Artist, Matt Tommey
Grovewood Gallery is offering a wonderful window into the creative worlds of two amazing artists. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, February 19–20, there will be demonstrations and exhibits by letter carver Clark Kellogg and world-class sculptural basketry artist Matt Tommey. The event is free and open to the public.
Clark, who lives in Texas, was a furniture maker when he had the opportunity in 2009 to study letter carving with master Chris Pye. “I was hooked from my first serif,” says Clark, “and I have been carving letters on commission and on spec ever since.”
In what has become nearly a lost art, cutting letters by hand using a mallet, chisel, and gouge requires ample and equal amounts of skill and patience. Clark says some of his letter-carving projects have included house numbers, dedications, awards, and signs. His work has appeared in Fine Woodworking, Woodworker West, and Letter Arts Review.
Matt, who has a studio in Asheville’s River Arts District, was the Feature Artist in the May 2011 edition of The Laurel of Asheville. He creates sculptural art baskets from locally harvested bark, vines, and branches.
Artist, Clark Kellogg
Widely regarded as a leader in the contemporary basketry movement (he served on the board of the National Basketry Organization from 2011–2014), he teaches basketry at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and at John C. Campbell Folk School. In 2011, Matt was named an “American Artist Under 40 to Watch” by the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Grovewood Gallery is located at 111 Grovewood Road, adjacent to the Omni Grove Park Inn. For more information, visit grovewood.com or call 828.253.7651. Also located on the Grovewood grounds are the Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum, the North Carolina Homespun Museum, Grovewood Studios (working artist studios), and the Grovewood Café. Free parking for gallery patrons is available on the Grovewood grounds.
