Conversation with sculptor John Cody

Contributed

Elverhoj Museum of History and Art will present a conversation with sculptor John Cody on Saturday September 28 at 4 pm. Cody will talk about why he creates, sharing his personal – and often amusing – experiences about the process. The event is free and the public is invited to be part of the discussion. A social hour will follow with light refreshments.

Cody is a contemporary American original whose direct stone carvings have earned international attention. A love of the local environment – or more specifically, the serpentine rock found in the mountains of the Santa Ynez Valley – fuels his artistic vision. His life is a personal odyssey, marked by changes of fortune and a continuing quest for aesthetic and spiritual values.

When he moved to Solvang, Cody was an 18-year-old school drop-out and a self-taught artist/sculptor. His new home proved to be the perfect environment for the budding artist and by age 19 he had his first solo exhibition, selling every piece with commissions pouring in. The Los Angeles Times described Cody as the “Miracle of Solvang” in a full page feature.

The Santa Ynez Valley provided Cody with inspiration and materials – primarily serpentine rock – to make art. “It is a challenge to me to take the ancient medium of stone and bring it to the modern world as a fine art form,” says Cody. He hikes miles to find stones and quarries them from deep gullies and ravines high in the mountains around the Santa Ynez Valley. The carving and polishing process is tedious work, done outside by hand.

Cody’s artwork is currently featured in the Museum Gallery exhibition “Crossing Paths: Eyvind Earle and John Cody.” Two separate journeys brought these two accomplished artists together in Solvang in the late 1960s as their work garnered critical acclaim and collectors came looking for their work at a local gallery.

Exhibition programming also includes a direct stone carving demonstration with Cody on Saturday October 12 from 11am to 2pm in the museum garden.

Elverhøj Museum of History and Art, located at 1624 Elverhoy Way in Solvang, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm. There is no charge for admission. Suggested donation is $5.

“Crossing Paths” will remain on display through November 3. Follow Elverhøj on Facebook and Instagram to stay current on exhibition events. For more information, visit Elverhoj.org or phone (805) 686-1211.