Spirit

Brad Sells, Spirit, 2000, maple burl, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Dr. Donald and Mrs. Sue M. Spicer, 2001.54
Copied Brad Sells, Spirit, 2000, maple burl, 12 1⁄4 × 25 1⁄2 × 16 1⁄8 in. (31.0 × 64.7 × 40.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Dr. Donald and Mrs. Sue M. Spicer, 2001.54

Artwork Details

Title
Spirit
Artist
Date
2000
Location
Dimensions
12 1⁄4 × 25 1⁄2 × 16 1⁄8 in. (31.0 × 64.7 × 40.8 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Dr. Donald and Mrs. Sue M. Spicer
Mediums
Mediums Description
maple burl
Classifications
Object Number
2001.54
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2001.54

Artwork Description

Brad Sells begins his sculptures by carving away large chunks of wood with a chainsaw. He spends the next few days using customized electric grinders and sanders to open up the form. Finally, Sells hand-sands the pieces and coats them with a mixture of polyurethane varnish and natural oils to produce a semigloss finish. Spirit is carved from a maple burl, which is an outgrowth from the trunk or branch of the tree. Sells highlighted the irregularities of the burl by retaining a jagged edge on his vessel.