A Gallery of Turned Pieces by Rob Wallace

A Gallery of Turned Wooden Artwork
by Rob Wallace, Woodturner

Rob Wallace Turning Demonstration - Ames Artwalk, 2008

Photo: Eloisa Perez-Lozano - Iowa State Daily

Background:
Rob Wallace holds a Ph.D. in Botany from Rutgers University (New Jersey), and is a biology professor at Iowa State University where he teaches courses in evolution, plant taxonomy and systematics, economic botany, and biogeography. He has been a woodworker since before his teen years, and enjoys all aspects of woodworking, especially woodturning. He is a member of the American Association of Woodturners and has been an active member and officer of the Ames Woodworkers Club (Iowa) for over 16 years. He has been coordinating the local group of woodturning enthusiasts (Ames Area Woodturners) since 2005, has presented demonstrations on various woodturning and woodworking topics to regional and national groups, and offers private lessons in woodturning to interested persons.

His work has been displayed at the Iowa State Fair in the judged categories of 'Creative Arts - Woodworking' in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 where he has won first place in the "Turned Items" Class each year. In 2007, he won First Place (Blue Ribbon) in Sculpture at the Iowa State Fair Juried Fine Art Exhibition, and in 2008 was awarded a Third Place in Sculpture at the same exhibition that year. He has been showing and selling his artwork at Gallery 319 and at the Octagon Center for the Arts, both in Ames, Iowa.

For a list of galleries where I am represented, Click Here

For a summary where my work has been shown, Click Here

Rob Wallace is an artist registered with the Iowa Arts Council
[ Visit my IAC Web Site by clicking Here ]

Artist's Statement:
"The natural beauty of wood can be celebrated and accentuated together with aspects of symmetry and form in well-designed turned wooden pieces. My excitement and fascination with wooden bowls, vessels, and hollow forms created on the wood lathe enables me to rise to the challenge of producing a form that will best display the native figure and color of the wood, in addition to creating a piece that is both pleasing and satisfying to the eye with respect to the form's shape and proportions. All of these factors interact dynamically as wood is removed in the process of turning to reveal the natural characteristics of this medium, which are universally appealing. The opportunity to expose grain patterns, subtle color or texture differences, and unique features of the wood is an endless source of inspiration that allows for "instantaneous creativity" and immediate gratification for the artist, as the spinning form develops on the lathe. With the development of each piece, the mystery of what lies beneath the bark is revealed, and the ability to share this beauty with others in the pieces I create is a source of personal pleasure and pride."

Inquiries about piece availability and price are welcomed.

Please e-mail or phone if you would like me to produce a custom-turned,
commissioned piece, suited to your artistic or decor requirements.

The Gallery

Samples of some of my turned wooden forms:

