{"id":68591,"date":"2024-04-29T12:00:33","date_gmt":"2024-04-29T16:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/?p=68591"},"modified":"2024-04-25T21:56:42","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T01:56:42","slug":"feature-artist-john-guciardo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/arts\/feature-artist-john-guciardo\/","title":{"rendered":"Feature Artist:<\/b> John Guciardo"},"content":{"rendered":"
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From front to back: Circle of Love; Blue Note; Voyager. John Guciardo, artist. Photo by Drew Gaddis<\/p><\/div>\n

By Gina Malone<\/p>\n

His first time working with metal, John Guciardo recalls, involved an attempt to turn his bicycle, a Schwinn Sting-Ray, into a chopper. He hacksawed the forks (the parts that hold the front wheel) from his brother\u2019s bicycle and pounded them onto the front of his. \u201cFortunately, my brother had outgrown his old bike, and spared me,\u201d he says. \u201cBut the first bump I hit wasn\u2019t so forgiving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guciardo grew up in Cleveland, OH, and remembers the \u201cindustrial bowels\u201d of the city. \u201cI found the black iron bridges, steel mills and ore boats sounding their horns things of beauty,\u201d he says. When it came time for college, he chose San Francisco State and studied metal sculptors\u2014Alexander Calder, Julio Gonz\u00e1lez and David Smith, among them. \u201cSoon after college, I found a studio space and began to really learn,\u201d he says, \u201cmaking unique tables, chairs and abstract artworks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"

John Guciardo, artist. Photo by Drew Gaddis<\/p><\/div>\n

Guciardo likens his search for materials in metal yards to beachcombing or treasure hunting. Once he has an idea, the physical work of grinding, welding and finishing come into play. \u201cThese well-practiced activities\u2014and a good imagination\u2014have enabled me to create life-sized giraffes and horses from recycled bits and pieces,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Just as the metal infrastructure of places where he has lived has been important to him, so have the sounds: foghorns, bells, train whistles. His intention is that his sculptures offer viewers an interactive experience as well as an invitation for reflection. He invites people to see, hear and play his art. \u201cCircles are a metaphorical motif I use in my work,\u201d he says. \u201cIn my \u2018big picture,\u2019 we are all one, connected. And, like my bells, we are all in the center and want to sing out and be heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guciardo moved to Asheville in 2000. The industrial history of the River Arts District, still evident in many of the buildings, evoked his own childhood neighborhoods and offered inspiration. \u201cAsheville\u2019s vibrant art and music scene, the beautiful mountains and the four seasons make it a perfect fit,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Artist Leslie Rowland, owner of Gallery COR, says that she wasn\u2019t ready to bring in sculpture when she first opened the gallery a year ago. As soon as she was, however, Guciardo was the first sculptor that came to mind. \u201cI\u2019ve been an admirer of his work for years,\u201d she says. \u201cHis work is not just distinctive; it\u2019s interactive and functional. He\u2019s using reclaimed metal to create contemporary indoor\/outdoor bells that have an absolutely transformative sound. We\u2019re just thrilled to have John\u2019s work at Gallery COR.\u201d<\/p>\n

New works on exhibit at Gallery COR conjure up a sense of adventure, including Voyager<\/em>, which, Guciardo says, \u201ccaptures the curve of a sail against a blue sky\u201d and features \u201crope rigging\u201d and a sunny yellow bell. \u201cAnother, the massive Royal Blue<\/em> bell embodies a well-worn, yet stately spirit,\u201d he says. \u201cIt, too, has an amazing tone and would handsomely grace any landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gallery COR is located at 19 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Learn more at GalleryCOR.com<\/a>, or on Facebook or Instagram.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

His first time working with metal, John Guciardo recalls, involved an attempt to turn his bicycle, a Schwinn Sting-Ray, into a chopper. He hacksawed the forks (the parts that hold the front wheel) from his brother\u2019s bicycle and pounded them onto the front of his.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":68594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47,69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts","category-craft-arts"],"yoast_head":"\nFeature Artist: John Guciardo - The Laurel of Asheville<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"His first time working with metal, John Guciardo recalls, involved an attempt to turn his bicycle, a Schwinn Sting-Ray, into a chopper. 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