Stanley Wanlass -Professor Emeritus (B.F.A./ M.A.), taught at universities
both in the United States and abroad including the European Art Academy in Paris
and the University of Grenoble, France. He is president of Renaissance
International, Inc. a design studio based in Oregon. Wanlass, who resides in Utah
and Oregon, is an internationally known automotive sculptor and painter. He
also creates heroic bronze historical monuments. His statements are of beauty
and the pursuit of excellence.
|
 |
Wanlass creates limited edition automotive bronze sculptures echoing his love
for the automobile which he has collected, restored and raced since the
mid-fifties. His collection of automobiles varies from early Alfas and Bugattis to
Brooklands race cars, Indy cars, Ferraris and '32 Ford roadsters. His
automotive sculptures and paintings echo his eclectic automobile collection and are
represented in the most prestigious museums and private collections
world-wide. His historical monuments are located at national memorials, universities
and public places nation-wide.
Wanlass has always had a passion for cars. As a child he sculpted them out
of soap bars. During the 50's as a young hot rod enthusiast, he built two 1932
Fords which he showed and raced. To support his automotive pursuits he
striped, flamed and scalloped local hot rods and customs.
Wanlass bronzes are called "rolling-sculpture" by some
|
and "just plain
sensuous" by others. The Detroit News says "Wanlass bronzes seem to be moving
despite being trapped in bronze." The great Peter Helck calls Wanlass "the finest
sculptor of the automobile", while Automobile Quarterly considers Wanlass "the
ranking sculptor of the automobile."
Wanlass does extensive research on each of his art works. However, he takes
license with the facts if it will help his composition. "I change what ever I
need to in order to establish a symbol. Facts bore me. I'm more interested
in truth." He feels comfortable stretching history and condensing time and
space to bring together a dramatic depiction of the spirit of the subject...a
symbol, a gestalt, a truth. "Cold exactitude isn't art, spirit and form are
more important. Content and meaning are also important, however, form
(structure) is the first consideration. Good design is the structure that supports the
statement. If the form and statement successfully interact a symbol is born.
It becomes more than the sum of its parts."
"It is through these symbols, truths of the past that we are better able to
understand our time and ourselves. We are comfortable with the known drawing
on our knowledge of the past is how we decipher the present. I feel that NOW
is a more important statement to make than THEN. I make statements about NOW
using THEN."
Stanley believes "The automobile is the only really new significant art form
of the 20th century. For thousands of years man relied on the horse and wagon
for transportation. Then this contraption comes along and revolutionizes the
world."
Wanlass is a hopeless idealist and romantic. "I believe in the God-given
genius of certain individuals, and I value a society that makes their existence
possible. I feel a responsibility to history, a great debt to those that came
before me who improved the world to a point that I might have the opportunity
to create. Jefferson stated that 'he was a warrior so that his son could be a
farmer so that his son could be a poet'. Life is short and art is long. I
would like to leave something edifying, of significant beauty; a tribute to the
spirit, dignity and excellence of man."
|
|