	'Tinctoria' Iowa State Fair Entry, 2007 Second Place, Creative Arts - Woodworking, Decorative Items	Hollow vessel with collar and finial, 5.5 inches (14 cm) diameter, 7 inches (18 cm) tall; Argentine Osage Orange body, (Maclura tinctoria) and African Blackwood collar and finial (Dalbergia melanoxylon).	July, 2007
	'Telophase' Iowa State Fair Entry, 2007 First Place, Sculpture, Juried Fine Arts Exhibition	Hemispherical bowl, carved and wood- burned; 9.25 inches (23.5 cm) in diameter, 5 inches (12.7 cm) tall; Spalted Black maple (Acer nigrum).	July, 2007
ttp://www.woodturner.org/http://www.woodturner.org/	'Circle's Corner' Iowa State Fair Entry, 2008 Third Place, Sculpture, Juried Fine Arts Exhibition	Turned/Sculpted bowl, 6.75 in. (17.2 cm) diameter, 4 inches (6.3 cm) tall; Ziricote (Cordia dodecandra).	June, 2008
	'Sprocket' Iowa State Fair Entry, 2008 First Place, Creative Arts - Woodworking, Turned Items	Bowl, 8 inches (20.3 cm) diameter, 3.5 inches (9 cm) tall; Ambrosia Maple (Acer rubrum).	July, 2008
	'Fruit Bowl' Iowa State Fair Entry, 2005 Second Place, Creative Arts - Woodworking, Household Item	Bowl, 10.25 inches (26 cm) diameter, 4.25 inches (11 cm) tall; Ambrosia Maple (Acer rubrum).	July, 2005
	'Decorative Ring Box' Iowa State Fair Entry, 2006 Second Place, Creative Arts - Woodworking, Decorative Item	Ring Box, 2 inches (5 cm) diameter, 4.25 inches (11 cm) tall; Pink Ivory body (Rhamnus zehyeri), Ebony finial (Diospyros sp.).	July, 2006
	'Utter Chaos'	Bowl, 8.5 inches (21.5 cm) diameter, 4 inches (10 cm) tall; Redbud (Cercis canadensis).	November, 2007
r http://www.woodturner.org/	'Fault Line'	Vessel, 8.25 inches (21 cm) diameter, 4.5 inches (11.5 cm) tall; Elm (Ulmus fulva). SOLD at Gallery 319	October, 2006
	'Convergence'	Bowl, 6.75 inches (17 cm) diameter, 2.5 in. (6.5 cm) tall; Spalted black maple (Acer nigrum).	September, 2007
	'Mother Lode'	Bowl, 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) diameter, 2.75 in. (7 cm) tall; Tasmanian Myrtle burl (Nothofagus sp.).	September, 2007
	'Cyclone Fantasy'	Segmented Bowl 8.75 inches (22 cm) diameter, ca. 4 inches (10 cm) tall; Yellowheart (Zanthoxylum flavum) and black-dyed maple (Acer sp.) rim, with Redheart body (Erythroxylum sp.). SOLD at Gallery 319	Januuary, 2007
September, 2007	'Wave Illusion' Iowa State Fair Entry, 2007 First Place, Creative Arts - Woodworking, Turned Items	Shallow, rolled-rim bowl, 9.25 inches (23.5 cm) diameter, 2.25 inches ( 5.7 cm) tall; Tasmanian Myrtle (Nothofagus sp.).	July, 2007
	'Hemispheric Delineation' Iowa State Fair Entry, 2006 First Place, Creative Arts - Woodworking, Turned Items	August, 2008Bowl, 9.75 inches (25 cm) diameter, 5.5 in. (14 cm) tall, Spalted black maple (Acer nigrum) and Cherry (Prunus serotina).	July, 2006
http://www.woodturner.o	'Prairie Fire'	Vase/Hollow Vessel, 6 inches (15 cm) diameter, 7 inches (18 cm) tall; Box Elder (Acer negundo). SOLD at Gallery 319	January, 2007
	'Atoll in Ash'	Bowl, 8.5 inches (16.5 cm) diameter, 2 in. (5 cm) tall; Ash (Fraxinus americana). SOLD at Gallery 319	February, 2007
	'Ogee Vase'	Hollow Vessel/Vase, 6 inches (15 cm) diameter, 4.5 in. (11.5 cm) tall; Cherry (Prunus serotina). SOLD at Gallery 319	September, 2007
http://www.woodturner.org/	'Tequila Sunrise'	Bowl, 7.5 inches (16.5 cm) diameter, 3 in. (5 cm) tall; Box Elder (Acer negundo)..	November, 2007
http://www.woodturner.org/	'Portal to the Heart'	Vessel, 6 inches (15 cm) diameter, 7 in. (18 cm) tall; Box Elder (Acer negundo), with Bloodwood (Brosimum rubescens) collar. SOLD at Gallery 319	October, 2007
	'Get in Treble' Donated to the Central Iowa Symphony Fundraising Auction, Sept. 2007	Platter, 12 inches (30 cm) diameter, 2 in. (5 cm) tall; Cherry (Prunus serotina), with inlayed antique brass treble clef and 'brass band'.	September, 2007
	'Omega'	Rolled-rim Bowl, 7 inches (18 cm) diameter, 3.25 in. (8.2 cm) tall; Lilac (Syringa vulgaris). SOLD at Gallery 319	November, 2007
	'Athena's Cup'	Vessel, 5.5 inches (14 cm) diameter, 5 in. (12.7 cm) tall; Elm (Ulmus fulva).	September, 2008
	'Opposing Waves'	Hollow vessel with collar, 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) diameter, 4 inches (10.1 cm) tall; Russian Olive (Eleagnus angustifolia) and African Blackwood collar (Dalbergia melanoxylon).	September, 2008
	'Octomerous'	Carved-rim Bowl, 7 inches (18 cm) diameter, 3.25 in. (8.2 cm) tall; Cherry (Prunus serotina).	July, 2008
	'Tented Arch'	Bowl, 6.25 inches (15.8 cm) diameter, 2.75 in. (7 cm) tall; Mulberry (Morus rubra).	September, 2008
	'Dry Flower Vase'	End-grain vase, 4 inches (10.1 cm) diameter, 6.5 in. (26.6 cm) tall; Spalted Black Maple (Acer nigrum). SOLD at Gallery 319	July, 2008
	'Fungal Fantasy'	Hollow vessel with collar, 6 inches (15.2 cm) diameter, 3.5 inches (8.7 cm) tall; Spalted Black Maple (Acer nigrum) and African Blackwood collar (Dalbergia melanoxylon). SOLD at Gallery 319	May, 2008
	'Falling Knots'	Hollow Vessel, 11 inches (27.9 cm) diameter, 4.5 in. (11.5 cm) tall; Elm (Ulmus fulva). SOLD at Gallery 319	January, 2008
	'Oculea Lutea'	Bowl, 8.25 inches (21 cm) diameter, 2.75 in. (7 cm) tall; Yellowwood (Cladrastis lutea).	May, 2008
	'Sycamore Vessel'	Vessel, 7 inches (18 cm) diameter, 3.25 in. (8.2 cm) tall; Sycamore (Platanus sp).	August, 2008
	'Black Hole Summit'	Hollow vessel with collar, 7 inches (17.7 cm) diameter, 4 inches (10.1 cm) tall; Cherry (Prunus serotina) and African Blackwood collar (Dalbergia melanoxylon).	May, 2008
	'Lines of Force'	Bowl, 7.5 inches (19 cm) diameter, 2 inches (5 cm) tall; Spalted Black Maple (Acer nigrum)	August, 2008

