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Through February 24, 2008
Scott McNeill will open his exhibition of new work at West Valley Art Museum on December 14, 2007. McNeill, a wood carving artist who’s unusual bas-reliefs with paintings on them that work in relation to but are still different from the carving itself, first showed his work at the Museum in the “Rings of Time” exhibition in 1999. He later had a oneman show at the Museum in 2003.
McNeill’s early pieces were in linden wood, hand carved in a style he developed while learning as an apprentice in Honduras from 1994-1996. After returning to the States, he worked on his “multi-dimensional” technique and approached West Valley Art Museum for interest in his art. He has continued his association with the West Valley Art Museum to the present.
Always ready to surprise his growing base of admirers, the new work departs from the material of painted wood and delves into the world of plastics and resins. Not content with the lengthy carving time to realize a single sculpture and interested in pushing the boundaries once again, Scott experimented with casting materials that would have unusual color properties. He hit on a light sensitive material that would absorb ultraviolet light and would glow with one set of colors in the dark, and look different under normal lighting.
The idea had instant appeal to Scott, since it was another version of being “multi-dimensional”, this time in a different direction. The exhibit in the Heffernon Room Gallery will be set with special lighting to charge the sculptures and will have alternative lighting to show off the startling effects of the new material applied to an art form. Small versions of the “glow series” will be available in the Museum Store during the exhibition.