Wanda's Picks: William Rhodes, Souls of Water-Memories of the African Diaspora

This morning we will be speaking to visual artist William Rhodes, whose exhibit Souls of Water up at th San Francisco Main Library, African American Ctr., 3rd Fl., 100 Larkin Street, through tomorrow, Feb. 6, 2014, 415-557-4277. Rhodes says of his work that it "explores themes of hidden knowledge, iconographic imagery and forms and how they can change meaning in a given cultural context. Explorations into the contrast between these traditional cultures and our modern one have also added depth to the narrative quality to my work." He is a woodworker by trade, an artist by choice. I strive to blend fine craft, sculpture and design with meaning and function. My travels to Africa, Asia, and Central and South America have strongly influenced my work. The people, art and cultures of these societies have inspired me to consider non-traditional approaches to art and sculpture. In every work I choose to start with reclaimed wood as my structural material. I enjoy the process of carving wood into a variety of shapes and sizes. The process of carving drawers and hidden compartments into the wood allows me to incorporate my need for functionality. Each piece can stand on its own as a functional object yet it is art. Mirrors have always been important to my work. I realized how mirrors can draw the viewer directly into the work. Every individual reflection adds to the story of the art. As a child I often asks myself the question of how early Humans saw their reflection? I believed Water gave humans the ability to see themselves. I often think of how water moves and creates circular shapes when I design my sculptures. This organic fluidity is always a part of my wood carving process. We close with a rebraodcast of an interview first taped January 31 with Kendra Kimbrough-Barnes, Laura Elaine Ellis and Gregory Dawson about the 10th Annual Black Choreographers Festival Here and Now, 2/9-3/8/2014.