Stan Koepke
You are clearly drawn to sculpture. Why not painting or drawing?
I am attracted to sculpture because I am attracted to the three-dimensional quality of the work. Even so, I still draw and paint – at times, more often than I sculpt. To me these art forms complement each other. Drawing and painting make you look hard to create a three-dimensional image on a two-dimensional surface. Doing that requires you to appreciate the three-dimensional quality of an object being drawn or painted and really see the object.
Even though I draw and paint, I prefer sculpture because I feel the pieces in a way that I cannot do with a painting or drawing. I feel their shape, their heft, their surface texture. It is literally a hands-on process which is satisfying to me.
Materials play an important role in sculpture. Do you have a favorite?
When it comes to materials, I was originally drawn to found objects. For some objects it was their shape; for others, it was color or texture. The combination of articles could be used to create an image or tell a story or spark the imagination of the viewer. I saw each object as a piece of a puzzle that was looking for its interlocking piece so as to have a new meaning.
After a number of years of working with objects, I found an interest in working with stone – soap stone, alabaster, marble. The creative process becomes one of reduction, rather than addition as with found objects. The fun in working with stone as a reductive process is letting the creative process be an interactive process with the stone.
My next step is to combine found objects with creations from stone to make unified pieces. I am not sure how these pieces will evolve. It is combining an object which has defined features (such as a found object) with a piece of stone which is yet to be defined as an object.
If I am a “newbie” to art, what is a good approach to the experience?
There is no one way to approach art, but I have been told (and I believe) that the most helpful approach to experiencing art as either an observer or a participant in creating art is to look; really look.
Experiencing art is more than just going to a gallery or museum and seeing a pretty picture or a famous sculpture from six feet away. It is putting your face inches from the canvas to see the brush strokes, the layering of paints, the juxtaposition of colors and stepping back to take in the overall effect of the work. It is seeing the chisel marks and both the refined and unworked portions of a stone sculpture. It is seeing the interactivity of parts of an assemblage sculpture.
Next, look at all of the varieties of art – drawing, painting, sculpture, assemblage, collage, video, photography. Find what speaks to you and what does not.
It is just as important to know why a piece of art or an artist’s style repels as it is to know why another artist’s piece or style appeals. Just because a gallery or a museum shows a particular artist’s work does not mean everyone has to like it. It is valuable to know why you do not like a particular piece of art or the style of an artist. It can help you to appreciate what you like and why you like it.
If I was an eight-year-old, how would you introduce your work?
I have introduced eight-year-olds, eighteen-year-olds and eight-year-olds to my work. I done it through a simple process of putting a piece of stone and a rasp in their hands and telling them to create something – anything. The eight-year-olds are the least self-conscious about what they are creating and most often enjoy the process and the results of their creativity. Sculpture, like other art forms, is often tactile. With stone, it is fulfilling not only to see a piece, but to hold it, feel it, own it. For me, the demonstrative process is important because it is in showing that “you can do this too!” that persons of all ages get introduced to my work and to their own creativity.
I am attracted to sculpture because I am attracted to the three-dimensional quality of the work. Even so, I still draw and paint – at times, more often than I sculpt. To me these art forms complement each other. Drawing and painting make you look hard to create a three-dimensional image on a two-dimensional surface. Doing that requires you to appreciate the three-dimensional quality of an object being drawn or painted and really see the object.
Even though I draw and paint, I prefer sculpture because I feel the pieces in a way that I cannot do with a painting or drawing. I feel their shape, their heft, their surface texture. It is literally a hands-on process which is satisfying to me.
Materials play an important role in sculpture. Do you have a favorite?
When it comes to materials, I was originally drawn to found objects. For some objects it was their shape; for others, it was color or texture. The combination of articles could be used to create an image or tell a story or spark the imagination of the viewer. I saw each object as a piece of a puzzle that was looking for its interlocking piece so as to have a new meaning.
After a number of years of working with objects, I found an interest in working with stone – soap stone, alabaster, marble. The creative process becomes one of reduction, rather than addition as with found objects. The fun in working with stone as a reductive process is letting the creative process be an interactive process with the stone.
My next step is to combine found objects with creations from stone to make unified pieces. I am not sure how these pieces will evolve. It is combining an object which has defined features (such as a found object) with a piece of stone which is yet to be defined as an object.
If I am a “newbie” to art, what is a good approach to the experience?
There is no one way to approach art, but I have been told (and I believe) that the most helpful approach to experiencing art as either an observer or a participant in creating art is to look; really look.
Experiencing art is more than just going to a gallery or museum and seeing a pretty picture or a famous sculpture from six feet away. It is putting your face inches from the canvas to see the brush strokes, the layering of paints, the juxtaposition of colors and stepping back to take in the overall effect of the work. It is seeing the chisel marks and both the refined and unworked portions of a stone sculpture. It is seeing the interactivity of parts of an assemblage sculpture.
Next, look at all of the varieties of art – drawing, painting, sculpture, assemblage, collage, video, photography. Find what speaks to you and what does not.
It is just as important to know why a piece of art or an artist’s style repels as it is to know why another artist’s piece or style appeals. Just because a gallery or a museum shows a particular artist’s work does not mean everyone has to like it. It is valuable to know why you do not like a particular piece of art or the style of an artist. It can help you to appreciate what you like and why you like it.
If I was an eight-year-old, how would you introduce your work?
I have introduced eight-year-olds, eighteen-year-olds and eight-year-olds to my work. I done it through a simple process of putting a piece of stone and a rasp in their hands and telling them to create something – anything. The eight-year-olds are the least self-conscious about what they are creating and most often enjoy the process and the results of their creativity. Sculpture, like other art forms, is often tactile. With stone, it is fulfilling not only to see a piece, but to hold it, feel it, own it. For me, the demonstrative process is important because it is in showing that “you can do this too!” that persons of all ages get introduced to my work and to their own creativity.
Biography
My name is Stan Koepke. I am not an artist by profession. I was a pension attorney for 35 years.
I have always had an interest in creating art and started by painting and drawing over 40 years ago. This was an amateur pursuit. In the first art class I took, the instructor nearly got whiplash turning to look incredulously at me when I said I was an attorney. A number of years ago, I was introduced to clay sculpture by an incredibly talented artist and teacher – Duncan MacDiarmid. I took clay sculpture classes when possible. Then five years ago I took a stone sculpture class with another wonderful teacher and artist – Mary Collins.
I participate in shows by the Pittsburgh Society of Sculptors. In the past, I served as President of SOS and as its Treasurer. I participated for three years in SOS’ SculptureFest events where I gave children and adults hands-on experience in working with stone.
My artistic goal has always been just to create. I don’t do it for commercial purposes.
I have always had an interest in creating art and started by painting and drawing over 40 years ago. This was an amateur pursuit. In the first art class I took, the instructor nearly got whiplash turning to look incredulously at me when I said I was an attorney. A number of years ago, I was introduced to clay sculpture by an incredibly talented artist and teacher – Duncan MacDiarmid. I took clay sculpture classes when possible. Then five years ago I took a stone sculpture class with another wonderful teacher and artist – Mary Collins.
I participate in shows by the Pittsburgh Society of Sculptors. In the past, I served as President of SOS and as its Treasurer. I participated for three years in SOS’ SculptureFest events where I gave children and adults hands-on experience in working with stone.
My artistic goal has always been just to create. I don’t do it for commercial purposes.