David
Lubotsky
All
great structures have solid foundations. David Lubotsky has a
foundation of solid stone. Lubotsky is a sculptor/ visionary who
has begun what appears to be no less than a legacy at age thirty.
Through his truth to materials philosophy, he works predominantly
in a variety of stone. He collects found objects of bone, wood
and pebbles incorporating timeless characteristics of natural
form into his design aesthetic. Small sculpture made of these
found objects along with clay maquettes and countless drawings
enable Lubotsky to determine what will be actualized in larger
scale sculpture.
More recently Lubotsky has begun sculpting in molding plaster.
He builds a sub frame of lumber and flexible river willow that
is then blanketed in plaster soaked burlap cloth. Plaster is then
applied by repeated layering. Some fifty layers of plaster may
be applied to actualize the mass desired. The surface is then
refined by use of files, hatchet, and sandpaper. The building
up process allows for any form conceived in any scale to be actualized.
Molds are made from the plaster originals then cast in bronze.
Bronze sculptures are cast in limited editions of 10 or 12 in
exception to large monumental sculpture that may be cast only
once or twice. Patinas vary from polished chrome surfaces to a
stone like appearance.
Stone sculpturing is purely a subtractive art; unique unto the
organic material itself. Forms are generally limited to the confines
of a particular stones mass. Drills, inline hammers, angle grinders
with diamond imbedded cutting blades, along with an assortment
of chisels and rasps (files) enable the sculptor to further refine
the form. Final polishing is done by hand and aided by water fed
diamond abrasives.
Monumental sculpture is no less the effort than building a substantial
architectural structure. Stone is always unique do to its personal
characteristics and timeless, universal origins.
Other than working in stone and plaster for sculpture, Lubotsky
has begun welding steel rods in the making of gestural forms averaging
nine foot tall and placed in groupings that suggest interaction.
He also produces numerous drawings and oil pastel explorations.
Many of the drawings lead to large acrylic paintings on canvas.
These paintings are often compliments to his sculpture.
Since 1996, Lubotsky has designed and built dozens of minimalistic
sculptural fountain features and waterfalls. He found the medium
of stone sculpting through the making of stone fountains when
living in Portland Oregon and attending full time drawing related
classes at the Oregon college of Art and craft. Sales of fountains
have given the financial means for Lubotsky to build a body of
fine art sculpture. Some of his sculpture still incorporates water
in some way.
From 2000-2003 Lubotsky had built a 1500 square-foot adobe mud
and stone building that serves as his studio and living space
for his wife and two children. The sculptural structure was made
entirely by Lubotsky’s own hand without use of a mechanized
mixer for making mud. It’s no doubt a monumental achievement;
the first of several more buildings planned on the property, all
utilizing vernacular and passive solar characteristics.
Lubotsky strives to incorporate sculptural ideals into nearly
every facet of life. The five-acre property has dramatic views
of the Rio Grande Gorge to the west and wide expansive views of
the Sangre De Cristo mountain range to the east. The valley land
has a two-acre wetland that is being enhanced with fishponds and
meandering paths that will in time become the finest contemporary
sculpture destination in New Mexico.
Landscape design, small-scale organic agriculture, vernacular
architecture, Fine art, and family life are incorporated into
a visionary reality, further defining timeless basic aspects of
life in our modern age.
No doubt there has never been a time in world history that has
given the individual such access to the worlds cultures, history
and sciences as our present day. Lubotsky is a youthful, modern
artist defining our time; expressing universal concepts that transcend
historically earthly limitations of subject matter. Liquid motion,
dualities, internal evolution, micro and cosmic revolution, community
unity, and ecological relationship are the basis of Lubotsky’s
expressionistic subject matter. “Future Primitive”
describes Lubotsky’s full circle philosophy/ ideal that
only in time will be fully realized and appreciated.
Time
Line
1973 Born February 3rd in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1991 Portland, OR attends Pacific Northwest College of Art/Film
and Video Production; studies traditional Japanese landscape/architectural
design
1992 Belize, Central America, 6-month independent study of Mayan
culture with emphasis on ancient architecture, stone carving,
agriculture, and self- sustainability
1995 Attends full-time drawing related classes at the Oregon College
of Arts and Crafts Engraves dozens of granite and basalt stone
with Japanese and Hebrew letters, in the making of drilled stone
fountains and garden sculptural elements Sells fountains at the
world renown Portland Japanese garden, also the Oregon College
of Art’s and Craft Joins Northwest Stone Sculptors Association,
attending carving symposium, pursues stone sculpture with emphasis
on fountain design
1998 Shows Horizon Fine Art, Taos, NM for sculptures and fountains
Shows sculpture at Karran Rullen Gallery, Canyon Road, Santa Fe,
NM
1999 Shows stone sculpture and fountain at International Stone
showroom Taos.NM
2000 Completes several waterfall/fountain installations for residential
clients Installs first eight-foot architectural cast stone, stacked
block fountain for Elston Home Design CenterTaos,
NM. Begins building adobe studio on newly acquired land in Arroyo
Hondo, NM. Taos Open Art Festival, wins Best of Sculpture and
2nd Best of Show with 3-foot alabaster maquette for future 9-foot
sculpture entitled “Tikkun,” first of stone totem
series
2001
Completes seven-foot limestone sculpture commission “Tzaddik”.
Completes first indoor eight-foot naturalistic stone waterfall
2002 Installs second ten-foot naturalistic indoor waterfall. Completes
second seven-foot limestone commissioned sculpture "Inner
Light". Begins series of wall mounted concrete sculptures.
Completes authentic adobe 1500 square foot studio/home entirely
by his own hand
2003
Begins triad series of sculpture in plaster for monumental Bronze
cast Completes first monumental scale plaster sculpture for bronze
(“Catalyst”). Designs wall-mounted waterfall fountain
line. Collaborates with Space Tech Solutions in conjunction with
NASA through a grant to develop a chrome-like metal coating for
sculpture
2004 Shows sculpture at Envision gallery in Taos, NM. Group show
‘best of the best’ El Monte Sagrado luxury resort
in Taos, NM. Seeking funds for monumental limestone sculpture
grouping, Taos Family Youth Center. Sixty tons of stone makes
this the largest stone sculptures in this area of the country.
Begins partial excavation of two-acre wetland for fish ponds;
incorporated into an overall five-acre sculpture park located
11 miles from Taos Plaza at the Lubotsky Studio in Arroyo Hondo,
NM
2006
You'll see!
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