Woodstack

Stacked wood — lining porches, tucked into sheds, sheltered by eaves, or snaking along the edges of forested parcels — is a familiar sight, almost iconic in the long history of the land we call Vermont. John Gerding’s creative wood stacks along his country road are traffic-stopping.

The stacks are a fairly significant departure from this sculptor’s usual studio practice. They attest to the fact that, in the right hands, even an everyday act of labor can be infused with creative energy and insight. Remarking on his elaborate roadside woodstacks, Gerding observes, “Taking mundane yet necessary tasks and adding an artistic element is something we all do, whether we realize it or not. It makes [the task] bearable, more interesting.”

— Mara Williams, Chief Curator