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Continuing with my studio visits of Contemporary Sculptors of Chicago..

March 31, 2014: Visited the workshop of sculptor Neil Goodman,
with Steve Mueller of Vector Custom Fabricating.

I greatly admire sculptures by Neil Goodman, and had long wanted to meet him. Thanks to good friend Steve Mueller for arranging this studio visit! Neil Goodman makes cast bronze abstract sculptures that are modern, elegant, and graceful. He is also a professor of art, and teaches at Indiana University Northwest since 1979. He is one of the founding members of the IUN art department.

Neil Goodman’s Website.. click here..

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Neil Goodman’s sculptures are inspired by the rugged Midwestern industrial landscape. He works mostly in bronze and create abstracts from table-top to monumental scale. He has also fabricated some very impressive modular sculptures which may be assembled into one integrated structure or be left independently. These look like calligraphic symbols. One of his largest installation is “Passage” at McCormick Place. It maybe defined as modular relief sculpture – with an assembly of still life and abstract – with motifs of fish, animal skulls, tools and weapons spread over a long horizontal wall. There is flow and interaction in the various elements of this complex and visually striking wall installation. Goodman also gives a lot of attention to the finishing touches of his sculptures, resulting in exquisite texture and patina.

 

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Goodman’s sculpture has been commissioned and collected by museums, corporations, convention centers, parks, synagogues, universities, and private residences. In the Chicago area, three of Goodman’s most visible public projects include..
– Monumental wall relief at the Chicago McCormick Place South Pavilion
– Permanent large-scale bronze installation at the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University, and,
– Free standing sculpture at the Burnham Park Children’s Garden at Soldier’s Field Stadium.

In 2006 Goodman completed his largest outdoor project to date. Commissioned by Indiana University Northwest the work entitled “Shadows & Echoes,” includes ten large scale cast bronze sculptures in a co-designed landscape situated at the heart of the campus at Indiana University Northwest in Gary, Indiana.

In 2010, I saw a solo show of Neil Goodman at the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park.. click here..

 

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After a visit to his studio, Goodman took us to his home, which is right above the Studio. His home is beautiful, with very personalized artistic touch! It’s painted happy orange, my favorite color.  I’ve put photo of the very interesting staircase railing, made of course by Neil Goodman.  The most dramatic element is the spiral staircase, right in the center of the hallway, made of cast iron. It takes to the rooftop which has a beautiful panoramic view of Chicago cityscape – with steeples of St. Paul’s Church in the foreground and downtown Chicago in the background.  It was a gorgeous spring day, adding to the beauty.

After the studio visit and spending some time at the rooftop, Goodman drove us around in the city to show his installations at McCormick Place and Burnham Park. The day ended with a lunch at Maggie’s.

 

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After home and studio visit, Goodman drove us to show his sculptures at McCormick Place and the Burnham Park.

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Monumental Wall Relief Sculpture “Passage”  [1997/ Cast Bronze] – by Neil Goodman, at McCormick Place.

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Way back in 2010, I had seen
Solo Exhibition by Neil Goodman at the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park,
with five installations by Neil Goodman:
Wind, Four Corners, Ray, Ballast, Alcance.
For images, click here….

 

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RELATED LINKS:
Studio Visits: click here..
Know the Artists series.. click here..

 

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