John Medwedeff, Sculpture, Public Art
NEWS


John has a small, forged steel piece titled Box for Cynthia in the exhibition "Iron: Forged Tempered Quenched" from January 16 - May 16, 2010 at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. hccc@crafthouston.org 

Box for Cynthia
Box for Cynthia, forged & fabricated steel, about 5" x 2" x 4", 1993

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The amazing Zahner Company crew arrived in Murphysboro on Monday, November 9, 2009 and commenced assembly of the Towne Park Pavilion right away. Here are a few photos of their progress so far, counterclockwise:

hugecrane panelontrailer 
flyingpanel 
panelsongrass  

crescent parts

assembly2

assembly

assembly3

Day 3, installing the panels:
panel 1 in the sky

panel 1 closer

panel 1 installed

adding panel 2

John in his hard hat
John inspecting the progress, day 4.

3 panels day 5

Photos continue to the right ►

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Box for Cynthia has been accepted into the upcoming exhibition "Iron: Forged Tempered Quenched" from January 16 - May 16, 2010 at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft.

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An upcoming exhibition of American Ironwork titled "Iron 2010" at the Metal Museum, which will include work by John Medwedeff and many other artists:
http://www.metalmuseum.org/irontwentyten.html

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John is featured this week (July 27, 2009) on crafthaus:
http://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/JohnMedwedeff

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We have photos of the Towne Park Fountain (working title), with water!

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Here are photos of Whirl after John and Jesse restored it in June, 2009:

whirl river smaller
Whirl, forged & fabricated steel & aluminum sculptural shade shelter, 18' x 21' x 8', 2001. Commissioned by urbanArt (a division of the Greater Memphis Arts Council) by national competition. Detail of the bench, below.

Whirl Bench 2009

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July, 2009: We are awaiting photos of the Pavilion construction progress and will post them ASAP. Here is a photo of the model, in case your memory needs refreshing:
 
pavilion model  
Towne Park Pavilion designed by John Medwedeff

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May 30, 2009: The Lieber Fountain is now installed!

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May 14, 2009:  We have power at the studio! We are thankful that the storm did not damage our home or shop. Thousands of trees and many structures are damaged in Southern Illinois. Everyone is working together to repair what is broken.

jesse in the forklift
Jesse Robinson clearing brush with the forklift.

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Harding Academy of Nashville, TN honored John with its Alumni Hall of Fame Award at a dinner Friday, March 27, 2009.
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"Saturday, March 28th from 6:30 - 8:30 pm you are invited to a reception to celebrate the grand opening of the office space at 1004 Walnut Street and welcome the latest John Medwedeff sculpture to the East End of Walnut Street, at the Law Office of Joni Beth Bailey."

Bailey Table close Bailey Table

Please join us. John designed and built the Bailey Table, a steel & glass sculptural table (above) for Joni Beth - and the opening of Hilary Chandler and Darby Ortolano's art exhibit is at the same time, same place.

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The Park project is coming along again now that the weather is better. John is busy finishing the carving on the updated design for the custom benches, which feature sculptural flourishes and the founding year and name of our fair city, Murphysboro.

Work on the Lieber Fountain is also going well. See progress collage at right.

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Thanks to everyone who attended the opening. It was great to meet new people and see so many friends and neighbors at once in one large room.

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The opening reception for John Medwedeff: Sculptor & Metalsmith is this Friday, February 6, 2009 from 4-7 PM at the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Mitchell Gallery, in the University Museum, Faner Hall.

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Here is an update we just received from Mathew Clarke, author of the newest book to feature John's work and the work of many other amazing artists. John also wrote the book's forward.

New News! Link to Schiffer books
"From Fire to Form, Sculpture from the Modern Blacksmith and Metalsmith"

http://www.schifferbooks.com/newschiffer/book_template.php?isbn=9780764332470
The book is available worldwide, through online and traditional book dealers and trade supply companies and also through the books website www.mathewsclarke.com and www.goodartbooks.com (coming soon) along with other books related to the field of blacksmithing and metalsmithing.


