Michelle's Statement
I started carving wood in my teens. I came to Marlboro in 1969 to attend college. I didn’t graduate, but I did stay. I met David and 40 years ago, in 1976, we opened Applewoods’ Studio on Route 9.
I begin a project with locally harvested woods: maple and birch, walnut and cherry. A burl is a bulge on a tree, as benign as a wart. Polishing reveals the wild beauty of the burl’s irregular growth patterns. My forms are informed by these living materials. I use their irregularity as an opportunity to create a testament to the dynamic forces that shape trees.
Many of my forms are generated by the lathe—the woodworker’s analog to the potter’s wheel. Mine was built by my father, a precision tool-and-die maker. It was built to shape metal, but works very well on wood. Its has saved my hands from the trauma of using traditional woodturning tools.
Vessels can be charming, symbolic or simply fun. The interior is less important to me than how it shares its space with you. Ornamental vessels inhabit our lives, from the museum’s steps to the home’s mantle piece.
The places I’ve lived have informed my work, which speaks its own vernacular. My working life has been like that of my artisan ancestors: struggle is central, but disguised. I do violence to the wood, and my joints. I seek to wrest your attention, and strive to survive in this commercial age. But when these forces are focused—and skill serves intention—a temporary peace may be won.
Michelle’s Resume
MICHELLE HOLZAPFEL P.O. BOX 66 2802 Route 9 MARLBORO, VT O5344 802-254-2908
davidmichelle.holzapfel@gmail. com www.holzapfelwoodworking.com
Born December 9, 1951 Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
Michelle Holzapfel has spent over four decades turning and carving native hardwoods, and writing and teaching about her craft.
Education
1969-70-Marlboro College, Marlboro, VT
1993-95-BA: Vermont College/Norwich University: Brattleboro, VT
1967-2018-Self-taught in wood turning and carving.
Awards
2021-American Association of Woodturners Professional Outreach Program Merit Award
2019-United States Artists’s Fellowship
Solo Exhibitions
2017-“Pencil Needle Chisel” Rhodes Art Center, Northfield Mount Hermon School, Northfield, MA
2016-“Passagi” Mitchell Giddings Gallery, Brattleboro, VT
2015-“True to Form,” Drury Gallery at Marlboro College, Marlboro, VT
2014-“From what’s at Hand,” in “The Stories We Tell.” Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA
2009-“Lost & Found”- del mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2004-”Michelle Holzapfel”- del mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2003-”In the Shape of a Vessel”- Barry Friedman Gallery, New York, NY
2002-”Recent Volumes”- Connell Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2001-”Pilgrim Vessels”- Barry Friedman Gallery, New York, NY
2000 -“Inner Circle” ”- del mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1999 -”Bespoke Vessels”- Barry Friedman Gallery, New York, NY
1997 -”Family Jewels”- Peter Joseph Gallery, New York, NY
1994 -”Circling the Square”- Peter Joseph Gallery, New York, NY
1992 -”Elemental Objects”- Peter Joseph Gallery, New York, NY
1991 -”Michelle Holzapfel”- Peter Joseph Gallery, New York, NY
Selected Exhibitions
2017 -“Craft in America,” “Nature” episode, on PBS, concurrent exhibit, Freehand Gallery, Los Angeles , CA
2015-“Crafting a Collection” Recent Acquisitions. Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA
2013 -“Across the Grain,” Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA
2011-25th anniversary exhibition, Turning to Art in Wood: A Creative Journey, The Center for Art in Wood, Philadelphia, PA 2010-“State of Craft,” Bennington Museum, VT. Vermont Craft History project. Vermont Crafts Council & Vermont Folk life Center
2009-“Outside the Ordinary”: the Wolf Collection. Cincinnati Art Museum. OH
2008-“Masters of Disguise,” Mint Museum of Craft + Design, Charlotte, NC
2007-9-Craft in America: Expanding Traditions, national tour.
2007-8-The Wornick Collection. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA.
Selected Publications
2017-“Going with the Grain” Carolyn Shapiro, Take magazine, May 22.
2011-Turning to Art in Wood: A Creative Journey, The Center for Art in Wood, Philadelphia, PA
2011-“Conversations With Wood: Waterbury Collection.” Minneapolis Institute of Art, MN
2010-“Magic Realism” Robin Rice, ed. Wood Turning Center, Phila. PA
Published Writings
2011-“The Makers’ Game,” catalogue essay in Turning to Art in Wood: A Creative Journey, 25th anniversary exhibition
2003-“Final Thoughts at the Beginning,” Catalogue essay for “Cabinets of Curiosity, “ The Center for Art in Wood, Philadelphia, PA
2000-Turning Points, book review: “The Art of the Lathe.” Summer 2000.
