Fall/Winter 2006 - Mendocino Art Center

INDUSTRIALSTRENGTHWelded-Steel, Outdoor Sculpture by Jason Butler at the Mendocino County MuseumAcclaimed sculptor Jason Butler is exhibiting a collectionof his work on the grounds of the Mendocino CountyMuseum in Willits. These metallic sculptures, created by aprocess known as metal fabrication, are large in scale andresemble industrial machines and equipment.“I have always seen the sculptures as entities. In a veryabstract figurative way I perceive faces. I sense a presence,personality and being–an individual.”“People have asked a hundredtimes: What is it? What does itdo? Nothing. It’s art, you justlook at it.”The industrial machine feel of the work fits in with themuseum’s existing outdoor displays of steam-poweredmachines used in the early logging industry of MendocinoCounty.Jason Butler attended Ukiah High School, where he tookhonors art classes, then moved on to Mendocino College,studying drawing and painting. After graduation in 1998, hetransferred to Humboldt State University.“It was there that I was first introduced to sculpture.Instantly I knew this was my destined area. In 2001 I mademy first fabricated steel forms and I was hooked. I becameabsolutely enchanted with the process and tools of fabrication.Welding, bending and grinding are actually moving,near-spiritual exercises for me–I can’t get enough. The coldsaw, tig welder, press brake and slip roller mesmerize me. Thework began to take on an industrial machine feel due to mylove of mechanical aesthetics. Eventually I integrated functionalcues such as buttons, gauges, switches, hoses, wires anddials. I enjoyed the question of functionality that arose inviewers. I became interested in larger and larger scale andproduced forms up to 10 feet tall or 9 feet long.”Jason creates sculptural objects in the traditional sense.The forms he fabricates are intended to be placed in outdoorsettings. The artist is currently enrolled in the Master of FineArts Program at the University of Arizona School of Art inTucson, where he also teaches courses in BeginningSculpture, Foundry, Metal and Wood Fabrication, and 3-DDesign.“My work underwent a big change in Tucson. I amusing the juxtaposition of many dissimilar formal elementsto explore relationships. The ratio of these juxtapositions isvery important–manystraight lines andsquare angles and onecurved element.Conceptually I amthinking of similarrelationships such as:an overwhelming,monotonous schedulecontrasted by amoment of happinessor an urban scenecomplete with concrete,asphalt, buildings,cars, etc., contrastedby a tree and asmall patch of grass...”He has receivednumerous honors andawards including FirstPlace $1,000 Award from Gillian Hodge Outdoor SculptureExhibition, a $1,000 honorarium from the WashburnUniversity Ninth Annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition inTopeka, Kansas, and the Medici Scholars Grant, University ofArizona College of Fine and Performing Arts.His solo exhibitions include a “One Piece Show” at theLionel Rhombach Gallery, “Concerning the Individual’” atthe Morris Graves Museum of Art in Eureka, “InOpposition” at the Kachina Lounge Gallery in Tucson and“Outdoor Sculpture” at the Van Duzer Theatre Quad atHumboldt State University in Arcata.The County Museum in Willits is fortunate to exhibitthe works of Jason Butler, who got his start here inMendocino County and has realized his dream of becominga professional artist.Jason Butler can be contacted at 520-270-8655,jbut@email.arizona.edu or www.sculpture.org/jbut63