ABOUT THE ARTIST

Master wood turner, Phillip Moulthrop of Marietta, Georgia, continues the legacy of his famed father, Ed Moulthrop, whose technical innovations and artistic sensibility helped elevate the status of wood turning to a fine art. The wood itself inspires both Moulthrops; they use trees with dynamic grain, coloring and patterning. Father and son, both, are renowned for their large vessels and the pure, spherical forms they turn. Using the tools they forge themselves, the Moulthrops celebrate the inherent beauty of the wood by exposing and exalting it.

Phillip learned wood turning basics from his father. Before beginning his artistic career, however, he practiced construction law. He began to spend more and more time turning wood until it became a full time endeavor.  Phillip Moulthrop brings a novel interpretation to wood turning with his uniquely crafted “Mosaic” pieces.

ABOUT THE WORK

“I create pieces using simple shapes and forms that will best display the colors and patterns that are inherent in the  wood. My use of smooth, curving surfaces and lack of carving and other surface embellishments are intended to better display the wood. The finish enables the observer to get a feel of the warmth of the wood while allowing intricacies to be imparted.”

Vessels are created from the green sections of native southeastern trees: ash leaf maple, sycamore, white pine, red “leopard” maple, and the rare and exquisite Tulip poplar. The green log is roughed into the initial shape, treated in a solution to emphasize the pattern and prevent future warping, then dried approximately six months.  The piece is then re-turned, sanded and coated with a special finish. For his “Mosaic” pieces, Phillip uses cross sections of branches inlayed into a layer of resin. The resulting vessel contrasts the natural wood against a stark black background.

Simplicity, exacting technical skill and deep respect for the natural beauty of wood are cornerstones of Phillip Moulthrop’s work.

COMMISIONS

2004 United States State Department, gifts for attendees of the G-8 Summit, Sea Island, GA

PERMANENT MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

The White House Collection of American Crafts, Washington, DC

Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC

Los Angeles Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA

High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA

EXHIBITIONS

2004  
“Phillip Moulthrop: New Works,” Patina Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

2003  
“One Step Back, Two Steps Forward,” Patina Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
“Turning Toward Perfection,” Patina Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
“Wood Turning in North America Since 1930,” Wood Turning Center, New Haven, CT