Tropo by Derek Bencomo

Tropical almond wood wall sculpture
11" h  x 16" w x 8" d 

Derek Bencomo is an artist from Maui, Hawaii, whose fine woodworking has been widely collected by museums across the US for the last 30 years. His creations express a harmony with nature and life in Hawaii, successfully reflected in the movement and visual rhythm he finds in the wind, water and mountains. Always abstract, his work balances mass and lines, capturing a sense of motion, while the sculptural aspects mirror the figure of the wood. Over the last decade his work has shown dramatic growth from the tradition of woodturning, where bowl or vessel is the norm, to a sculptural approach that is distinctly original. His current works feature lines that curve and stretch out in three dimensions against the subtle backdrop of wood grain. The abstracted forms, with their flowing lines and patterns, are inspired by the natural beauty of a wave, stretch of beach, and endless horizon.

I think what is exciting about my work now is that I have moved in a direction that focuses on the sculptural elements of my work without being inhibited by the limits that the lathe obviously places on an object.

I love the way this piece floats above the wall. I'll be creating more wall sculptures this year.  - Derek Bencomo