Galleries I am represented in:

                                                                Gallery 319
                                                                310 Main street
                                                                Ames, Iowa 50010
                                                                                               Phone: 515-232-2354

To go to the Gallery 319 Web Site - CLICK HERE

Iowa Artisans Gallery

                                                            Iowa Artisans Gallery
                                                    207 East Washington street
                                                            Iowa City, Iowa 52240
                                                                Phone: 319-351-8686; Toll Free: 1-877-439-6554

                               To go to the Iowa Artisans Gallery Web Site -  CLICK HERE

                                                    The octagon Center for the Arts
                                                    427 Douglas Avenue
                                                    Ames, Iowa 50010
                                                                                             Phone: 515-232-5331

To go to the Octagon Shop Web Site - CLICK HERE
Click Heree

                                                    The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
                                                    410 Third Avenue SE
                                                    Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
                                                                                             Phone: 319-366-7503

To go to the Cedar rapids Museum of Art Web Site - CLICK HERE

A Summary of where my artwork has been shown:

Juried/Judged Exhibition Venues:

Iowa State Fair 'Creative Arts - Woodworking'- (2005 through 2008)

2005 – First Place, Turned Items (Blue Ribbon)

2006 – First Place, Turned Items (Blue Ribbon)

2007 – First Place, Turned Items (Blue Ribbon)

2008 – First Place, Turned Items (Blue Ribbon)

Iowa State Fair 'Juried Fine Arts Exhibition'- (2007 and 2008)

2007 – First Place, Sculpture (Media Award)

2008 – Third Place, Sculpture (Media Award)

Octagon Center for the Arts, Ames, Iowa – Annual 'Clay, Fiber, Paper, Glass, Metal Wood' Juried Art Exhibition

2008 – One piece ["Tinctoria"] selected for exhibit.

2009 – One piece ["Sprocket"] selected for exhibit.

American Association of Woodturners 'Instant Gallery' – (Held at the National AAW Symposium)

2007 – Portland, Oregon

Sales Venues:

Gallery 319, Ames, Iowa

November 2006 to Present - Consignment Artwork Sales

Octagon Center for the Arts, Ames, Iowa.

December 2007 to Present - Consignment Artwork Sales

Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

January 2009 to Present - Consignment Artwork Sales

My Contact Information:

E-mail:   rwallace@iastate.edu or robwallacewoodturner@mchsi.com

Postal Mail Address:   Rob Wallace
                                       2841 Torrey Pines Road
                                    Ames, Iowa 50010-8946

Telephone: 1-515-292-5785; please call between 5:30 pm and 9:30 pm (Central Time Zone)

Go To Rob Wallace's Homepage ----- CLICK HERE!

Gallery Last Updated: 6 January 2009