCATION: Perspective Gallery, Squires Student Center, VA Tech

DATES: October 2 to November 7, 2013

JUROR: Michael W Haga, Associate Dean at the College of Charleston School of the Arts, Charleston, South Carolina Jeffrey W. Allison, Paul Mellon Collection Educator and Manager of Statewide Programs and Exhibitions Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Robin Scully Boucher, Perspective Gallery Curator,
Art Programs Director for Virginia Tech’s Student Centers and Activities Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

This event is sponsored by 2013 New River Art the exhibition will be hosted by the Perspective Gallery in cooperation with the New River Land Trust

[fancy_link link=”http://www.newriverart.org/shows/2013/2013facts.html” target=”blank”]For more information[/fancy_link]

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September 22, 2013

Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival

ametalsoul Studio will be exhibiting work in the upcoming Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival

LOCATION: Port Warwick’s Styron Square, 3100 William Styron Square, Newport News, VA

DATES: October 12-13, 2013

This event is sponsored by the Port Warwick Foundation

The Port Warwick Art and Sculpture Festival is in its 9th year and is the Virginia Peninsula’s premiere outdoor juried art show. The Festival has over 100 selected artists who come from all over the United States, live music, food vendors, and a children’s pavilion sponsored by the Peninsula Fine Arts Center. The Festival draws over 6,00 people and art sales totaling over a million dollars since its inception.

Produced by The Port Warwick Foundation

The Port Warwick Foundation is a public non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization with the purpose of organizing and managing regional arts and entertainment events located at Styron Square in Port Warwick, Newport News, Virginia. Currently the Foundation hosts the Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival, held on the second weekend in October of each year, the Port Warwick Summer Concert Series, a free outdoor series of concerts held each Wednesday evening from May through August.

[fancy_link link=”http://www.pwartfest.org” target=”blank”]More Information about the Port Warwick Festival[/fancy_link]

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September 18, 2013

Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Show and Perspective Gallery’s 2013 Biennial Exhibition at Virginia Tech

Upcoming Shows

We are working against the clock now, getting ready for the Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Show in Newport News, October 12 & 13. We are really excited to be invited to this upscale show and are looking forward to meeting some new collectors as well as old and new artist friends. This will be the premier show for the Slightly Contained Horses, and the girls are ready to get out and shake their butts. Of course, we will still have some of the Expansive Horses at this show. We also will be showing a sample of the Collision of Paint series. Please come out and support the arts and have some fun. The show information is at: http://www.pwartfest.org/

I just received word that Well, Kiss My Sweet Ass was accepted into the 2013 Biennial Exhibition, Perspective Gallery, at Virginia Tech and in cooperation with the New River Land Trust. In spite of her sassy name, she made the cut and will be included in this prestigious show. This is most encouraging because this is only the second show in which I have entered the new series of Slightly Contained Horses. It has been a real challenge to explore and produce the horse sculptures in such a different scale, so I am very pleased at the reception they are receiving. Once I saw these girls, I knew they had the potential to open some doors that the Expansive Horses just didn’t fit through. This is my first step in developing a program of shows focused on large universities and museums, nationally and internationally. Please come and enjoy the show. Details at: http://www.newriverart.org/shows/2013/2013facts.html

September 13, 2013

Summer Shows

As we prepare for the fall show season, I would like to take a quick look back over the fastest summer in my memory. We headed up to Bath County Virginia, which may be the pretest setting for any art show on the east coast. This is a sweet little show that draws artist and collectors from Southwestern Virginia all the way up through the Shenandoah Valley. I have been doing this show for many years and always look forward to a diverse and enjoyable show. Michael Haga, the Associate Dean of the College of Charleston School of the Arts came up to judge the show and Hurricane was presented the honor of best post industrial material sculpture. I also took “Tropic of Cancer” to the League of Roanoke Artist Showcase show at the historical Jefferson Center. This is the only local show I do every year and it is simply one of the nicest. It is so sweet to see what my artist friends are creating and take a bit and catch up with them. They always make me feel right at home and well taken care of. “Tropic of Cancer” took home the best in the sculpture division and we were rightly proud of her, considering the fine and diverse work shown.

August 20, 2013

The Slightly Contained Horses

It seems I have to walk around some corners to bring this work full circle. I spent a lot of time figuring out the Expansive Horses and, once I “got it,” I needed to move again. I stepped into the next arena with “Delilah,” just as I finished up the work for the TEW show. By that point, I needed to move away. I came back to the “Contained Horses” and further developed them in much the same way that I did with the Expansive Horses. I raised the level of workmanship to coincide with the more developed vision of the horse.

After much talking and head scratching, I knew it was time to move again. I just could not get my head around making the Expansive Horses smaller. I was finely able to visualize The Slightly Contained Horse: not smaller than the Expansive Horses but double the size of the Contained Horses. I love what happens when you double the size of a three dimensional object — it appears to be about 4 times bigger. As much as I try to avoid the tape measure and ruler, I measured the basic components of the Contained Horse and multiplied by 2. What happened just amazed me. The Slightly Contained Horse just became a presence in my studio. Like her big sisters she dominated the space, but without filling it up. Put her on a pedestal and she owns her corner of the room. On a coffee table, she is like good music — she fills the space but never interferes with the action of the room.

So look and enjoy!

July 4, 2013

Stampede at Roan & Black

I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere thanks and appreciation to Doug and John at Roan & Black of Saugatuck, Michigan. Another small herd of horses has galloped through their gallery this week! I’m telling ya, these guys just kick ass. It is great to know they are representing ametalsoul studio with a ton of class and an excitement that would be hard to match. So when you are on the U.P., be sure to stop in Saugatuck and meet John and Doug. Check out the fabulous art and all the artists they represent there on the Art Coast. Take a minute to pat “Sweet Magnolia” and “If Not for Me” for me. And get a glimpse of a very amazing dream that continues to unfold!