Interview

May 27

Gary Hall

Gary Hall is a sculptor currently living in Springville, Utah. He completed a Masters of Fine Art at BYU with an emphasis in ceramics. During his 28 years of experience working as a bronze foundryman, he has come to appreciate the virtues of this alloy as an artistic medium and this is the primary material that he works in. Gary also is an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University where he teaches intro to sculpture.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“I started my higher education as an engineering major. In high school I was interested in math and science. I wasn't great at it. I was also interested in art but not particularly good at that and no guidance counselor is going to say "You should do art." As a general education requirement at BYU, I took a ceramics class and clay just felt so full of possibilities. I switched my major to art. After graduating with a BFA in ceramics, I started doing bronze foundry work and that has become my primary medium. Cast bronze is like magic, all of the wonderful textures and process marks that are characteristic of sculpting in clay or wax get transformed into a durable alloy that is full of even more possibilities like increased tensile strength, various patinas and luster metallic surfaces.”

What inspires you?

“I had a hard time narrowing this question down so I asked my wife what she thought and she said that she sees my art as my quest to understand my place in the universe. That is the over arching motivation and within that there are many aspects to this quest: What is divinity and what is my relationship to it? What is beautiful? What is my responsibility to my materials and the people that view my art? What is my responsibility to my students? In addition to my foundry work, I am an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University teaching Intro to Sculpture.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“I have found my most genuine connections to divinity or the divine is through my wife and that has shown up in my art as female figures with wings and crowns and halos. Another theme that might not be as readily apparent but has been very consistent in my art is spiritual alchemy. Looking within my self and considering everything: the good, the bad and the ugly. Then using that introspection to find what needs to be brought into balance. Many of the female figures I sculpt have a quietness and softness that contrasts with aspects of my experience as a soldier, artillery is loud, field conditions are the opposite of soft. I served in Army National Guard from 2011 to 2017. I’m not sure if it was a midlife crises but after finishing my MFA I was completely burned out as an artist and enlisted at the age of 41, the maximum enlistment age at the time. Another aspect of spiritual alchemy is to look at material processes (biology, chemistry, physics) and find lessons about balance and harmony within these processes. Foundry work is a rich source of such lessons. Earth and water, air and fire combine to transform my creations into enduring forms in bronze.”

How would you describe your work?

“I would describe it as my personal mythology and an homage to cast bronze as an art medium. The specifics of form are guided by the organic unity found by referencing the human figure.”

Which artists influence you most?

“There are many artist that have personally mentored me over the years. During my academic training it would be Von Allen and Brian Christensen. Most recently it would be Dennis Smith and Deon Duncan. As I'm listing these artist I'm thinking of so many more that I have had the good fortune to work with and get to know personally: Mike Wilson, Ed Fraughton, Jim Rennert, etc. As far as more famous sculptors, I would have to say Elizabeth Frink. When I look at Frink's work I see the energy of how the form was originally created, the textures convey this energy. I also have found inspiration in the work of Brancusi. He was a master at distilling the essential elements of a subject and rendering it as a simple and elegant form.”

“I have found my most genuine connections to divinity or the divine is through my wife and that has shown up in my art as female figures with wings and crowns and halos.”

What is your creative process like?

“I typically start by referencing a live model and work up a sculpture, usually in plasticine clay over a wire or rebar armature. During the process of sculpting, I try to allow the material I'm working with have a say in the final form. The textures and tool marks are important elements of my sculptures. Occasionally, as I work something about the pose or the personality of the model will suggest an aspect of content that I want to emphasize i.e. strength, confidence, struggle, tranquility etc. Often the sculpture feels complete and only then I start to see possibilities of content, like waking from a dream and trying to figure out what it might mean.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“I can't speak for other artists but I feel my role is to create sculpture that has meaning for all time. Not something that is spelled out specifically but something were the meaning is ascertained as the sculpture is experienced over time. My hope is that my collectors will find my sculpture to be a subject of meditation for many years and a source for experiencing and being moved by beauty. As far as how the role of artist will evolve I have witnessed one aspect of this in my foundry work where I see more and more the use of 3-D printing and CNC milling. AI can be a great tool to save time and help with accurately adjusting scale. However, I feel that separating the hand of the sculptor from the material can lead to some soulless work. I hope that as these technologies become more prevalent there will be an increase in the perceived value of something that is hand made and perhaps an increase in appreciation for artist that respect materials and craftsmanship.”