cody vance abstract stone sculptures
DESCRIPTION
Works available by San Antonio Stone Sculptor, Cody VanceTRANSCRIPT
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All artwork photography courtesy of J.R.
Mooney Galleries of Fine Art, and the
artist
Prices are for current artwork, and can
change at any time
© 2014
JR Mooney Galleries
305 S. Main
Boerne, Texas
78006
830-816-5106
Edited by Gabriel Diego Delgado
Cody Vance
“Abstract Stone Sculptures
J.R. Mooney Galleries, Boerne
“...My sculpture pieces beg to be
touched…demand to be felt. How else
can one understand that this fluid,
twisting, sensuous thing before them is
stone?”
They defy what we think we
know by their graceful lines,
their soft curves, and their
sharp edges. My work comes
from somewhere deep within
that remained hidden, locked
away until I was ready. The
necessary skills, understanding
of other processes and artistic
maturity were needed before
this new world could be ac-
cessed.
Now, everything I’ve learned…
every success, every failure,
every critic, every experiment
has prepared me — Prepared
me for long hours of studying
the shape of the raw stone, de-
signing, cutting, sanding and
polishing. Creating a shared
form balanced of negative and
positive space…now it’s my joy
and desire is to share them with
you.” -C.V.
Artist Statement
Cody Vance was born in 1965 in Eureka, Kansas and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Vance began his career in the arts during his service with the United States Air Force. When he enlisted in the Air Force in 1985 as a member of the Security Forces, he was fundamen-tally aware that he would be striking out on a different path when the right opportunity pre-sented itself. In 1997, that opportunity came knocking when Mr. Vance was able to retrain in the military Graphic Artist career field – a military career change he describes as very wel-come and states “ … I felt like I had come home.”
The Department of Defense agreed as Mr. Vance was honored as their Military Graphic Artist of the Year for the years 2007, 2008, and 2009. It was the first time the DoD conferred this prestigious award to a military artist more than once and the only time in it’s history that it has conferred the award to the same artist for consecutive years. This tremendous accom-plishment is even more impressive given that Mr. Vance is essentially a self-taught artist.
Outside of the 3 months of graphic art technical school provided by the Air Force in 1997, Mr. Vance has had no formal training in the arts. He has relied on the power of his talent, his observations, trial and er-ror, and his dedication to a life in the arts to hone his skills as a profes-sional artist. His career in the Air Force provided valuable life experi-ences for Mr. Vance to draw upon in his career as an artist, including travel around the world, particularly throughout Western Europe.
In 2008, while studying under sculptor Rachman Ulmer at the Inspire Commu-nity Fine Art Center in San Antonio, Texas, Mr. Vance discovered his pas-sion for stone sculpting. While much of Mr. Vance's career as a military artist has been spent in creating por-traiture, figurative paintings, and graphic art and design, his current fo-cus and passion is sculpting in stone.
Mr. Vance is very intuitive, the final form of each piece very organic, fluid, elegant, and graceful; they provide both a serene, calming atmosphere…and an edge. He currently resides in San Antonio and is a member of the Air Force Art Program, Texas Sculpture Group and Texas Sculpture Association.
“There is no substitute for feeling the stone…to feel its texture; to struggle with it in the world ra-
ther than in the mind alone.” –William M. Dupree, Sculptor
By: Gabriel Diego Delgado
Stone Sculpting takes commitment, craftsmanship, knowledge of tools/ hardware, and diligence. These
artists are a dedicated breed of artisans, pulling out exquisiteness from Mother Nature; helping guide, caress and facilitate the hidden beauty of the stone – exotic or regional. The stone sculptors in South Texas are as varied and interesting as their masterpieces. The Texas Sculpture Group, an affiliate of the International Sculpture Center, and the Texas Sculpture Association are two of only a handful of organizations that help give a unified voice to these unique individuals in the Texas region.
However, the Greater San Antonio area is home to an
assortment of stone sculptors; each with their own
unique stories, backgrounds and experiences. Some of
them have been classically educated; others self-
trained.
