Art by Patrick Soran. Courtesy photo
ART News:
This year’s Los Alamos Artists Studio Tour is Oct. 11-12 and the Los Alamos Daily Post is featuring a “Get to Know Your Artist” series leading up to the annual event.
Each of the 16 artists participating in the tour will be showcased prior to the beginning of the tour to allow our readers an opportunity to learn about them and their work.
Meet Los Alamos artist Patrick Soran:
Patrick Soran
When I first became interested in woodworking many years ago, I found that it was a form of therapy after a day of work in the scientific arena. I am a nuclear engineer by trade, and working in my shop at night offered a pleasant change of pace for me. Gradually, I accumulated a nice set of tools. My first attempts were primarily furniture pieces for the house. For my daughter’s wedding present, I fashioned a bed for her and her new husband, which pleased both them and me. I followed this with a rocking cradle when they had their first child. Since then I have made several wooden objects for my children and grandchildren and I discovered how enjoyable it was to share my woodworking results with others.
Wood has always fascinated me. As some people crave textile sensations, seeing a fine piece of wood and imagining what it could become has the same effect on me.
In 2007, I applied to and was accepted into the Northwestern Woodworking School, taught by Gary Rogowski, a regular contributor and editor of Fine Woodworking magazine. This two-year course, taught at the Northwest
Woodworking Studio in Portland, Ore., really opened my eyes to the artistic side of woodworking. We were encouraged to see beyond the lines and angles of the product and to stretch our imaginations to the beauty of the finished product.
Every three months, we completed a new project, consisting of boxes, cabinets, tables and chairs. At the completion of the course, I became an accredited Master Woodworker. Though I am an engineer at heart, I find that designing graceful, creative wooden objects has brought out a new side of me that I did not know existed. Matching the correct wood with a design or using an inlay to make a statement is an exciting part of the design process.
For the last several years I have been working with my favorite woods (birds-eye maple, cherry, walnut) to create various pieces of furniture (tables, blanket chests, Morris chairs, and cabinets), several types of wooden boxes, and numerous wood turnings. Many of my works have been sold at the Los Alamos Art Center, private galleries, and numerous commissions. I hope you enjoy seeing my creations and the sensuous nature of the wood in their composition and makeup.
Learn more about the Los Alamos Artists Studio Tour here.
Read about previously published artist Joanne Kozuchowski here.