Emerge

John Strohbehn
Emerge
Monkeypod wood on Granite base.
John Strohbehn is a sculpture artist living and working on the Big Island. His sculpture Emerge is carved out of a solid piece of Monkeypod grown on the island. This large sculpture came from a massive tree that was salvaged by Kamuela Hardwoods. As they were taking the tree down one piece at a time they realized the center of the tree was hollow. It was so big one person could climb inside the tree and extend their arms without touching in any direction. The tree had grown under unique and stressful conditions which made the figure and shape of the wood one of a kind. These unique qualities are what caught John's eye as he walked past the raw timber. Upon closer inspection it was evident that the wood also had a wild and beautiful grain pattern. The form looked like a whale breaching upward and John thought it might make a great sculpture. The twisted shape was too wild to make lumber out of, it was perfect for sculpture. John's abstract sculptures are flowing biomorphic pieces that speak directly to the material. Emerge is a piece in which he worked by responding to the shape and grain of the wood to reveal the form. Carefully removing material until the piece carries a movement and expression. The balance between positive and negative space are crucial to this design style. The title and meaning of the work is distilled through the process. Leaving a bit of mystery and space for interpretation is what keeps the work alive for John. He finds himself bringing together shapes and lines that often remind him of differing ideas. It's is the process of merging these thoughts and gestures that bring the sculptures to life. Emerge started as a sculpture with a very ocean-like theme, from the back view the form reminded John of a whale or ocean form rising up from the surface. The wave like center portion of the piece is very much inspired by the crashing surf that helps shape the coastlines of Hawai'i. However, the top and body of the sculpture took on a human/motherly gesture. You can almost see the wave like arm of the sculpture resting on a hip as a face looks toward the horizon. All these ideas “emerge” upward from one source and offer many abstract metaphors. The granite stone is one large piece that was hand chiseled and left organic on the edges to juxtapose the smooth appearance of the rest of the sculpture. It also helps to remind the viewer it is a solid stone and not a faux veneer. The large sculpture pivots on a stainless steel pin so it can be displayed in an area where limited space is a consideration.