A Sense of Balance - Stoney Lamar

This is the exhibition catalog from A Sense of Balance: The Sculpture of Stoney Lamar, which was originally held at the Asheville Art Museum, North Carolina, April 13 - September 1, 2013. The exhibition was later held at the Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles (now Craft Contemporary) May to August 2014.

Curated by Andrew H. Glasgow

• Preface by Andrew H. Glasgow, Curator
• Acknowledgements by Pamela L. Myers, Executive Director, Asheville Art Museum
• Artist Acknowledgements by Stoney Lamar
• Serendipity by Howard Troxler
• Aggressive Serenity by Matthew G. Hebert

A Sense of Balance: The Sculpture of Stoney Lamar contains work from the early part of Stoney's career as well as the work that he has completed in the last year. As curator, it is a challenge to be both developing an exhibition and simultaneously assessing current work. This was made more challenging as a result of Stoney's diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in 2009. This monumental physical and emotional challenge has resulted in the strongest work of his career. The work has changed in both concept and scale, and in material and technique. This exhibition gives the viewer an excellent opportunity to view Stoney's entire career in one venue. From early vessels to current large sculptures, sometimes augmented by the use of a chainsaw, this exhibition is as much about achieving virtuosity in the face of enormous challenges as it is about the work. This combination offers us an unusual insight into the artistic creativity of Stoney Lamar.

From the Preface by Andrew H. Glasgow, Curator 

William Stoney Lamar (born 1951) has contributed exceptional skill and vision to the world of wood turning for over 36 years. Lamar attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for a short period before leaving and working as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War for two years. He later attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, followed by Appalachian State University, where he graduated in 1979 with a B.S. in Industrial Arts. It was not until the mid-1980s that Lamar began to work on a lathe and fully explore its utility in realizing his artistry.

Stoney Lamar’s sculpture is created primarily through a unique approach to multi-axial lathe work, giving his pieces a distinct sense of line and movement unlike other works of turned wood. Often letting the shape, color, and modeling of the wood determine a piece’s finished appearance, Lamar also employs paint and metal in his forms. The artist continues to create, and his work can be found in both private and public collections around the country. Lamar has used his knowledge in his field to teach and lecture, and has served on the boards of the American Craft Council, The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design, and of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. He is also a founder of the Association of American Woodturners.

Asheville Art Museum, 2013, softcover, 8.5 x 11 inches, 70 pages.