Exhibition at The National Geographic Society – 06/02/2003
November 14, 2011
Magination and our beloved Anne Trabue at Martin Gallery in Charleston, South Carolina
Greetings,
Exhibition at The National Geographic Society – 06/02/2003
LEO E. OSBORNE, Exhibition at The National Geographic Society
Nationally known artist Leo E. Osborne of Guemes Island, Washington has been selected to exhibit his 11’8” foot bronze sculpture, MAGINATION at the Washington, DC headquarters of The National Geographic Society.
The sculpture is being trucked from the Joseph Bronze Art Casting Foundry in Joseph, Oregon where Leo does his casting and will be installed for the May 13th opening in the Sculpture Courtyard at 1145 17th St. NW in the nations capital. The exhibit will run through May 31, 2004.
This large and magical work was molded and cast from the maple wooden original which Osborne carved during time spent in Ellensburg, Washington within the last 4 years. The piece was transported to Joseph for the molding and casting and is now in place in the Yoshida Fine Art Gallery at their new location in the Pearl District of downtown Portland, Oregon.
As with all of the bronze work of Osborne, the finished bronze was patinized by long time friend and co-creator Tim Norman whose studio is near the foundry in Joseph. They have worked together for over a decade and the combination of Osborne’s style and the chemical alchemy of Norman with patinas speaks for itself when any of Leo’s bronzes are seen. This particular patina was developed many years ago by Norman when Osborne first cast a bird sculpture titled BLACKHAWK. This coloration and iridescent quality with the dark veins has been called the Blackhawk patina by not only them but by others in the foundry business. With spectacular colorings of iridescent blues with black veining and polished areas this sculpture has a dramatic, contemporary feeling about it. As often in the Osborne style this piece has a base of knarled burly bark with embedded 2 to 3 inch Indian Amethyst Crystals running up through fissures and crevices. Sweeping lines of large leaf like forms unfold as they reach upward and from which flow the image of a bird in flight. The sense of reality and abstract stylized form, a signature of Osborne’s work imbues this sculpture with wonder and magic.
Osborne, now living back on Guemes Island has created with his sprite and studio director Jane Lane a home~studio~gallery which is known as MILKWOOD STUDIO & HOME GALLERY and is referred to by them as a living museum. After all, this is the one place on the planet where you can see the full extent of the work and life of Leo E. Osborne and the full range of his sculpture, painting and poetry. The two of them took one year to remodel this structure into the lovely and unique space, sculpted and painted by their hands, thus making it as Osborne says, “the largest installed piece of ART to date.”
What is going on at MILKWOOD these days? This recently written piece by Osborne illustrates the sense of spirit and magic that flows from the creative being of self.
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