ADAM WALLS
THE ARTIST
Adam Walls has been creating art for public exhibition since 2004. He received his BA in Art Education in 1996 from Limestone College and taught art in art centers, public schools, and out of his own studio until receiving his MFA in sculpture from Winthrop University in 2005. Since receiving his MFA Adam’s work has appeared in Sculpture Magazine, been the topic of discussion on NPR and ETV, and has been exhibited in over one hundred outdoor sculpture exhibitions. Adam Walls currently resides in Tryon NC and serves as the head of the sculpture program at UNC-Pembroke.
THE PROCESS
My motivations for my sculptural endeavors generally begin as a recognition of potential in a found material. I will find inspiration in the curve in a piece of scrap tubing, the shape of a steel sphere, or some other material that leads me to believe that the item could have a different use than what it was originally intended for or a new life that I might imbue by cutting, rearranging, and adding to the form. My imagination will take over generally based on my present state of mind at that moment. This leads me to new bodies of work every couple of years due to my shifting interests. I don’t always understand my own motivations in some of the new designs until I have made several works in the series. Looking back at the work, it is easy for me to see how the work was a clear response to my wants or needs such as my want to start a family, my struggle to understand some new obstacle, my memories of lost family and friends, my need for structure along with my want for freedom, or some other such mindset that I am for the most part subconsciously dealing with during different periods in my life. I often revisit certain series in my work as I have never fully parted with some themes they represent such as my want for escapist fantasy or my love of growth and new life.
THE STATEMENT
My sculpture is concept driven and is often highly viewer interactive. The conceptual component of my work is often derived from some memory that was stirred by the shape of some memento that I have held on to since childhood. These things bring up thoughts and experiences that challenge me and guide me through the creative process. There are elements in much of my larger works that are derived from my love of fantasy, escapism, and pop-culture imagery. My sculpture does range in size drastically from minuscule to monumental. Some of my sculptures only require the viewer to watch as they see themselves reflected atop a difficult and imposing staircase which could represent the challenges we face in order to achieve our goals. In whatever way my viewer chooses to engage my work, I find that it is not always necessary to me that the viewer understand my concept, but it is important to me that I provide an experience that might encourage the viewer to see and engage art more often.
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”