Addicted to the Rhythm

Object NameSculpture

Artist / Maker Stoney Lamar ((American, b. 1951))

Date1994

MediumWood - Madrone burl

Dimensions5 × 6 × 30 in. (12.7 × 15.2 × 76.2 cm)

ClassificationsSculpture

Credit LineGift of Rebecca Klemm. In the permanent collection, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Object numberUM2021.83

Status

Not on view

Collections

CultureAmerican

Label TextFrom the University Museums Collections Handbook, vol. 2, 2025: While artist Stoney Lamar is considered a wood turner, he is far from a traditional craftsperson creating bowls and typical turned vessel forms. Through decades of innovation and development, Lamar has utilized the lathe to skillfully craft abstract sculptures that both exhibit his respect for wood and the possibility of the material beyond the functional or narrative. Through the use of multiple axis turning (rather than the typical single) and other tools, he has expanded how turned objects can be made. Lamar can introduce asymmetry and curves that would not be possible on a single axis on the lathe. With an early background in industrial design to make furniture, he realized his true interest was in not making typical forms that dominate furniture. Unlike other wood turners, Lamar not only cuts and changes the wood into abstract forms, but he has also introduced the use of metal and paint to heighten the artistry of his creations. One of several of Lamar’s sculptures in the University Museum permanent collections, Addicted to the Rhythm encapsulates his ability to enhance the beauty of the wood through his skill with wood turning, while also creating a dynamic sculpture that changes from each viewpoint.

Locations