Imagillaboration Collaborative Sculpture Project

GROUP 9 FACILITATOR

Ryan Mckibbin, Towson Maryland

After graduating with a BA from the Studio Art Honors program University of Maryland College Park I headed straight for Finland to participate in the 2007 Pirkkala Sculpture Symposium. While there I installed an Iron Casting in the town center. I was able to change and develop as an artist while traveling through Europe, and seeing exhibits such as Documenta, Sculpture Project Münster and the Venice Biennale. I am currently the Wood/Steel Shop Supervisor at Catholic University .

Learning is one of the traits most unique to humans; we as a race have the capability for communication of new ideas unlike any other animal. Our brain is what sets us apart, but our body is animal. We exist in this dichotomy of organic vs. intellectual or intuitive vs. analytical. I try to exploit a synthesis of these two antipodal characteristics of humanity in my work.

Christian Benefiel, Baltimore Maryland

Website

Lincoln Mudd, Takoma Park Maryland

Source:

I grew up in suburbia when the landscape was more equally shared between forest and buildings, fields and roads. Pastures with cows waited where malls would grow. I went to sleep with the hum of tires on blacktop from the neighboring beltway. Family expeditions were mounted to transplant ferns from the path of oncoming houses. Now the townhomes stretch innumerable, the bigboxes and mcmansions compete with sentimental strips of gas stations and fast food. Current observations combined with these memories stir in my work. The logic and geometry of mans construction interact with natural systems. Refined structures are revealed by unplanned, and uncontrollable, events.

Process:

My current art practice is focused primarily on the use of cast metals. The works expand on the possibilities of casting as a substitution process, but do not focus on replication in the casting method, for instance in the making of limited editions. Instead I investigate the various phases of the process to individuate the works, utilizing the inherent reaction and transformation of materials in casting, as a critical component in the creative outcome. This reflects my intrigue in the nature of actions during which one navigates between technical control yet capitalizes on unforeseen events.

Current:

Assistant Professor, Visual Arts Dept, Montgomery College

Invited Artist, Pirkkala Sculpture Symposium, Finland 2007

Participant, Southern Conference of Cast Iron, Sloss Furnace Alabama

5 th International Conference on Cast Iron Art, Ironbridge UK

Board Member, Washington Sculptors Group

Mahasti Mudd, Takoma Park Maryland

Jin Lee, Riva Maryland

Working in abstraction allows me freedom with the forms I use. I generally work intuitively without sketches. I have a tendency to get locked in to a singular idea of an image if I sketch it out first. By working from concepts and vague images kept in my mind serendipitous accidents can occur. Committing a sculpture, in image form, to paper often signals the death of the project because its visual actualization makes me feel the work has been completed, it has left me. Each sculpture represents a part of me, be it raw emotion, existential plight, or simply musings that are physically manifested. When a work is in progress, I like to let the materials lead me, in a way, to the final form. I keep a stockpile of both scrap and new steel in my studio, because more often than not, the shape of a trimming or a line from an old bent rod will inspire what happens next.

As steel is my primary medium, I am greatly interested in exploring the dichotomy of creating objects strongly influenced by nature from a manufactured material. In a way this duality, of the natural combined with the manufactured, is experienced by everyone on a daily basis; it just goes unheeded.

Wilfredo Valladares, Washington DC

Born in Trujillo Colon, Honduras, Central America , Wilfredo began his career as an artist and educator. It was because of his creative abilities and challenging perceptions as a teacher during a time of conflict in his country that it was necessary to seek political asylum. Wilfredo arrived in the early nineties to the United States , where he continued his journey as an artist by attending Montgomery College then Maryland Institute College of Art, graduating with a BFA in sculpture. He continued his studies at the University of Maryland where he received an MFA in sculpture. Since his arrival, he has been part of numerous artistic and educational events, such as group shows, solo exhibits, workshops and environment installations. In 1997, he had his first international sculpture show in Milan , Italy where he had the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse community of artists and curators. Wilfredo's work is designed to cross cultural boundaries and to move beyond the traditional paradigm of cross-cultural art. One of his most notable installations “Ofrenda al Dios del Maiz” explored Mayan mythology. It captivated the imagination of its viewers and transported them to a place cloaked in mystery with endless discoveries yet to be uncovered. His most recent commission project is a stainless steel sculptural form designed for the Georgia and Wayne Avenues park in Silver Spring , Maryland .

