427 Shelby Cobra (detail)
Welded aluminum, airbrushed automotive enamel and clear coated enamel.
40” x 30” x 30”. 2009, by Mac Worthington

Gallery Hours:
T 10am - 7pm, W,Th & F 10am - 5pm, Sat 11am - 2pm



Mac Worthington: Crushed Interpretations
Jan. 12 - Feb. 26, 2010

“Mac Worthington: Crushed Interpretations” a solo exhibition of airbrushed aluminum sculpture will be on view in the DAC main gallery, 7125 Riverside Dr., in Dublin, from Jan. 12 through Feb. 26, 2010. The exhibition opens with a reception for the Columbus-based artist at DAC on Tues., Jan 12 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The range and scope of Worthington’s artwork includes his well-known stainless steel and aluminum abstract wall sculptures, monumental outdoor works, radical functional art and small tabletop pieces. His traditional artwork features high detail, with polished and brushed surfaces and dynamic finishes that take on the feel of substantially oversized jewelry.

Crushed Interpretations marks a departure from Worthington’s site-specific sculpture and embodies the artist’s mantra, “The more outrageous; the better.” The exhibition will include 27 pieces of art, ranging from 18 inches in diameter to larger free-standing sculptures.

With the intent of crushing metal to create unique shapes and forms, Worthington has been working on this particular grouping of artworks over the last year. He begins by supervising as a forklift repeatedly smashes a clean sheet of aluminum plate against the side of a building. After completing the desired look of the metal, his next challenge is to choose colors and to manipulate the application of paint. Meticulously airbrushing the surface of the sculpture, Worthington then has the difficult task of applying paint to the tight folds of the artwork. Finally, he titles each sculpture with the name of an exotic car or motorcycle.

Worthington, whose parents were both artists, was raised in Canton, Ohio, His mother, Marion Worthington, now 94, still works in enamel and silver. His father, John (Jack) Worthington, was a realist sculptor, creating the bronze busts at Canton’s Pro Football Hall of Fame, among other notable projects. To make his own mark, Worthington purposely detoured from his father’s artwork, creating “radical abstracts versus realism.”

After a stint as an Army special forces green beret in Vietnam, Worthington returned to Ohio and settled in Ostrander in 1975. A self-taught artist, he lives in a log cabin on three wooded acres and works from a studio that looks much like a machine shop. Worthington has enhanced his property with his artwork, describing the woods as a sculpture park.

Worthington’s artwork can be found in collections in all 50 U.S. states, as well as in Canada, Spain, England, France, Germany and Italy.

The opening reception for Crushed Interpretations is graciously catered by the Refectory Restaurant & Bistro, DAC’s 2010 Visual Arts Series catering sponsor. The exhibition and the opening reception are free of charge and the public is invited.

Crushed Interpretations will remain on view through Feb. 26, 2010. Exhibition hours are Tues., 10am-7pm; Wed./Thurs./Fri., 10am–5pm; and Sat., 11am-2pm.

Upcoming:

Prints by Nicholas Hill
on view March 9 through April 23, 2010
Reception for the artist: Tues., March 9, 6-8 p.m.

Catering for the 2010 Visual Arts Series' receptions is generously provided by: