Sculptor Finds Inspiration in Human Form

©The JOURNAL FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1993

Don't be startled if the next time you're looking up at the National Cathedral you think you see a gargoyle grimacing back at you or an angel ready to take flight.

What you are seeing is local sculptor Jay Hall Carpenter inspecting one of the more than 400 angels and gargoyles created for the West Towers from his original sculptures.

Fortunately, you can view Carpenter's work at closer range at the Perry House Gallery in Old Town, Alexandria. the gallery specially built for sculpture is displaying about 30 of his most recent sculptures and drawings in a show titled "Jay Hall Carpenter- Revealing New Works."

While the exhibit closes Sunday, a selection ofCarpenter's works will continue to be displayed at the gallery, which has become a permanent home for his sculpture.

In this show, Carpenter's sculptures in bronze, marble, terracotta, and bonded sand, are accompanied by a group of 20 drawings in graphite and white charcoal, providing the viewer with a broad spectrum of Carpenter's accomplishments.

Giving a sense of unity and cohesion to the show is Carpenter's depiction of the human form, for which he has drawn inspiration from Greek and Roman mythology and the mysticism of the Middle Ages, all infused with the subtle power of romantic and contemporary emotional and sexual expression.

Carpenter's fascination with the human body is central to his definition of art.

"Art is about discovering and understanding life, and the human form is what we're given to live that life- it's the instrument of life. And it is an endlessly fascinating, limitless source of inspiration and communication for me," he said.

Walking into the white-walled and carefully lit gallery your eye is immediately drawn to the monumental male torso called "Exemplar." Seemingly transported from ancient Greece, this sculpture displays the perfection of the male body to which all the young men who frequented the gymnasiums in ancient Athens would aspire.

In pure white, the chiaroscuro effect of light and shadow emphasizes the massive muscularity and reinforces the pride the figure displays in achieving such masculine perfection.

Equally riveting is the bust of Pat Carroll, one of the great ladies of the American Theatre. From the first moment that Carpenter saw Carroll's performance in "Mother Courage" at the Shakespeare Theatre, he said that he had wanted to sculpt her.

For him, Carroll was not just an actress. "She contains so many personalities and characters that I thought she would be a fascinating subject for a portrait," Carpenter said.

He first conceived of her portrait in a very formal style. But upon reflection, "I twisted it so that it became informal and accessible, which is exactly what Pat does in life," he said.

Carroll, who now considers Washington her artistic home, is equally taken with Carpenter. When asked if she minded spending mornings sitting in Carpenter's studio near the Washington [Cathedral], Carroll replied, "I found myself gleefully anticipating those sessions. The combination of watching Jay at work and seeing that imcomparable view of the Cathedral was like a battery for me."

Now predominately displayed in the Perry House Galleries, the sculpture of Carroll captures that energy that has endeared her to thousands of her adoring fans.

From angels and gargoyles to the massive Greek men and idyllically beautiful, youthful Narcissus, captured perfectly in that serene moment when he becomes mesmerized by his own reflection, on to the modern interpretation of the duality of personality, Carpenter's repertoire of ideas, images, and metaphors seems limitless.

Nevertheless, Carpenter is the supreme craftsman who is able to articulate his artistic method. His ideas come from research for a particular project, from dreams, and from life experiences.

Carpenter seems to have no problem finding solutions for his artistic problems. Only 34, he has achieved a degree of recognition much older artists would envy.

Born in Washington, educated at St. Albans School and the National Cathedral School, he quickly rose to prominence after he was introduced to sculpting by Master Carvers Vincent Palumbo and Roger Morigi, and mentored by Frederick Hart of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial fame.

Now living in Gaithersburg, Md., Carpenter has won two National Sculpture Society awards and has been named Washington Cathedral's first Artist-in-Residence.