Ron Layport Wood Turner/Sculptor Ron Layport spent 40 years in the advertising business, receiving numerous national and international awards for his work in design, writing and film production. He decided to phase out his professional career, as computers began to eliminate the hands-on aspect of his work. Throughout the 1980s Ron designed and built one-of-a-kind furniture, rooted in tradition, with every joint and surface being worked by hand. His work was featured frequently in Fine Woodworking, and various other wood-related publications. Introduced to studio woodturning in 1992 by master turner David Ellsworth, Ron has been turning and sculpting wood objects, professionally, since the year 2000. His work can be found internationally in numerous exhibitions, publications, and collections. Artist Statement My work celebrates a connection with Earth and it s creatures. Natural imagery, ancient cultures and my materials themselves, are all sources of inspiration. My humanness is apparent in my work, as surface textures, maker s marks and patinas leave evidence that someone was here at this point in time. Much of my energy remains with each piece. Animal effigy figures have inspired utilitarian vessels and ceremonial objects since the earliest forms of human expression. My work is directed toward bringing a comtemporary voice to this ongoing dialog. It makes perfect sense to me then, that these efforts would lend themselves to bronze rendition Selected Exhibitions 2007 Palm Beach 3 Palm Beach, Florida Woodturning On The Edge Prichard Art Gallery University of Idaho Moscow, Idaho 1
Our Turn Now: Artists Speak Out In Wood, The Ohio Craft Museum Columbus, Ohio Kipp Gallery Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, PA -07 Turned & Sculpted Wood Ron Layport: Works in Wood, solo artist exhibition Society for Contemporary Craft Pittsburgh, PA Nature Transformed, Wood Art from the Bohlen collection Mobile Museum of Art Mobile, AL Innovative Perspectives In Turning Wood Turning Center in conjunction with the Brookfield Craft Center. Philadelphia, PA Collectors of Wood Art Forum Philadelphia, PA Nature Transformed Wood Art from the Bohlen collection University of Michigan Museum of Art Ann Arbor, MI Celebrating Nature: Craft Traditions / Contemporary Expressions Los Angeles Craft & Folk Art Museum 2
-05 Selected Works Put A Lid On It: Containing Human Experience, American Association of Woodturners Brand Library Art Galleries Glendale, CA Collectors of Wood Art Forum, (feature presentation, Kevin Wallace) Santa Fe, NM 2002-07 Turned Wood--Small Treasures 2000-05 Turned Wood 2000-07 Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art Exposition SOFA Chicago, I L 2002 The Bugs of Summer Greater Reston Arts Center Reston, VA 2001-07 Nature Takes a Turn, International Juried Exhibition, Minnesota Museum of American Art, St. Paul, MN University of California, Davis, CA University of New York, Purchase, NY Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN 2001-07 Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art Exposition, SOFA New York 3
2000 Selected Wood 2000 Against The Grain: Turned and Sculpted Wood The McAllen International Museum, Mc Allen, TX Publications 2008 Spring of 2008 is the expected release date for a new book authored by Curator Kevin Wallace and artist/writer, Terry Martin, titled New Masters Of Woodturning. This extensive survey of the field will present state-of the art works in turned wood, as well as in-depth profiles on 28 international artists who are creating it. The book presents wood artists from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and United States, who are leading the way in this growing international movement within the craft arts field. Ron Layport is one of those 28 artists profiled. Additional works in wood by Layport may be found in 500 Wood Bowls, a survey of the field published by Lark Books. Currently, Ron is featured in an artist profile titled, Animalist Transitions in the Austraiian publication, Craft Arts International, #70. In 2007 Ron began an association with Peter Wright of Wright Publishing, to translate ongoing works into bronze editions. 2007 Craft Arts International #70, Animalist Traditions, Artist Profile by Kevin Wallace. Small And Miniature Turning a complete guide, Ron Hampton, Guild of Master Craftsman. Woodturning On The Edge, Roger Rowley, Jim Christiansen, Gerritt Van Ness, David Ellsworth, University of Idaho 4
American Woodturner, Journal of AAW, An Eye For Platters, Spring, Vol. 20, No. 1 500 Wood Bowls, Lark Books Woodturning, Guild of Master Craftsman Ltd., Chicago Turns To Wood, Spring, No. 135 Woodturning, Guild of Master Craftsman Publications, Ltd., Cover & Artist Profile, August, No. 139 American Woodturner, Journal of AAW, Cover & feature artist, Spring, Vol. 18, No. 1 Woodturning, Guild of Master Craftsman Publications Ltd., Small Treasures, August, No. 126 Woodwork, Education Steve Loar, Ross Periodicals Inc., December, No. 84 2001 Scratching The Surface, Michael Hosaluk, Guild Publishing 2001 Fine Woodworking, Master Class feature, Lidded Vessel, Taunton Press, August, No. 157 2000-01 Fine Woodworking, 25th Anniversary Issue, Taunton Press, No 146 1994 American Woodworker, Approach to Furniture Design, Rodale Press, February, No. 36 1991 Fine Woodworking, Cover feature, Taunton Press, August, No. 89 1989 Fine Woodworking, Walnut Chest, Taunton Press, Oct., No. 78 5