Howard Wilson will be opening a solo Animatronic Art Exhibit at the Tim Faulkner Art Gallery on February 3, 2012.
The exhibit will be on display until Feb 28 and will feature 18 animatronic creations meant to be reminiscent of older folksy children's toys.
"The earliest folk toys were usually family-made wooden objects used to teach children everyday household chores or moral lessons," said Wilson. "Many had moveable parts. In time, these objects evolved into beautiful and often expensive mechanical pieces such as Swiss made watches, then into electronic video games and computers that we use today.My animatrons are a steam punk effort to resist the electronized world we now live in and in a simple satirical way revive the original folk toy concept."
Wilson was born in Berea, Kentucky. He grew up in Barbourville before attending Berea College and the University of Kentucky. After receiving his fine art degree, he studied printmaking and pottery at the University of Tennessee's graduate school. In addition to his educational accomplishments, he is a member of the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen and the Louisville Arts and Crafts League. He was also a founding member of the Lexington Art League.
He has worked in different and varied mediums, beginning with clay, printmaking, and paint. He later added glassblowing to his skills, opening Kentucky's first private glass art studio with Barney Blight. He retired from glassmaking in 1997 and is once again doing printmaking in what he calls Abstract Expressionism as he adventures into the creation of animatrons.
Wilson says that he has been inspired by Gary Larsen's Farside Cartoons, Jules Verne's books, and by live-action and animated films and television shows. He welcomes people's comments and suggestions about the animatronic creations on the clipboard provided at the show. The Tim Faulkner Art Gallery is located at 632 E Market St. They are open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from noon to midnight.
