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Racine Art Museum Debuts New Gift of Letter Openers
Racine, WI October 14, 2015
Spurred by an interest in investigating color, form, and texture, this nationally known wood artist has focused on “the character of the raw pieces of wood.” Open October 18, 2015 – February 7, 2016, RAM Collects: Wood Letter Openers by Norm Sartorius from Ronald and Kay Springwater highlights a gift of 44 Sartorius letter openers.
While he began his professional career as a social worker, Norm Sartorius found his lifelong calling when he undertook a six-month apprenticeship with a woodworker. Early on, he created letter openers, canes, shoehorns, and spoons, which he sold at craft fairs. Over time Sartorius began to place more and more emphasis on non-functional spoons, which he regards as sculptures.
The artist draws inspiration directly from the various woods he uses to create carved spoons, functional letter openers, bracelets, and sculptures. He has stated of his process: “I have always started with the wood itself…the shaping of the piece has to do with the texture, grain, and figure of it—its special character. I’m kind of a wood collector, really.”
Sartorius’ use of rare woods, such as Haitian mahogany, Australian tulipwood, and Burmese blackwood, reflects his particular interests in the variety and possibility of the material itself. His engagement with wood—letting it “speak” to him—is sometimes regarded as romantic, yet he stresses that most of his time is spent in the actual manipulation of the material. Cutting, sanding, filing, and rubbing consume most of his working hours.
Made between 1993 and 2011, the 44 letter openers given by Ronald and Kay Springwater are united in their general shape, yet they represent various blades, handles, and woods. The first letter openers by Sartorius to enter a public collection, these pieces reflect a significant long-term relationship between the artist and collectors.
RAM Collects: Wood Letter Openers by Norm Sartorius from Ronald and Kay Springwater is made possible at Racine Art Museum by: Platinum Sponsors – Karen Johnson Boyd and William B. Boyd, SC Johnson, Windgate Charitable Foundation; Gold Sponsors – Herzfeld Foundation, Johnson Bank, National Endowment for the Arts, Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation, Racine Community Foundation, W.T. Walker Group, Inc.; Silver Sponsors – Racine County, Real Racine, Wisconsin Arts Board; Bronze Sponsors – EC Styberg Foundation, Educators Credit Union, In Sink Erator, The Norbell Foundation, Orkney Springs Retreat, Polyform Products, Inc., Rasmussen Diamonds, Ruud Family Foundation, Inc., and Wisconsin Public Radio.