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John is featured in 2 exhibitions in 2009. He's having a one-person show, John Medwedeff: Sculptor & Metalsmith at The University Museum at SIU Carbondale from January 13-March 6 in the Mitchell Gallery, which overlooks the sculpture garden.

The second exhibition is a group show at the Quincy Art Center from January 9-February 13. Here are excerpts from the press release for that show:

Event: Opening Reception
The Blacksmith’s Art: the Legacy of SIU Carbondale
Date: Friday, January 9, 2009
Time: 7:00 – 9:00pm
Place: Quincy Art Center, 1515 Jersey, Quincy, IL

An opening reception on Friday, January 9, 2009 will introduce The Blacksmith’s Art: the Legacy of SIU Carbondale, a group show featuring artwork by artists primarily from the Carbondale area including those from Murphysboro, Metropolis, Cobden, Quincy, and Ursa, Illinois in the Katherine Gardner Stevenson Gallery. This exhibit has received generous support from the Michelmann Steel Construction Company.  An informal gallery talk by blacksmith artist John Medwedeff is planned during the opening reception. Medwedeff’s beautiful 13’ sculpture, Prow, selected for RawSpace at SOFA Chicago in 2006, will anchor the work in the Stevenson Gallery. Medwedeff’s work will be joined by a number of other artists with SIU Carbondale connections. These include: Kent Hilgenbrink of Ursa, Matt Haugh originally of Quincy and now of Murphysboro, IL. Brent Kington of Murphysboro and founder of the SIU blacksmithing program, and Roberta Elliot of Cobden.

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Towne Park update photos on the right. As of December 1 most of the trees have been planted! More photos soon.

Willow was installed at the Boyle Investment Co. in Memphis:
Willow Willow 3 Willow 2
Willow, forged & fabricated steel, Memphis, TN, 2008

         
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John demonstrated bronze forging at the 2008 Southern Illinois Metals Society conference (SIMS) at the SIUC Brent Kington Smithy Saturday, September 27th at 1:30 pm. The conference also featured Ries Niemi and Mike Bondi. The fabulous SIMS Auction was held at Turley Park beginning at 3 pm on Saturday. See more at http://mypage.siu.edu/sims.


The latest edition from Schiffer Books features several works by John. Here is the info they sent to us:

new book ironwork today 08   "We thought you would be interested in knowing about the release of Ironwork Today 2: Inside & Out by Jeffrey B. Snyder. To view the book please click on this link and you will be directed to our website:

http://www.schifferbooks.com/newschiffer/book_template.php?isbn=9780764330643

Book Description
Hundreds of beautiful color photos display the varied, impressive iron artwork from today's artist-blacksmiths. See a variety of styles, from Modern to Victorian, in original works for homes, offices, and public spaces. This metal art ranges in scope from massive public monuments to small, everyday objects and includes sculpture, gates, railings, furniture, lighting fixtures ranging from chandeliers to lamps and candleholders, doors, locks, and more. Concise text introduces each artist and their work. This book is the second in a series pioneered by the late Dona Meilach and provides readers familiar with her work with a new look at some of the artists they have come to know as well as an introduction to artists not previously known. This book will quickly become a prized possession, critical reference, and inspiration for homeowners, designers, artists, and blacksmiths alike."
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Faculty Invitational
 is the title of a group exhibition at the Atrium Gallery, Ball State University in Muncie, IN, from August 26-September 20, 2008. John was invited by sculptor Chet Geiselman.
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To the right are progress photos of the new Park, as of August 11, 2008. Here is a description of the project:

Walnut Street Greenspace (working title: Towne Park), a comprehensive project for our studio, commissioned by the Elizabeth A. Smysor Trust.
The entire park is the artwork, and the design incorporates a sculptural shelter/pavilion/performance space with amphitheatre seating, custom benches, a bronze fountain, and gardens adjacent to the Sallie Logan Library, Murphysboro, IL. Pavilion, fountain and benches designed by John Medwedeff. Landscape designed in collaboration with Darrell Garrison, AIA, of Planning Resources, Wheaton, IL. Fager-McGee, construction contractor. Urban Oasis, fountain consulting.


