Lynn & Steve Cebula

Artist Statement

Our work is our passion. Like a breath of fresh air, It energizes us in the creative process. We love working with wood and its endless variety of shapes and textures. When we get to add color to the mix of shapes in the sculpture it comes alive before our eyes. The bits of found objects and metal we interject with the wood only serve to enhance our sense of accomplishment in melding different materials into what started as a thought in the imagination. We truly believe the process is never ending and envision ourselves exploring new dimensions and explosions of color both stimulating and thought provoking. We aspire to be creative, fresh in our approach and unlimited in the different ways we can express that creativity.

The works are original in the sense that they are not drawn or sketched out in advance at the time when we begin one. In some ways they are like pieces to a puzzle which come together to form a new and unique look both eye opening and satisfying. we can be just riding down a road and see a shape or color, some object out for the days trash pickup and wow it hits in our imagination. “I can do something with that.” Lynn will say. Usually she can not wait to get back to the studio at that moment. The techniques we employ range from simple brushing on of the acrylic paints, to adding various mediums to the paint. Things like gel medium, sand, soil, water etc. all combine to produce the look we seek for the piece. We also like to make use of sprays to produce some of my most eye catching patterns in color. Lynn's favorite tool is the jigsaw which she uses to cut most of the wood. She finds using it allows for an endless possibility of shapes limited only by her minds eye. Steve is the "straight man", all things straight are his to do.

The work today is an outgrowth of Lynn's Dad’s love of woodworking which she inherited from him. Unfortunately he did not live long enough to see it evolve into the great passion it now is. The early pieces relied upon a lot of thin twisted wood and while very dimensional did not allow Lynn to express herself the way she really wanted too. Today they are still incorporated into newer pieces in some fashion and probably will continue to be a part of the work. We find ourselves able to explore new shapes and textures, combinations of color that strike at the senses. The pieces have grown larger over time and changed from time to time in their basic form. Ovals, rectangles, circles, squares and everything in between. We love to challenge ourselves to find a new way to “see” the thought within the work. This shows in one of the final steps when we name a piece. The name has to fit that thought in the work to complete it. Our satisfaction comes when a patron sees the work, breaks into a smile and says “wow”. We know then that we have inspired someone else’s thoughts.