John Schwarzkopf
John Schwartzkopf is a woodworker, creating both functional forms and abstract sculpture that defies the properties of this natural material. He respects tradition and uses the time honored techniques developed by craftsmen throughout the centuries, but he seeks to produce truly unique and inspired designs through his art.
"I have always thought of myself as a woodworker building sculptural forms, about half of which are primarily decorative, the other half functional furniture. While I respect traditional designs and use many traditional techniques, I am not interested in building reproductions. My usual approach is to design and build ‘on the fly’, trusting my intuition and using the materials on hand in my shop. My goal is to keep my work looking fresh and less ‘over-worked’. The designs show a certain balance and proportion and usually place structure at the forefront rather than hiding it.
I am intrigued with the play of light – how light can highlight a surface or slip through an opening, yet disappear when the piece is viewed from another line. I also find myself drawn by the materials used, allowing them to dictate the direction I move. I can deconstruct the frame of a table and allow the top to float – looking as if it were held down rather than held up.
My furniture designs have always pushed craft past the purely functional into a more liberated aesthetic. The purely sculptural forms move even further in this direction. If all I do is create something that piques one’s interest, causes someone to stop and appreciate the materials used and how they fit together, and to share the enjoyment I had in building it, then I feel I have succeeded." - John Schwarzkopf
Schwartzkopf lets the material be his guide, following the natural forms found in his large collection of various species of wood to tell him how they should be formed. Whether the top of a bench or table or a graceful sculpture that seems to be in continuous motion. He is also inspired by traditional Asian art and design in his aesthetics, craftsmanship, and materials. Schwartzkopf attended Iowa State University and has a B.A. in Anthropology and a B.S. in Philosophy. He resides in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and has participated in many exhibitions throughout Iowa and Missouri.
He is well known for the distinctive benches he builds and a special group are on display and used daily at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where they are seen as truly “functional art”. The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art also has large collection of his benches. Schwartzkopf strives to bring beauty to function, making his functional constructions both useful and creative, while his abstract sculpture goes beyond the material limitations of wood with great grace and movement.
SOURCE - https://www.gildedpeargallery.com/john-schwartzkopf.html#/ (Oct 2025)