On August 8, 2008, we completed and installed this bronze fountain (designed by Frederick Biehle of VIA Architecture, built by us) for a residence in Cleveland, Ohio:

ohiofoutain2  

A link to the Southern Illinoisan newspaper video about the Towne Park Fountain:
http://videos.thesouthern.com/p/video?id=1986628

http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2008/07/09/front_page/25041224.txt
July 9, 2008. Click above to read a short article from today's paper about the new park we are building. Progress photos of the park fountain and pavilion design are to the right.

We just received word that John is featured for a week on the front page of myartspace.com.

After much preparation, ground was broken today, May 27, 2008, on the Walnut Street Park/Greenspace (see description, above) in Murphysboro, IL!

May 23-25, 2008 John taught a course titled "The Magnificent 7," which focused on 7 fundamental processes for creating utilitarian, decorative, and sculptural forms at the forge in a context of experimentation and craftsmanship. His son James assisted on this weekend course at beautiful Touchstone Center for Crafts in Farmington, PA.

Recently added: Gifts and Furnishings!

April, 2008. What are we working on right now? Here is a list of current projects:

Wellspring, forged and fabricated bronze sculptural fountain for the LeClaire Garden Court on the N. O. Nelson Campus of SIU Edwardsville Illinois Capitol Development Board Art-in-Architecture Project (awaiting installation). 
Walnut Street Greenspace (working title: Town Center Park), see above.
Forged steel entry banisters for Crawshaw Funeral Home, Murphysboro, IL.
Two hand-forged steel hooks for two Murphysboro Chamber of Commerce fundraisers (awards supper and golf tournament http://www.murphysboro.com/index.php?p=142 ).
A bronze fountain
for a residence in Cleveland, Ohio.
A steel and wood stair railing for a residence in Makanda, IL.
Willow, a steel sculpture commissioned for the Boyle Investment Company Plaza through UrbanArt, Memphis.

We have recently added: work for sale


A WSIU In Focus program featuring John's recent and past work was shown at 9 PM, Friday, Dec. 7 & 14, 2007. Scroll down the page to John Medwedeff and click on "watch now" to see the first segment (and the other cool shows) in this link: http://www3.wsiu.org/television/infocusarchive/searchresult.php

WTTW Chicago's series Arts Across Illinois featured John in October and November broadcasts (Oct 21, 2007 @ 5:30 PM in Chicago; Nov. 25, 2007 @ 9:30 PM in Carbondale). Brent Kington and other blacksmith/sculptors are featured in additional programs that focus on metalsmithing in Illinois. Here is the Medwedeff blurb from the WTTW site:

 
John Medwedeff's public art is monumental and meticulous.
His work blurs the boundary between the world of traditional
metalworker and modern sculptor.

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UrbanArt has commissioned John to create a steel sculpture for the Boyle Investment Company Plaza in Memphis, TN.

Here is an article (link below) about the new Murphysboro park John has designed in collaboration with Planning Resources architects in Wheaton, IL. The park will be located next to Sallie Logan Library and construction will begin this winter. This article ran in a Southern Illinoisan newspaper special Murphysboro section. John has also designed a bronze fountain and a sculptural amphitheater pavilion for the project. 

John has just been awarded a percent-for-the-arts sculptural fountain commission for the N. O. Nelson campus of Lewis & Clark College by the State of Illinois.

In September, 2007, John installed a sculptural, bronze stair railing in a residence located in Manchester-By-the-Sea, MA. See the architectural metalwork page for photos.

Sculpture Invasion is the title of a group exhibition that included John's work at the Koehnline Museum of Art, July 12 - August 30, 2007.
 
prow Prow, forged and fabricated steel, 13' x 8' x 4'

John was a panelist and presenter on Public Art for the Professional development seminar at the Society of North American Goldsmiths' conference at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN, June 13, 2007.