1998-Turning Points, photo essay: “The Woman in Woodturning,” Spring.
1997-Turning Points, “Reflections of a Perpetual Student”, Spring. ”The Body as Vessel”. Fall. "An Exploration of the Vessel Form", Fall.
1995-American Woodturner, "Getting a Feeling for Form,", December.
1994-Turning Points, review "Turning Plus...Redefining the Lathe Turned Object" Arizona State U., Tempe, AZ -Spring.
1993-American Craft, "Aristocrat of Skills: James Prestini", Dec.
1990-GreenTurners Newsletter. "Environmental Concerns". Hants, England, 1989
1988-"Reminiscences", American Woodturner, Jan.
Lectures/Residencies
2014-“Nature, Nurture, Culture, Chance,” artist’s talk at Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA
2010-panelist at “A Revolution in Wood: The Bresler Collection. Renwick Gallery of American Art Museum, Washington, DC
2009-“ Gravity + Levity=Longevity” lecture at “Ingrained: Women & Wood Art Symposium. Visual Arts. Center of Richmond, VA
2004-Artist’s talk; Brattleboro Museum and Art Center for solo exhibit, “Full Circle.’
2002-Symposium II: “Wood Turning in North America Since 1930,” slide lecture: “Retrospective,” Renwick Gallery, Washington, DC.
2001-Symposium I: “Wood Turning in North America Since 1930,” Minneapolis Museum of Art. Videotaped essay/ lecture.
1999-SOFA/Chicago, slide lecture, “The Way We Work” with David Holzapfel
1998-Annual Conference of the American Association of Woodturners. Akron, OH. Three presentations.
-”Breaking Barriers” weeklong residency, Emma Lake, Saskatchewan.
-Brookfield Craft Center, Brookfield, CT. residency/weekend workshop.
1997-Three essays/ lectures presented at the World Woodturning Conference, Ursinus College, PA
-Slide lecture at "Turned Wood Now: Redefining the Lathe- Turned Object IV, Arizona State U. Tempe, AZ
-Slide lecture: "Techniques and Influences" at California College of Arts Craft conference "Beyond Function.”
1996-Slide lecture: "Varied Inspirations," presented at Alabama Crafts Council Annual Conference. Birmingham, AL
1995-"Out of the Woods" touring exhibit: visiting guest artist, lecturer. Varazdin and Zagreb, Croatia.
-Slide lecture at the Wood Turning Center conference,"allTURNatives: Form & Spirit", Ursinus College. PA
1994-Slide lecture at conference, "Turning Plus...Redefining the Lathe-Turned Object, Arizona State U., Tempe, AZ
Curator/Juror
2000-co-curator, with Chris Tyler, of Wood Turning Center’s ‘Challenge VI’ exhibit. Ursinus College, PA.
1990-co-curator with Al Stirt, for “Woodturners of the Northeast",Worcester, MA Center for Crafts.
1988-Juror: Baltimore Buyers’ Marketplace, American Crafts Council.
Interviews/Video/Television
2017-featured artist PBS Craft in America – Nature episode: April
2009- Vermont Folklife Center, for “State of Craft,” exhibit. Vermont Craft History project. Vermont Crafts Council.
2008-Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Inst. Nanette Laitman Documentation Project for Craft & Decorative Arts in America.
2001 -featured in Vermont Public Television’s “RFD.” with partner, David.
1992-”Michelle Holzapfel”, Alan Dater, Marlboro Video Productions
Selected Museum Collections
-The Center for Art in Wood- Philadelphia, PA -Museum of Fine Arts- Boston, MA
-R. I. School of Design- Providence, R.I. -Yale Univ. Art Gallery- New Haven, CT
-Mint Museum- Charlotte, NC -Museum of Art and Design- New York, NY
-Renwick Collection- Washington, D.C. -The Contemporary Museum - Honolulu, HI
-Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, OH -Museum of the South- Mobile, Alabama
-Currier Museum of Art-Manchester, NH -Federal Reserve Fine Arts Program-Washington, DC
-Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA -Museum of Fine Arts-Houston, TX
-Minneapolis Institute of Arts—Minneapolis, MN -Racine Art Museum-Racine, WI
-Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, WA