Spring Art Fair preview: wood sculptures by Virginia Birchfield

Get to know some of the talented Columbus College of Art & Design students and alumni whose work will be available for purchase at the CCAD 2018 Spring Art Fair on Saturday, April 7. Find other entries in the series here, here, and here.

When Virginia Birchfield (Interior Design, 2009) took furniture and wood sculpture classes at CCAD, she discovered the aesthetic that would become the foundation for her career.

Today, her sculptural work, which she creates in her Knox County workshop, combines an intricate knowledge of wood with the metalworking and painting skills she acquired while working in her father’s auto restoration business. In her functional furniture pieces and sculptures alike, raw organic shapes merge with clean geometric lines.

“My pieces focus on the natural deterioration that happens after the tree dies,” Birchfield says. “I start by slicing or carving into them to reveal these processes. I then re-interpret the wood by juxtaposing it with contrasting materials and shapes to create a piece that unifies the similarities and differences within the materials.”

By highlighting the natural deterioration of the wood, Birchfield reveals the beauty inherently unique to each piece of wood.

Read more about Birchfield below, and follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

Can you describe some pieces you’ll be selling at the Spring Art Fair?

I will be selling wall sculptures, accent tables and some small functional wood and concrete pieces. Most of my work is made with live-edge wood cut from naturally fallen trees, which I embellish with contrasting materials such as concrete and steel.

Do you have a favorite item you'll be bringing to sell?

My wall sculptures get the most interest. Usually you see wood used in functional items like furniture, but to see it incorporated into a wall art piece makes a very dramatic statement.

Why do you participate in the CCAD Art Fair?

Participating in the CCAD Art Fair is a great way for me to stay connected to CCAD. I enjoy coming back each year to see the school growing and changing. I also love seeing familiar faces of students, alumni, and return patrons.

How has your CCAD education influenced the work and shaped your entrepreneurial success?

CCAD has been a great foundation for my art and success. My connections, creative process, critical thinking skills, and self-confidence as an artist all grew from my CCAD roots.