The University School of Nashville honored John with its Distinguished Alumnus Award. John gave the convocation address to over 500 attendees on Tuesday, May 22, 2007.
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Fine Art from the Forge: Work by Southern Illinois Blacksmiths was held March 19 - June 2, 2007 in the Gallery Space at 1008 Walnut, Murphysboro, IL. Curated by John Medwedeff, presenting the work of 20 blacksmiths.

 
John and Metal Museum Director Jim Wallace
at the Fine Art from the Forge opening

This is an exhibition that celebrates both the work of artist-blacksmiths living in Southern Illinois and the important history of the local blacksmithing community. The work in the exhibition explores diverse uses of iron and mixed media for decorative and sculptural possibilities. In the mid 20th century, a combination of World War II, new technology, changing economies and the emerging movement of Modernism in art, design, and architecture interrupted the rich history of creative work by blacksmiths. In the post-war years, blacksmiths and their skills all but passed into history.

The 1960's saw the beginning of a renewed interest in the craft as reaction to an increasingly modernized world, and in concert with counter-culture idealism of the times. By then, the traditional system of handing down skills from master to apprentice had ended. The Fox Fire book series shed some light on the old methods, a handful of "old timers" were still around to teach a new generation, and there were people trying to figure it out their own. Historically, blacksmithing had been one of the building trades. Then in 1969, Brent Kington, Professor of Metalsmithing at SIUC, brought blacksmithing into the academic art world for the first time in the United States.

By the mid 1970's the Metals Department at SIUC had become very well known as the one and only graduate program for Artist-Blacksmiths. During this time the nation was swept up in Bicentennial celebrations. To mark the occasion, Evert Johnson, Curator of Art at the SIUC University Museum from 1966 to 1989, curated the 1976 exhibition "Iron - Solid Wrought USA" featuring historic and contemporary ironwork. This further cemented Southern Illinois' place in the growing international blacksmithing community. Jim Wallace, one of Evert Johnson's museum assistants and Brent Kington's graduate students from that time, went on to become Director of the Metal Museum in Memphis, TN. Several artists represented in this current exhibition have worked and trained at the Metal Museum as well as at SIUC.

In the last 30 years, decorative ironwork has found its way back into architecture and forged iron has become a respected medium for fine art. Graduates of SIUC have started shops and built academic programs across the country. A global community of blacksmiths has come together to fully reinvigorate the profession. The SIUC Metals Department, now under the leadership of Rick Smith, still a center of blacksmithing in the U.S., has continued to foster the work of emerging artists.

Several of us who moved here for the educational opportunities decided to settle in the area. The result of all this is that Southern Illinois is home to a thriving and constantly evolving blacksmithing community that occupies a unique place in world of contemporary ironwork.

John Medwedeff

This exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Evert Johnson, 1929 - 2006.

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In January, 2007, John installed a sculptural, bronze, 3-story stair railing in a residence located in Manchester-By-the-Sea, MA. See detail photo of the Manchester Grand Stair Railing, right.

A monumental steel sculpture titled Prow (see photo above, 13' x 8' x 4', forged & fabricated steel) was shown November 9-12 at SOFA Chicago in the RawSpace exhibition.

Bloom, a bronze sculpture, was dedicated to the memory of Dr. Lars Hoffman in a ceremony at Lewis & Clark College in Godfrey, IL on Tuesday, September 26, 2006. The sculpture was installed Friday, August 11.

The May 2006 issue of Smithsonian (pp.28-30) contains an article titled "Forging Its Own Future: Dedicated Metalsmiths Help a Memphis Museum Revive a Lost American Art Form," which quotes John on page 30. 

Art & Antiques magazine included John in their March 2006 "100 Top Collectors' and What They Collect" issue. He's quoted on p. 154 and the studio is listed on page 152 in an article by Elaine Glusac titled "Then & Now: Iron Forges Ahead."  Here is an exerpt:  

Southern Illinois' John Medwedeff makes both sculpture and furnishings and believes decorative and fine arts inform each other. "When you work at the forge you're manipulating material and changing dimensions," Medwedeff says. "Working with hot iron tends to produce graceful, organic lines. What's inherent in blacksmithing is easily extrapolated into sculpture."
     

pavilion Jan 10 2010
January 10, 2010. People rocking out at the Pavilion in the snow and freezing morning weather.  Sounds great!


