Trenton Baylor:
My work is inspired by the young seedlings growing
in the backyard and is a reflection of my interest in machinery.
I developed a love of nature while helping my mother in her
garden as a young boy and I am certain that the many trips
South in the passenger seat of my father’s semi-truck
account for my interest in machinery. It has been these experiences
throughout the years that have become the theme and formal
aesthetic of my art. As an aesthetic element, nature is alluded
to in the surface coloration, form, organic transitions, and
natural materials. In contrast, the use of machine-made parts,
polished surfaces, steel, aluminum, and hard edges connote
the mechanical. In combination these two opposing forces fight
and compliment each other in a way that requires a delicate
balance. I anticipate working toward this balance for years
to come.
In my sculpture, interpretation of natural elements such
as: roots, tree trunks, leaves, dirt are easy to see. There
are equally obvious references to machinery: walking beams,
leaf springs, nuts, and bolts are present throughout my work.
However, the incorporation of natural and mechanical characteristics
in my sculpture is only the aesthetic and conceptual vocabulary
for form. It is not the concept and theme of my work that
is important, but instead it is the process of creating them
that I see as the real art. The motivation for continually
creating new work is and always will be a desire to play.
I could use a more sophisticated word such as: experiment,
investigate, or explore, to describe my creative activity,
but what I really enjoy is playing. The activity of discovery
and experimentation with the many tools and materials used
in the process of creating is without a doubt more rewarding
than the end result. It is my inquisitive nature and love
of the process of creating that motivates my creative activity.
The desire to discover different ways to visually and/or
physically create forms has led to my new venture into furniture
making. I am pleased with the success of my past sculptural
objects that incorporate natural and machine-like elements,
but I have become enthusiastic about the idea of creating
similar forms with a function. I choose not to make a distinction
between sculpture and furniture other than their specific
functions and prefer to call them functional sculpture. However,
as a new avenue for exploration I have moved from table top
sculpture to making the tables themselves the sculpture. The
production of this new body of work has been thus far more
rewarding than any other, simply because it has challenged
my abilities and ideals and has developed my own understanding
of what art is and what it can be. It is through this process
that I am continually challenged to actively search for alternative
methods of construction, as well as reconstructing my concepts
of art and art making.
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| Aluminum Bridge Chair |
Aluminum Bridge Bench |
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| Burning Bush Table |
Red Root Chair |
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| Weed |
Roots |
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| Bush |
Propagation |
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