Paul Sumner

"My work is inspired by American folk art. These pieces echo cigar silk textiles, cigar band mosaics, and especially 19th century crazy quilts."

Paul Sumner's work has evolved over the years to become an expression of all of his passions, not just his love of the medium of wood. He began more than twenty years ago as a traditional wood craftsman, making jewelry boxes and furniture. His interests branched out to explore the textural possibilities of wood, then to color, and on to the addition of other materials until his work became truly mixed media.

Animals have become a dominant theme for Sumner. The artist is drawn to realistic body shapes, but allows the surface decoration to follow his whimsy. His most recent work involves combining metal with wood. An avid antique tin collector, he loves to include old tins, which are outstanding for their color and pattern.

The tins also give Sumner the opportunity to explore the introduction of words into the visual realm of art. The artist likes to hint at meaning or humor, using text he has extracted from his tins.