Michael Bauermeister: The Language of Wood
Tryon Arts & Crafts School presents a major late-summer showcase celebrating the power, texture, and grain of regional and national woodwork. Headlined by master wood artist Michael Bauermeister, this comprehensive exhibition brings together nationally recognized monumental sculpture alongside works by three premier TACS wood instructors and notable artisans from across the Blue Ridge and Foothills.
Main Gallery: The Language of Wood by Michael Bauermeister
The Language of Wood presents a striking body of work exploring the dialogue between raw forest materials and human intention. Building on decades of studio practice in Missouri’s Ozark hills, Bauermeister creates works from domestic hardwoods—primarily linden (basswood), walnut, cherry, and maple.
Rather than turning solid logs on a lathe, Bauermeister meticulously laminates segments of hardwood lumber, then hand-carves, hollows, and textures each piece using specialized hand tools and power-carving equipment. The results are imposing yet remarkably delicate sculptures that ripple, wave, and breathe.
Exhibition Highlights:
Monumental Vessels: Tall, segmented wood forms featuring flowing contour lines, subtle dye applications, and rhythmic carved surfaces.
Carved Wall Reliefs: Multi-panel wall installations capturing the movement of wind, water, and geological strata through hand-carved channels and rich, hand-applied patinas.
Surface & Color: Milk paints, dyes, and oil finishes that accentuate and highlight underlying wood grain and tool marks.
Feature Gallery: Fluid Form & The Foothills Wood Craft Showcase
Exhibiting in tandem with Bauermeister’s solo presentation, two curated feature displays provide a regional context to the exhibition:
1. Fluid Form: New Wood Instructors’ Spotlight
Highlighting three studio woodworkers and TACS instructors:
Brian Fireman: Merging an architectural background with a reverence for raw materials, Fireman crafts fluid, organic furniture and sculptural forms celebrating the natural character, grain, and live edges of local hardwoods.
Mark Gardner: Based in nearby Saluda, NC, Gardner is an internationally celebrated woodturner known for his clean, mid-century-inspired vessel contours, stepped rims, and signature power-carved surface textures.
Wyatt Severs: A studio furniture maker specializing in both spindle turning and traditional green/hardwood joinery, Severs presents pieces bridging clean functional design with hand-shaped sculptural details.
2. Foothills Wood Craft Showcase
A curated regional presentation celebrating both traditional and contemporary woodworking from talented craftspeople across the surrounding Foothills area, celebrating local heritage alongside national studio masterworks.
Opening Reception Details
Date & Time: Thursday, August 6, 2026, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Artist Remarks: Brief opening remarks and Q&A at 6:15 PM
Hospitality: Refreshments and light bites served in the gallery and courtyard