A plethora of coffee table, pedestal and home décor size sculptors available on the local art market make it the perfect acquisition to complement the rediscov-ered home décor trend of the coveted art nook.
But, as a material, stone is distinctive in its personality. Anchored by a very unforgiving approach, artists nor-mally getting one opportunity to subtract the material needed to execute the design and aesthetic.
Their work is “subtractive,” meaning that they create by taking away, and with the exception of certain situa-tions, once removed, forever gone.
“A plethora of coffee table, pedestal and home décor size sculptors available on the local art market make it the perfect acquisition to complement the rediscovered home décor trend of the coveted art nook.” -G.D.
Their hands must be steady, their eyes keen, and their drive of how they want to bring their sculpture to life unwa-vering.
Cody Vance is one of these sculptors. A for-mer military artist, Co-dy’s approach to stone carving came in 2008 from a need to stretch his creative muscle by moving away from his comfort zone of draw-ing and painting into the world of the three-dimensional.
As he began to hammer and chisel his first piece of limestone, he knew that every other medium he had worked with was preparing him for stone sculpture; an un-charted world of three-dimensional abstraction.
-G.D.
“A plethora of coffee table, pedestal and home décor size sculptors available on the local art market make it the perfect acquisition to complement the rediscovered home décor trend of the coveted art nook.” -G.D.
Private Collection
CATALINA
TIMELINE OF CATALINA
Private Collection
CIMMERIA
MONS
Current Works Available
CODY VANCE
J.R. MOONEY GALLERIES FINE ART
210.828.8214
830.816.5106
Cody Vance
Italian Ice Alabaster
15” x 12”
COOL BREEZE
Cody Vance
Italian Blue Ice
14” x 12”
$3,000.00
RHAPSODY IN
BLUE
Cody Vance
Andes Onyx
20” x 20”
$3,600.00
Includes artist base and swivel pin for 360 degree viewing
INTO THE BAYOU
“...A gorgeous new twist of carved
rock, Into the Bayou is a prime ex-
ample of polished Andes Onyx; a
stone highly prized for its intricate
grain, webs of beauty and signa-
ture aesthetic.”
DETAIL OF INTO THE BAYOU
Up from the oil slick spilled Texas coast comes Into the Bayou, a new
sculpture by Texas artist Cody Vance. The title evokes a grizzly croc
creeping up from the cloudy waters approaching some sort of un-
attended stroller, a lurking terror in a state known for a multitude of
environmental disasters, but never fear art lover -- the opposite is
true. A gorgeous new twist of carved rock, Into the Bayou is a prime
example of polished Andes Onyx; a stone highly prized for its intri-
cate grain, webs of beauty and signature aesthetic. Sought after by
artisans of all kinds, this stone is almost obsolete with major interna-
tional mining deposits now going to large corporations dealing in
home construction; very rarely does an individual have such access
to natural beauty. Vance has displayed his craft in such a way that
we are amazed and at awe with the imperfections of the stone jux-
taposed with his craftiness that pulls out the strength and weakness-
es to justify hours of love and labor uncovering such hidden beauty.
-Gabriel Diego Delgado
“...A gorgeous new twist of carved
rock, Into the Bayou is a prime ex-
ample of polished Andes Onyx; a
stone highly prized for its intricate
grain, webs of beauty and signa-
ture aesthetic.”
Cody Vance
Raspberry Alabaster
29” x 12”
$3,200.00
RED RIVER
“...Vance is very intuitive, the final form of
each piece very organic, fluid, elegant, and
graceful; they provide both a serene, calm-
ing atmosphere…and an edge.” -G.D.
DETAIL OF RED RIVER
Contact If you have any further questions about the artist or artworks available please
direct all further inquiries to:
J.R. Mooney Gallery
(830) 816-5106 (Phone)
(830) 331-9114 (Fax)
Gabriel Delgado,
Director email:
Gallery Website: www.jrmooneygalleries.com
Please visit us in beautiful downtown Boerne
305 S Main St #400, Boerne, TX 78006
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