A new exhibit featuring pieces by woodworkers Richard Hazelwood, John Wells and Wade Manning opens today with a reception from 2 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. at the Louise Campbell Center for the Arts in downtown West Point. All are welcome.
About the artists
After receiving his initial carpentry training as a teen attending a government program in 1939, West Point native Richard Hazelwood worked construction before serving in the Army in World War II. Upon returning home, he set up shop in a small building at the edge of Sally Kate Winter Park. His skills in cabinetry, turned pieces, inlay and fine woodworking were eventually much sought-after.
Hazelwood, who never had instruction in specialty techniques, said, “If I saw an item that I admired, I would set my mind to figure out how to make it in my shop. It was like figuring out a puzzle to me.”
The late John Stanley Wells of West Point was an accomplished cabinet and furniture maker. “Most of his creations were for family members and friends and none were made available commercially,” said his daughter, Beth Wells Parker.
After serving in the U.S. Navy in World War II, Wells returned home and began making furniture in the 1950s. He expanded his output in the late 1970s into the 1990s. The exhibit features a small part of the collection of his daughter and her husband, Bill Parker.
“Johnny was a good friend, and we visited each other’s shops regularly to talk about techniques, discuss projects and just see what the other was working on,” Hazelwood reminisced. Wells passed away in 2001.
Manning, a native of Santa Rosa, New Mexico, married a Mississippi girl, Joyce Williams from Columbus. The Mannings now reside in San Bernardino, California. Joyce Williams’ cousin, Roger Merchant, has loaned his collection of Manning’s work for this exhibit.
Using woods from his firewood pile and from what others give him, Manning incorporates different materials such as turquoise, malachite, pipe stone and jet to enhance his pieces. Powdered copper, brass and bronze are sometimes included.
“I have been turning wood with a sense of purpose since the late 1990s,” said Manning. “I strive to create something for others to enjoy.”
Sponsored by the West Point/Clay County Arts Council, the exhibit will be up through July 31. The arts center is staffed Wednesdays from 1-4 p.m. For more information or to schedule an exhibit tour on another day or time, contact Kathy Dyess at 662-494-5678, or Julie Gray at 662-295-0461.
The arts center is located at 235 Commerce St. in West Point.
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