Wood Carving - Scroll c. 1939

This scroll was carved in wood by Clayton Clements; we don't know exactly when. Look closely, and you can almost feel the artist working with the grain, letting the material guide the form. It's not just about replicating a shape, but also about understanding the nature of wood, with all its imperfections. The texture is everything here. You can see the rough cuts, the little splinters, and the natural cracks that tell a story of time and the elements. Clements doesn’t try to hide these details; instead, they become part of the piece's character. The layers of the scroll seem to curl, each groove carefully carved to create a sense of depth and movement. It's like a snapshot of a wave, frozen in wood. This piece reminds me a little of Ernst Barlach. Think about his woodcuts; there's a similar rawness and simplicity. Art is all about these conversations across time, where artists borrow, remix, and reinterpret each other's ideas. It invites us to find our own meanings and make our own connections.