Skiff depicts the iconic form of a river-going vessel crafted and used by civilizations from around the world including the Wappo tribe native to the Napa Valley. The ribs of the vessel evoke forms from the human body, revealing how design is so often inspired by nature. The open pods that live inside the vessel represent the living pulse of the body and of the river, as well as passengers on their river journey.
I am a professional metal artist who designs and fabricates unique contemporary metal sculpture for both public spaces and private commissions. I have completed works in metal that range from unique gates and sculpture to large-scale public art projects that act as visual representations for the cities they inhabit. For the last twenty years I have developed an intimate knowledge of the unique properties of metal and have found that despite its resistance to change it is infinitely malleable. Through a process that requires both discipline and flexibility, steel and bronze can come to exist in a multitude of forms that exude strength and durability.
No matter how much experience or schooling or knowledge one has, most of what is needed has to be discovered or invented along the way. And I would not have it any other way. The studio is a laboratory, a workshop and a factory. It is a place to learn and teach and to refine and deepen the sacred act of making something with ones' own hands.
eric[at]ericpowell.com
510-525-1872
www.ericpowell.com
