In August of 2023, the Redmond Historical Society partnered with Venues for Artists in the Local Area (VALA Eastside) to present "Dudley Carter on Paper," offering a unique insight into the lesser-known works of Redmond's legendary carver, Dudley Carter. World-renowned for his impressive wood carvings and totems, Dudley Carter also produced an array of rarely seen two-dimensional works. The exhibition included sketches, figure studies, gestural abstracts, and pastel landscapes―all from the Society's Collections.
Relive this exhibit by reading the Opening Night Review, or viewing the Panel Discussion below.
To learn more about these pieces or Dudley Carter's history in Redmond, contact our office at manager@RedmondHistoricalSociety.org.
Dudley Carter on Paper: A Glimpse into a Genius
A 2D portfolio of the man who sculpted the Pacific Northwest
Opening Night Review and Photos by Krishna Nandanoor
It was an evening to remember at VALA.
When I walked in, the first thing that caught my eye were the sketches! By Dudley Carter, the sculptor! We know him from his thought-provoking sculptures on display at the Redmond library, at Dudley Carter Park, at SAM, and at BAM! An artist whose art revealed the side of the Pacific Northwest we are a part of! Loving tradition, embracing the contemporary and enhancing the future: all on display in the present! At such scale! To see the sketches was a different perspective altogether into the psyche of the sculptor.
From figure drawings to landscapes, from pastels to pen and ink, the sketches were vastly different from the substrate of Carter’s work but then, it was no surprise that he would formulate his ideas and work on paper. And were they interesting!
His drawings of a man rowing down the river in a kayak and also those of the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest showed not only an amazing level of intricate detail, but also his love for his roots of the Pacific Northwest and how his early years influenced his perspectives of the evergreen state and its love of nature.
Another sketch was that of a waterfall. Completely black and white and yet, it conjured such colorful images of our state’s love for our outdoors.
And, true to his artistic penchant, the themes varied as did his love for all things Northwest and into the world beyond: An abstract one with strong ties to his roots realistic.
One sculpture that manifested that was an
appropriately named Creation. It’s a concentric circled sculpture within a totem symbolizing creation. It embodies geometry! Art! Surrealism within a real material as grounded as wood but
exhibiting the enigma of creation that is right in front us. It evinced as many thoughts as the stars in the skies! And what was even more interesting is that the exhibit made it a point to actually put forth the thoughts of the legend himself. It was fascinating to see what the artist actually thought, in his own words about art, his art, and how the world perceives the world and the art in it.
“In abstractions there is no limit as to what you can do. In more realistic or representational sculpture you are to some degree limited to what you can do―you can’t make great departures from realism.”
This exhibit shows us a new way of looking at Dudley Carter’s work. For me, it will not only paint the Northwest in a massive woody scale, but also cerebrally sculpt an abstract world that existed in the virtuoso’s mind!
Read More: The Log Is Lost!
Krishna Nandanoor is a mom, engineer, history buff, amateur writer, and a huge Jane Austen fan! She loves Redmond, its history, culture, and people. She is now happily a part of the RHS newsletter team, and is enjoying exploring various facets of Redmond, and bringing them into the literary limelight!
Opening Night Photos:
Dudley Carter Panel:
On August 20th, VALA hosted a panel discussion, “Exploring the Portfolio of Redmond’s Legendary Carver, Dudley Carter,” moderated by Halee Turner, RHS Administration and Collections Manager. Panelists included author (and Dudley’s secretary and confidant) ‘Lyn Fluery Lambert, artist Jon Kraft, a carver himself who restored some of Dudley’s works; and Laura Lee Bennett, RHS Vice President and local community organizer. Click below to read their full bios.
PANELISTS:
’Lyn Lambert
Laura Lee Bennett
Jon Kraft
Halee Turner