	GROUP 9 FACILITATOR Ryan Mckibbin, Towson Maryland After graduating with a BA from the Studio Art Honors program University of Maryland College Park I headed straight for Finland to participate in the 2007 Pirkkala Sculpture Symposium. While there I installed an Iron Casting in the town center. I was able to change and develop as an artist while traveling through Europe, and seeing exhibits such as Documenta, Sculpture Project Münster and the Venice Biennale. I am currently the Wood/Steel Shop Supervisor at Catholic University . Learning is one of the traits most unique to humans; we as a race have the capability for communication of new ideas unlike any other animal. Our brain is what sets us apart, but our body is animal. We exist in this dichotomy of organic vs. intellectual or intuitive vs. analytical. I try to exploit a synthesis of these two antipodal characteristics of humanity in my work.
	Christian Benefiel, Baltimore Maryland Website
	Lincoln Mudd, Takoma Park Maryland Source: I grew up in suburbia when the landscape was more equally shared between forest and buildings, fields and roads. Pastures with cows waited where malls would grow. I went to sleep with the hum of tires on blacktop from the neighboring beltway. Family expeditions were mounted to transplant ferns from the path of oncoming houses. Now the townhomes stretch innumerable, the bigboxes and mcmansions compete with sentimental strips of gas stations and fast food. Current observations combined with these memories stir in my work. The logic and geometry of mans construction interact with natural systems. Refined structures are revealed by unplanned, and uncontrollable, events. Process: My current art practice is focused primarily on the use of cast metals. The works expand on the possibilities of casting as a substitution process, but do not focus on replication in the casting method, for instance in the making of limited editions. Instead I investigate the various phases of the process to individuate the works, utilizing the inherent reaction and transformation of materials in casting, as a critical component in the creative outcome. This reflects my intrigue in the nature of actions during which one navigates between technical control yet capitalizes on unforeseen events. Current: Assistant Professor, Visual Arts Dept, Montgomery College Invited Artist, Pirkkala Sculpture Symposium, Finland 2007 Participant, Southern Conference of Cast Iron, Sloss Furnace Alabama 5 th International Conference on Cast Iron Art, Ironbridge UK Board Member, Washington Sculptors Group
	Mahasti Mudd, Takoma Park Maryland
	Jin Lee, Riva Maryland Working in abstraction allows me freedom with the forms I use. I generally work intuitively without sketches. I have a tendency to get locked in to a singular idea of an image if I sketch it out first. By working from concepts and vague images kept in my mind serendipitous accidents can occur. Committing a sculpture, in image form, to paper often signals the death of the project because its visual actualization makes me feel the work has been completed, it has left me. Each sculpture represents a part of me, be it raw emotion, existential plight, or simply musings that are physically manifested. When a work is in progress, I like to let the materials lead me, in a way, to the final form. I keep a stockpile of both scrap and new steel in my studio, because more often than not, the shape of a trimming or a line from an old bent rod will inspire what happens next. As steel is my primary medium, I am greatly interested in exploring the dichotomy of creating objects strongly influenced by nature from a manufactured material. In a way this duality, of the natural combined with the manufactured, is experienced by everyone on a daily basis; it just goes unheeded.
	Wilfredo Valladares, Washington DC Born in Trujillo Colon, Honduras, Central America , Wilfredo began his career as an artist and educator. It was because of his creative abilities and challenging perceptions as a teacher during a time of conflict in his country that it was necessary to seek political asylum. Wilfredo arrived in the early nineties to the United States , where he continued his journey as an artist by attending Montgomery College then Maryland Institute College of Art, graduating with a BFA in sculpture. He continued his studies at the University of Maryland where he received an MFA in sculpture. Since his arrival, he has been part of numerous artistic and educational events, such as group shows, solo exhibits, workshops and environment installations. In 1997, he had his first international sculpture show in Milan , Italy where he had the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse community of artists and curators. Wilfredo's work is designed to cross cultural boundaries and to move beyond the traditional paradigm of cross-cultural art. One of his most notable installations “Ofrenda al Dios del Maiz” explored Mayan mythology. It captivated the imagination of its viewers and transported them to a place cloaked in mystery with endless discoveries yet to be uncovered. His most recent commission project is a stainless steel sculptural form designed for the Georgia and Wayne Avenues park in Silver Spring , Maryland .