Mark Pettegrow displays his latest abstract bronze pieces at the Michener.
By: Megan Sullivan
Ideas and feelings conveyed by abstract sculpture, whether the piece is made of marble, stone or bronze, are as strong and as tangible as the materials that mold the work of art.
Point Pleasant, Pa., sculptor Mark Pettegrow combines geometrical forms with his love of mythology, history and architecture to create his pieces, but that doesn’t dictate what is seen through the eyes of the beholder. "Abstract sculpture doesn’t define itself for you," Mr. Pettegrow says. "You can bring your own interest to it, decide what layers to look at."
In many ways, Mr. Pettegrow thinks we are a two- dimensional culture, trained to look at things passively and take in imagery. "It’s a weird time for abstract sculpture right now because sculpture in general is not something people are comfortable with," he says. "But you interact with sculpture the same way you interact with anything else in your world… you can look at it from different angles and see different things."
As part of its ongoing outdoor sculpture program, the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa., is featuring Equipoise, an installation of seven bronze works by Mr. Pettegrow, on view through July 3.
Mr. Pettegrow grew up in Maine, but moved to Pennsylvania in 1987 to study sculpture at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a master’s degree in fine arts in 1990. Studying under Bob Engman and Maury Lowe, he learned a very modernist form of sculpture. While he took art classes in high school and dabbled with clay figures at home, it wasn’t until Mr. Pettegrow went to the University of Maine that he discovered his love for sculpture. An anthropology major at first, Mr. Pettegrow soon switched to fine arts after realizing how much he enjoyed sculpting in an introduction to art course.
No one in Mr. Pettegrow’s family has been an artist for generations; they’ve been farmers, fishermen and boat builders. "I think they’ve always worked with their hands," he says. Sometimes when smoothing out the edges of a sculpture, he thinks about how it might be similar to boat building.
In 1995, Mr. Pettegrow built a studio behind his home to serve as both an independent sculpture studio and a custom design and decorative arts company. He divides his time between sculpture commissions and residential and commercial design projects. Mr. Pettegrow’s work has been seen at the Skowhegan Retrospective at the Maine Coast Artist Gallery in Rockport, Maine, and in several regional and local shows. His work has also been featured on HGTV and in Philadelphia magazine.
Working primarily in wax and clay for bronze casting or direct metal fabrication, Mr. Pettegrow’s abstract sculptures often make references to things such as leaf forms from his garden, winged figures and armor. "They’re all abstract forms, though they’re kind of tangible," he says. "Though they’re abstract there’s something about them… there’s a lot of references."
On a recent afternoon, Mr. Pettegrow takes a walk through the sculpture installation and talks about his pieces, which were all cast at Laran Bronze in Chester, Pa. Four of the seven pieces were made during the last year and a half. "I sort of had a huge burst of energy," he says.
Shaded by a group of trees at the beginning of the museum’s walkway, Mr. Pettegrow’s piece "Icari" brings to mind a Greek helmet or piece of armor. The sculpture is part of a series based on the Greek legend of Daedalus and Icarus. Across the walkway, five more pieces enliven an open grassy space. "Equipoise," for which the show was named, is one of the more textured pieces in which Mr. Pettegrow actually pierced through the vibrant colored bronze for effect. "Up here it gets really gnarly," he says as he runs his hands on the surface of the winged piece. "For me it’s something abstract, the pieces being not quite finished coming or not quite finished decaying, I’m not sure," he says. Nearby stands "Canopus IX," which has a greenish hue achieved by using a series of chemicals that form a patina.
Many of the sculptures Mr. Pettegrow made over the course of his profession had been full of movement, so he decided to make "Stillpoint" as a quieter piece. "There was more motion in my pieces than had ever been there," he says, "and I wanted this one to be still."
The ornately intertwined "Arabesque" reminds Mr. Pettegrow of the ballet position and his whirling sculpture, "Mariposa," is Spanish for butterfly. But he stresses that he tries not to make the names too specific or suggestive, as he hopes onlookers will decide for themselves what each piece represents. "The names aren’t necessarily illustrative, so you can go anywhere with it," he says.
One of Mr. Pettegrow’s favorite pieces, "Leap of Faith," is installed under a niche to the right of the entrance. "It has huge direction to it it literally goes leaping off the stand," he says. "The whole show is like a leap of faith."
Equipoise is on view as part of the Outdoor Sculpture Program at the James A. Michener Art Museum, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown, Pa., through July 3. Meet the Artist: Mark Pettegrow, May 24, 6:30-8 p.m., featuring an informal walk through the installation with Mr. Pettegrow, wine and cheese. Free with admission; advanced registration required. Museum hours: Tues.-Fri. 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. noon-5 p.m. Admission: $6.50, $6 seniors, $4 students, under age 6 free. For information, call (215) 340-9800. Michener on the Web: www.michenerartmuseum.org. Mark Pettegrow on the Web: www.pettegrowstudio.com