Introducing the Work of J. Paul Fennell
My experience of making works of art is largely rooted within the desire for
creative expression. The medium I have chosen is wood, and stems from my
deep reverence for the material since childhood. For me, one of the first physical
steps of the process of making involves the lathe, a machine which allows me to
explore forms very quickly, with found wood that is generally not available
commercially. Most of my work concerns the aesthetic of the vessel form, one of
the most relevant and oldest artifacts of human civilization: it is timeless and
ubiquitous throughout multitudes of cultures—past and present.
My earlier work explored the seemingly infinite variety of pleasing shapes and forms that have evolved thoughout
the course of history. My desire for expressive work then was focused primarily upon the discovery and
subsequent presentation of the inherent beauty of the material itself, within the vessel aesthetic. Living in
Massachusetts with abundant resources of found wood, I was able to create a large body of work that took full
advantage of the material’s color, figuring, grain and texture. Examples of this work are in the link Early Work.
At a point in time, however, “the natural beauty of wood” became a cliché, and had run its course; I realized that it
represented only one component for creative expression, and was certainly not the only criterion upon which I
could base my work.
In his remarkable book, Art as Experience, John Dewey states: “Because objects of art are expressive, they are a
"language.” The making of art effectively communicates to the world just who you are, what your interests focus
upon, your reverence for things, your experiences, and the relative importance of each to yourself. These
creations are a “language” that everyone can understand. The body of work, if it is expressive, is due as it has
been said, to the connection you make between the visual world as you see it, and your inner self--that is, your
experiences in this world. In my view, this “connection” cannot be constrained by employing only one aspect of
the medium without limiting the expressiveness of the work itself.
As a result, my work is made based upon things which have had a decided influence on myself throughout my
life—namely, the natural world, family, architecture—Its elements and their cultural diversity, memories and
experiences of the past, travels, artists whose work I admire, patterns—natural and man-made, and the
workmanship of things made. With these in mind, the creative experience--through my work--makes the
“connection” for me in what I see plus what I feel. Examples of this work are depicted in the link Recent Work,
with an explanation of the idea or concept behind each piece, and in the link Gallery, showing current directions.
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