AN ARTFUL PATH
Dentist sculpts works of art in wood
PLYMOUTH » Aleksandar Damevski’s entries in New Hope Arts’ “Works in Wood 2020” exhibit reference the Serbian language and Greek mythology. However, viewers don’t have to be conversant with either to appreciate the creative eye and craftsmanship that underpin the Plymouth Meeting dentist’s two free form sculptures.
His Plymouth Meeting Dental Associates has been a fixture in Plymouth Township for decades. But when he’s not holding office hours, Damevski trades scalers and drills for gouges and chisels…or the cameras that power his other leisure passion – photography. His work in both mediums has appeared in numerous local and regional exhibits and is regularly on display in his waiting room and treatment suite.
Damevski’s contributions to “Works in Wood 2020” are titled “Talas” and “Danaideain Vessel.”
“‘Talas’ is the Serbian word for wave, and I chose it because of the pattern of the grain,” he explains. “‘Danaideain Vessel’ I chose because a hole appeared on the bottom of the piece, and it reminded me of the Greek myth about the Danaides.”
The Danaides were the 50 daughters of Danaus, Damevski continues.
“They were to marry the 50 sons of Danaus’ twin brother, Aegyptus, a mythical king of Egypt,” he says. “In the most common version of the myth, all
but one of them killed their husbands on their wedding night and are condemned to spend eternity carrying water in a sieve or perforated device. In the classical tradition, they came to represent the futility of a repetitive task that can never be completed.”
According to Damevski, the two pieces are alike in some respects.
“I would have to say that they are very similar in the lack of right angles and the undulating curves they both h av e ,” he says. “Where they are different is in their origins. The ‘Danaideain Vessel’ started as a ba ske tba l l size piece of knotted maple. Once I cut it in half, the intricate interior became visible to me.”
As Damevski began carving, “more textural details” emerged.
“It had a rough bowl shape to begin with, which I refined into what it is now,” he says. “‘Talas’ started as a wedge-shaped piece of ash. As I began to remove the bark, the underlying grain pattern became evident, and I followed what the wood was revealing to me.”
Both “Talas” and “Danaideain Vessel” were completed during the past year. How – if at all – did the pandemic affect Damevski’s creative process?
“It dampened my photography significantly, because I can’t go out and roam around looking for that shot,” the Bucks County artist says. “On the other hand, I sculpt at home, and my supply of wood is right around me.”
Damevski is largely selftaught. His interest in the arts began during his childhood in the former Yugoslavia and upstate New York and evolved through his student years at Syracuse
University and Temple University dental school. Wood sculpting goes back centuries earlier and has ranged from elaborately detailed decorative ceilings and classic busts to abstracts. The New Hope Arts’ show reflects that diversity.
Observe jurors Joseph Seltzer and Ward Stevens, who selected six Jurors’ Choice awards from the 100 works on view:
“There are classic works such as Geoffrey Noden’s red oak and hickory inner bark ‘Shaved Chair’ with the woven seat perfectly complementing the clean lines of design and Kelly Parker’s sycamore ‘Helix 2.0 Table,’ a unique design where the grain of the wood follows the curves of each of the pieces that make up the whole.
“Adam Capone’s flying ‘Pink Bird’ and ‘Green Bird’ also add a lighthearted touch as they hang suspended over the exhibit, which also includes his sturdy, no-frills walnut and repurposed mahogany ‘Table’ and the haunting face of his ‘ Shaman’…
“And speaking of haunting, the mood and mystery that are evoked by Michael Palladino’s ‘Forest Escape,’ carved wooden panels that are torched with encaustic wax inlay, will stay with you long after you leave the exhibit.”
COVID-19 viewing protocols and other “Works in Wood 2020” details are available at 215-862-9606 and www.newhopearts.org.