Artist Statement

David Varnau

We are all fascinated with the human image!

FIRST of all, in my sculptures, what both intrigues and excites me is to successfully create an image that, at first glance, grabs the viewer’s attention and carries your eyes along the dominant lines of the figure. In each sculpture, you are invited to discover the gesture or action line embedded in the work. Go ahead; view the work from other angles. With 3-D art, it is particularly satisfying for me to succeed in captivating your interest from all sides of the piece.

SECOND, as you examine the sculpture more closely, you notice that a hallmark of my work is that, while I am sculpting in clay, I accentuate the natural planes of the body, slightly abstracting the figure, which invites your eyes to linger further.

THIRD, I endeavor to render certain details or features so that they all contribute to the mood of the piece. The gesture of the figure’s hand, the twist of the body, the tilt of the head, even the turn of a foot. Each of these is carefully sculpted to convey the message of the work.

FINALLY, using these approaches, my artistic mission is to generate allegories in bronze and glass that mirror the narrative of our lives. This, in turn, provides you the viewer with a glimpse of your own reflection. Whereas some of my works reflect a tranquility that seems almost eternal, others are very dynamic and kinetic. Some seem lyrical and light hearted, some are grief struck and still others are uplifting, even stirring. But all speak to the human condition and the spectrum of our experience through the compelling beauty and the singular expressiveness of the human body.

Thus, while rendering the individual, I attempt to express the universal; while capturing a moment, to convey the timeless.

David Varnau
www.davidvarnau.com