Biography:
Born September 11, 1955. University of Colorado 1975-1979. Member of American National Ski Team through 1979. Served a formal Sculpture and Gem Cutting Apprenticeship from 1980-1983. Owner, Designer and Model maker for Nagalle Designs Jewelry from 1992 to 2004. Numerous International exhibitions of precious metal sculpture and high end diamond jewelry. Educational apprenticeship in Africa, Italy, and Bali.
Current associations include participation in the Public Seating Project, ongoing airport installations and rotating art exhibits throughout America, Italy and France.
Ongoing commissions include public works for city municipalities, international airports, city public parks, 5 star hotel lobbies and formal gardens within Hong Kong, Paris, Milan, Bali, New York, Florida and Colorado.
Private works include collaborative installations for architect's large-scale projects as well as executive homes nationwide.
Jim Vilona began his sculpting career after college in Breckenridge, Colorado in 1978. His works have been created using natural stone materials and have gravitated to more fluid metals, to include Bronze and steel sculpting. "I love using a blend of mediums as my passion for change dictates."
"When I bend metal or pour a casting it gives me great pleasure to see what the fluid metal will do with my ideas." "I love working with rich woods and bronze, and have created beautiful functional designs with both elements blended into design."
Jim is currently using bronze to showcase natural mineral specimens and has found the marriage of materials most exciting. "Using what I have learned in metalsmithing together with my passion for natural minerals has given me inspiration to see where I can take my work". Jim works with fine Galleries nationwide and his Bronze sculpture can be seen in the Time Warner Center in NYC, Art Quest in Marco Island, Florida, River Walk in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and Tyson's Galleria in McLean,Virginia.
Statement:
Through my sculpture career I have explored the artistic elements of contrasts and similarities between form and function. My passion lies in creating communication and dialogue with each piece I sculpt, as I love blending contemporary, organic, and abstract shapes into art that will have direct communication through contact.
I enjoy creating tension, using materials in their raw form as a catalyst to create both positive and negative spaces. With complete respect for the metal, I naturally build layers, problem solving both weight and weightlessness through contrasting elements and movement in my work. My current focus is an exploration using iron and steel, studying natural organic shapes and transforming them into sculptural forms with dynamic tension and release.
My goal is in finding that one moment where the work itself allows many levels of exploration and discovery, and is a visual communication between myself and each viewer.
