BATH — The Friends of the Zorach Fountain, dedicated to preserving and interpreting “Spirit of the Sea,” the sculptural fountain located in Bath’s city park, invites the public to its annual meeting and program at 5 p.m. Friday, April 26, at the Patten Free Library, 33 Summer St. The nonprofit organization will feature gifted local sculptor Miles Chapin.
The Zorach fountain, “Spirit of the Sea.”
Chapin grew up in Arrowsic. He began carving marble while at the Putney School, then shifted to granite while studying at the College of the Atlantic. For more than 10 years he has worked as an abstract granite sculptor, focusing on outdoor projects. His site-specific granite installations can be seen in Brunswick, Westbrook and Calais.
Sculptor Miles Chapin
The sculptor’s illustrated talk will provide a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of an an artist at work. In presenting his design process, Chapin will focus on several of his site-specific projects, discuss how locations inform his choices, and show how his work is meant to interact with and complement surrounding landscapes.
“Haven,” Chapin’s sculpture at the Visitor Center in Brunswick.
Chapin says this of his work: “In my sculpture, I use curves and texture to mimic motion and emotion. I carve directly, developing a relationship with the stone instead of precisely copying a maquette. I embrace imperfection, and try to avoid perfect symmetry. I am constantly playing with the inter-relationship form has with itself. I strive for my artistic voice to come through my work, to touch and connect with the viewer and pull them in.
“I work to have my outdoor sculptures be part of their environment, to relate to the landscape; to hone the viewer’s attention to the serenity of life and to develop a sense of place. The simplicity of the sculpture complements the complexity of its landscape. Stone has its own natural beauty, I aim to accentuate this and work alongside the stone’s structure. When I start carving a block of stone, it feels as if it is static or asleep. Carving into each block pulls life into the stone, awakening the stone with each curve and angle. Each piece has its own passage to completion.”
A wine and cheese reception will precede the program.
For more information, visit zorachfountain.org or email info@zorachfountain.org.
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