Merrell McQuarrie

Artist Statement

A native of Peoria, Illinois, I left at age 19 to travel the world. Having lived in Okinawa, England, and all points between, I returned to Peoria in 1993 and earned my B.S. in sculpture from Bradley University in 1998.

My work brings me joy and fulfillment. I gravitate toward organic shapes, with the occasional sharp edge for contrast. I am inspired by shapes in nature and by the works of Brancusi, Hepworth, Noguchi, Moore and Arp.

I study a stone long before I begin carving. I sketch some ideas, but rarely develop much detail. I use power and hand tools to rough out the shape, moving to rasps and rifflers for detail. At this point, I can see the final shape of the sculpture, but not the most amazing part - the color. Wet-sanding with 220 through 2000 grit sandpaper brings out depth of color. After the sanding is complete, I apply three coats of wax, buffing between coats. I sometimes texture parts of the sculpture. I like the contrast between the raw texture and the high polish.

merrell@merrellmac.com
www.merrellmac.com