Local craftsman Keunho Peter Park will be joining us to teach two woodworking classes in the spring 2014 – Carved Vessels in March and Cigar Box Guitars in June. To introduce Peter, we asked him to tell us a little bit about himself and his work.
Contemporary Craft (CC): How long have you been working in wood? How did you start?
Keunho Peter Park (KPP): I have been fine woodworking for 5 years. I studied fine art (painting) in my undergraduate years and I always tried to stretch my on canvases instead of purchasing them and I was always interested in custom displays of exhibitions and installation works. This led me to work in art installation projects and take traditional woodworking classes after graduation so that I learn the skills to create 3 dimensional works of my visions. I was very intrigued by the ways of the fine woodworking, when I experienced fitting my first dovetail sample joinery and I have been working with wood ever since.
CC: What themes/forms seem to recur in your work? What inspires you?
KPP: The beauty of human body and characteristics of various creatures and life forms always inspire me. This naturally leads me to take interest and create anthropomorphic forms and organic forms.
CC: Can you talk a little bit about one of your favorite pieces that you have made?
KPP: The “Ghost Guitar” is my current favorite work of mine. I have always been interested in musical instruments since I enjoy listening to music and play music, but I always felt the need to separated this interest of mine from my artwork. However, as I was interacting with Beth Ireland working as a colleague artist in IUP, we were able to generate ideas of various ways of making musical instruments. This made me start to see the possibility of combining my interest in musical instruments and my artwork, and the “Ghost Guitar” is the first work that I created from that thinking process.
CC: What is the best advice that you have received as an artist?
KPP: Be honest to yourself as an artist. Practice your artwork everyday.
To see more of Peter’s work, visit his website here.
Want a chance to work with Peter? Visit our online catalogue to register for Carved Wooden Vessels?or Cigar Box Guitars or give us a call at 412.261.7003