January 8, 2010. Before the snowstorm!

Pavilion Jan 4

Jan 4 Pavilion

Pav entry close
January 4, 2010 - Finer finishwork.

Pavilion from YC

Pav Dec 31`

Paviliondec31cold
December 30 & 31, 2009
Continuing fitting and attaching the exterior panels


December 16, 2009


December 13, 2009, marking and fitting the exterior panels.


December 13, 2009. View of the interior showing final edge shape guides.

dec 10 pavilion  dec 11 pavilion
December 10 & 11, 2009

view from walnut st.
November 25, 2009
pavilion view from youth center

 


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Fountain and flowers 
Views of the Sallie Logan Library & Towne Park Fountain forged and fabricated bronze, 11' x 3' x 4', Murphysboro, IL, 2009. Park and fountain commissioned by the Elizabeth A. Smysor Trust. 

TPF

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Lieber Fountain large
The Lieber Fountain, St. Louis, MO, 2009.


Fountain installation day  Jesse Robinson, Chris Lehr and John (in the wetsuit)

fountain water level  Chris Lehr hammering
Chris Lehr is shown checking the level of the Lieber Fountain bowl
and making adjustments.


lieber progress
Shop photo of fountain progress (from the mezzanine).

We have green grass at the Park!

T Park March 09
Approaching the amphitheatre area from the Youth Center

T Park stage and grass
A view of the stage from the top of the stairs.
The Sculptural Pavilion will be installed here.

T Park Library
View of the Park in progress and the library from the west.

March 9  park photo  fountain in park landscape
Recent progress photos from Towne Park, March, 2009, showing paths, the amphitheater and fountain.

lieber progress collage
Progress collage of the Lieber Fountain, residential project, March, 2009.

mark and sue  baxters      
 chip and joannnie james and wellspring

Photos from the Feb. 6, 2009 opening reception of John Medwedeff: Sculptor & Metalsmith at the Mitchell Gallery, SIUC University Museum:  Sue and Mark Gindelsburger near Ocoee; James, Cynthia & John; Chip and Joannie Hilleshiem in front of Dining Table; James Medwedeff in front of the Lawder Firetools and gazing at Wellspring.


Fountain in the snow
Towne Park Fountain in the snow, Feb. 2009

pavilion model  view from the fountain 
pavilion model   from the amphitheater
1/24 scale model of the Towne Park Sculptural Pavilion, November 14, 2008.
Sculptural Pavilion designed by John Medwedeff and being fabricated by the

A. Zahner Company, Kansas City, MO.

  
fountain sky

transporting the fountain  
Towne Park fountain transport and installation, October 22, 2008


TP phone lines  Town Park Stonemasons  TP stonework

TP pathwork  TP   TP amphitheater stonework
Towne Park construction progress September-October, 2008

1  2  8 
3  4  5 
6  7  8
Towne Park construction progress,  August, 2008

1-4 scale model new fountain  parkfountainawaitinginstallation
Towne Park Fountain, 1/4 scale model & full size studio photo

New park fountain, 2008   new park fountain 2  new fountain model 3
Towne Park Fountain, 1/12 scale model views, work in progress, 2008

designing the new park pavilion
Murphysboro Towne Park Pavilion, working paper models

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wellspring shop shot
Wellspring, forged and fabricated bronze sculptural fountain, progress photo, 2008

manchester panel
Manchester Grand Stair Railing, 32" x 34', forged and fabricated bronze, 2007. See more images  on the Sculpture or Architectural Ironwork pages

  

John Medwedeff
Sculpture, Metalsmithing, Furnishings, Collaborative Design of Public Spaces

695 Future Lane Murphysboro, IL 62966
voice  618 687 4304     fax  618 687 5220    cell 618 521 7429
john@johnmedwedeff.com



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