“I make wooden vessels because I have found in them a form of expression that is nearly limitless and that offers the viewer a handle with which to access this sculptural work. I like the way my ideas flow from one vessel into the next… into the next, with no effort from me. The only work involved is the physical labor of laminating, turning, carving and polishing necessary to bring them into the world. I don’t hide the marks of this craft. I want people to feel the energy that went into making the piece, but in a restful sense…the way I feel at it’s completion.
Most of my vessels are built up out of layers of wood stacked horizontally. I start with a wide thick board from which I cut rings…one inside the next. These are glued upward to make the rough form. It is then carved, turned, etc. I like to use a variety of woods and finishes, which give a rich color tone to the vessel.” – Michael Bauermeister
Exhibited in museums across the United States and is included in numerous permanent collections, including the Racine Art Museum, Racine, WI, the Smithsonian Museum, Renwick Gallery, Washington D.C., the Mesa Museum of Contemporary Art, Mesa AZ, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA. In 2014, Michael Bauermeister was invited to be the Artist in Residence at the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, where he became inspired by colors and textures of the Western landscape.