visiting artist Logan Woodle

11 or so years ago I had this dude in my 3D-1 Design class at Winthrop.  He was from Conway, he was polite and he had a lot of potential.  The next semester he signed up for 3D-2 with me.  Then he became a star in the jewelry and metals area and made some great sculptures, some of which are still publicly displayed on campus.  Next he went north for grad school and after a couple of very snowy winters, he made the right choice to come back south.  Now he's Assistant Professor of Art at Coastal Carolina University and he's making some really awesome metal sculpture.  

 Last week he was kind enough to drive across the state with a jeep full of artwork.  On Monday we set up his exhibit "Heirloom" in the Lander University Jackson Library.  This work is on view now through the end of the semester.  

 Each one of his metal functional sculptures comes with an interesting narrative that comes from his own family history.

 It wouldn't do them justice to try to tell them here so go see the exhibit and read each story while you stand in front of the work.

 And the details of each sculpture will amaze you.  Absolutely beautiful.

 Pigs, dogs, utters and chitlins.  Who could ask for more?

 Then on Tuesday Logan fired up his forge on the sculpture patio and gave us a blacksmithing demonstration.  

 He also brought his super anvil and his array of specialty hammers.  Don't get me wrong, I love me a hammer and I'm goofy enough to have a favorite hammer, but Logan takes this to a whole new level.  I think he brought 10.  And that was probably just his travel bag.

 And because we have the coolest art department in the world, we had about 50 people watching the demo.

 Logan is cool and a great speaker.  He taught us a bunch and he did it in an entertaining way.

 After he showed us all what to do, he loaned his anvil and his selection of hammers to anyone brave enough to give it a try.  Oscar jumped in first.

 Metal Megan got in on it.

And then Braden showed everyone up by taking a few swings and somehow making a steel ampersand.  Impressive.

 Then we let Logan get some water and a quick lunch before giving us a great presentation in the art gallery.  

 He explained his process and told us how he develops family stories into sketches and then hammers them into beautiful sculptures.  He even explained the finer points of chitlins to us.  And pigs' feet.

Go see "Heirloom" at Lander University's Jackson Library now through May 2.  And if you can't get there, use your computer to see the work at www.loganwoodle.com.