Featured Artist Dan Woodard

Sculptor Dan Woodard works in a variety of mediums, and presents his work shown in playful composite settings. Visit his website to see his portfolio.

 

 

I create both abstract and figurative pieces that have been described by others as elegant, yet also earthy and powerful. As an artist, my core objective is to elicit an emotional response within the viewer. I want to create an emotional connection between myself and the viewer.

 

 

In fact, I feel that the true realm of art is in the emotion it can both convey and instill in the viewer. The focus is always emotional.

 

 

The act of creating has long been a driving force in my life. After designing and building my own home, I exhibited as a fine art photographer with shows in New York, Boston, and other East Coast cities. However, my primary career focus was as a writer and director of film and video. As I eased into retirement, I began my encore career as a sculptor.

 

 

From the very beginning, I’ve always thought of the creative process as adult play. I well remember the first sculpture I made. As I worked, I felt like a small boy again simply playing for the pure joy of it. That state of open-hearted play remains central to my process today—echoing Carl Jung’s observation that “The creative mind plays with the objects it loves” and Albert Einstein’s notion that “Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

 

 

My work itself is deeply informed by my own subconscious and my interest in the realms of the mythic, the numinous, and the archetypal. When approaching a new work, or continuing a piece already begun, I try to make my mind as clear and open as possible; a sort of meditative state. However, on a subconscious level there is naturally much going on.

 

 

This subconscious state of mind inevitably finds its way into the completed work. Some pieces express a calm, almost beatific sensibility. Others display extreme disturbance and angst. Generally, it is only upon completion of an individual sculpture, or often a series of sculptures, that I’m able to tease out the meaning and significance for me personally.

 

 

When I do understand why I’ve created what I’ve created, it’s as if my inner self were speaking to me. The process is both therapeutic and informative. It’s also fascinating when a viewer attributes an emotion and/or a meaning to a piece of which I was not consciously aware. In most cases, I tend to agree with this added meaning and have been able to learn even more about my own self.

 

Dan Woodard invites you to follow on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

 

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