Coastal Stack

Made by Michael J. Peterson (American, born 1952) in 2008.

Made of Madrone burl, carved, sandblasted, bleached, and pigmented | 46 x 34 x 30 inches (116.8 x 86.4 x 76.2 cm)

Gallery Label

Recalling the atmospheric and geographic features of the Pacific Northwest, Coastal Stack V reflects the tranquil and simple life that Peterson leads on isolated Lopez Island, in the San Juan Islands, Washington. Influenced by the effects of wind, water, sand, and sun, he took note of how nature and its geological processes shaped the growth of trees or eroded the color and surface of rocks on the coastline. Aligned with these natural processes, Peterson explores modulations of light and subtle arrangements of color in his work. Coastal Stack V marries these surface modulations and textures with forms that are skillfully stacked and balanced.

This was made by a chainsaw, similar to how a Russian doll set might be made: a large rectangle was cut out of a chunk of wood found on Peterson's property, and from that another was cut and so on and so forth. The pieces were then left on his lawn to age and gnarl up. And each piece in this stack has a brother or a sister, or multiple siblings, distinguished by coloring or shape.

It still blows my mind that this is wood. Every time I look at an image of it or see it in person I think for a split second it is ceramic, or even metal. In person the sculpture is large and a rich reddish-amber color. It seems impossible that this was carved via chainsaw. The curator of contemporary crafts at the museum reminds us that it seems impossible because it nearly is - creating art by hand requires tremendous skill and tremendous understanding of medium. The word craft has become so diluted and overused it's easy to forget how deep the expertise of craftsmen runs.