Thursday Salute: Using Sculpture To Convey Environmental Messages
Artist Paul Baliker creates stunning works of art with natural materials, and we’re particularly drawn to his creations in wood. Paul’s recent creation, “A Matter of Time”, utilizes materiality, texture and scale to deliver a poignant message.
“Think of this sculpture as a clock. Within one 24 hour revolution somewhere between 3 and 270 species are erased from existence“.
Upon deeper examination, you will notice that man is at the center of this timepiece, controlling the fate of the species in his fallible hands. At the 12 o’clock position, lifelike bird sculptures represent the sky. As you move clockwise around the timepiece, mammals are represented at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, while the 6th hour is dedicated to marine life.
The natural wood material and attention to detail sets a fantastical, fairy tale mood to the piece – and it’s origins might explain why. Paul Baliker dreamed up this sculpture for 15 years, and when the economy took a downturn he used the opportunity to dedicate time to creating this elaborate piece.
What we admire about Paul: refraining from a preaching attitude, he full admits his own shortcomings in living an environmentally friendly lifestyle. This artist just wants his sculpture to be propelled to a worldwide stage to open the eyes of the general public.
Learn more about Paul’s award-winning driftwood sculpture >
Image credits: Sculpsite.com, Artprize.org