FACes & PlaceS
The arts 2004

Charles Kumnick
by Marilyn Bullock

Chuck Kumnick’s father used to say to his son, “We hope you’ll grow out of this ‘art stuff.’” Good thing for us that Chuck didn’t “grow out of” his love of art. He is an interesting and charismatic artist who works in a wide variety of media: metals, wood, ceramics, fabric, gemstones, lighting, parchment, and other materials.

Chuck grew up in Toledo, Ohio, the son of an engineer. His earliest memories as a child are of drawing in front of the TV. He also enjoyed building and making things and knew that he wanted to study art in college. Chuck got married at the end of his senior year at Bowling Green State University and fully intended to start a high school teaching job that had already been lined up. However, his love affair with a final semester jewelry class rerouted him into graduate school where he focused on jewelry design, weaving, blown glass and craft media. He ultimately got a Masters of Arts Degree and then a Master of Fine Arts degree.

He graduated in August of 1969 and by September was teaching at Slippery Rock State College where he taught jewelry design, art history, and art education. In 1971 he and his wife moved to Ewing, NJ where Chuck had taken a position at Trenton State College (now the College of New Jersey) and was hired to teach fiber/textile design. In 1976 he divorced and moved to Ringoes, NJ. He married artist/colleague Chris Craig in 1982 and the couple lived in Hopewell, NJ for 5 years.

In 1986 they found a wonderful house and piece of property in Tinicum Township, PA. In addition to an old restored farmhouse, the property includes a barn that houses Chuck’s sculpture studio and Chris’ painting studio. Their two dogs, Bentley and Opal, keep the couple company as well as provide security as watchdogs.

Chuck taught a total of 36 years before retiring last year. Although he misses the student interaction, he is anxious to work in his studio every day without interruption.

Chuck’s sculpture has evolved dramatically over the years. One of the reasons for this is that between 1971 and 2003 he received an extraordinary number of research grants (35) to explore new technologies and ideas. One such grant was to integrate sculptural forms with light. What resulted were a series of awesome sculpture pieces that, when lit, transform the room into a kaleidoscope of unique lights and shadows. He won a special award at a German exhibition for one of his light sculptures.

His love of jewelry design evolved into making things “off the body” during and after graduate school. These small sculptures usually took the form of containers of some kind and one series was elegant perfume receptacles. Eventually, though, Chuck chose to create containers that were less “precious” and encouraged people to become more engaged with the artwork.

Chuck has always admired the work of tribal craftsmen and outsiders (made outside of an institution or any scholastic training.) He sees a freshness and unrefined beauty in this work. Like these craftsmen, much of his recent work incorporates recycled wood, metal, and other materials to create functional and sometimes whimsical furniture, containers, and figures.

One of the pieces that will be shown at the Sculpture New Hope 2004 Indoor Show is called “Icarus” and was made from real deer bone, steel, wood, tape, resin, and parchment. This sculpture represents the mixed feelings he had about retiring from teaching. It also holds a deep spiritual essence that even Chuck cannot yet quite define.

When not working in his studio, Chuck likes to travel with his wife, visit his children, (daughter Dawn is now 36 and works in the education dept of the Tampa Museum, and son, Crystian, now 34, who is a successful computer guru living in Chester, NJ,) play with his dogs, and ride his bike

Don’t miss the opportunity to view four of his pieces at the Sculpture New Hope 2004 exhibit on April 17. (see related article) You can contact Chuck at kumnick@epix.net or view his work at www.tcnj.edu/~kumnick.