The items I use in my sculptures are usually found or recycled objects. Many
of them were discarded because they were broken, marred, or their owners
saw them as useless or obsolete. For example, all of my colored glass comes
from the scrap bucket at Alan Webb’s Ethereal Glass Art Studio. The maple
I’ve used as a frame for the "Star Chandeliers" came from an old headboard.
A university music department threw out the tympani. I like to apply
a high degree of finish to the materials without hiding naturally occurring
flaws. One goal is for the viewer to notice the beauty in the flawed surfaces.
My hope is that viewers will reconsider their attitudes about people, ideas,
and items that tend to be discarded as defective, useless, or less than pure.
In my paintings and sculptures I assemble various symbols, objects, colors,
and shapes in such a way that these elements and the relationships between
them load the artwork with meaning. My own experiences unlock those meanings
for me. I rely on the viewer's experiences to unlock significance for the
viewer. This content will be the same only some of the time. Enlightenment
for both artist and viewer happens when we discover our different interpretations.
David L. Zvanut, 2006