Circus Wagon Figure: Muse c. 1938

This wood sculpture of a Muse with Lyre by John Matulis has been carved with great confidence and sensitivity. I'm thinking about how the artist would have approached this piece; starting with the raw material, then slowly revealing the figure within. Matulis coaxes out the elegant folds of the muse's gown and captures her serene expression as if she's listening for the right note. There’s an intimacy created by the artist's hand working directly on the wood, the grain itself becomes part of the sculpture's expression. It reminds me a little of some of the folk art I've seen, where the material really dictates the form. There's something deeply satisfying about that connection between the artist, the material, and the subject.