Be sure to see “Crafting Eros: Works by Abigail Castañeda” in the Jerry Drown Wood Studio Gallery! On view through May 29th, you won’t want to miss this stunning exhibition.
“As an artist, I find solace in the transformative nature of vessels and containers. In their circular form we recognize the return of the seasons and the enduring cycles of birth, death, and renewal. The forms I make are meant to be used and lived with over time. The objects we bring into our homes shape the rhythms of everyday life, inviting intimacy and attention. When we shape the tools we live with, they in turn shape us.”
Abigail (@abivc ) is a Philippine-born artist and self-taught woodworker based in New York’s Hudson Valley. Using traditional woodturning techniques, she works with salvaged trees to create both sculptural and functional vessels meant to be handled and lived with over time. Her work reflects a long engagement with the inner life of materials and a deep relationship to place.
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“Kore 2,” 2024
Oak
#arrowmont
Large Catalpa vessel commissioned by a client who wanted to bring the beauty of nature and the spirit of renewal into their New England home. Email for commissions. Link in bio.
In praise of shadows…the familiar light of our celestial bodies is quenched by the earth’s shadow, just as evening draws the world to sleep and the inner realm of dreams eclipses our waking consciousness. 🌘🌑🌒
Urn, Catalpa with bronze enclosure. An object of containment and material transformation. Its substance lies entirely in a willingness to befriend our personal and collective grief. Commissioned after a loss, the wood came from a meaningful location close to the client’s home. The extended time from inception through the drying process allowed the client to visit and witness the gradual changes in the material, a meaningful exchange for the both of us.
For the wolf moon, for winter 🌑…
A mysterious dance
Of light upon a frozen lake
Guarded secrets
Beneath its icy stillness
Keeper of stories
Of moments suspended
Between earth and sky
Maple, 20” diameter x 4” tall
January 2024
#fullmoon #chthonic #babayaga #woodsculpture #woodturning #woodenvessel #hudsonvalleyartist #womeninwoodworking
In resonance of its name, Sylva reverberates with the stoic beauty that defines the forest, where each season paints the landscape in shifting hues and the delicate threads of life weave their intricate patterns upon us.
