ON EXHIBIT IN THE SOUTH GALLERY: DEC 6, 2022 - JAN 2, 2023
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
The beauty of working with wood is that there are so many different styles that people enjoy, and I think that is great. I gravitate toward simplistic, utilitarian styles like Arts and Craft (Mission Style), Art Decco, Scandinavian, “Modern”. When crafting a piece of furniture or some other wood object, I focus on using rare and incredible pieces of wood that would never be found in factory-made furniture. I also like to accent the pieces I make with inlaid exotic woods from all over the world. My goal is to highlight beautiful unique wood in interesting ways and, hopefully, create something that is useful and joyful.
BIOGRAPHY
Ira J. Papick is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln (2008- 2011), and an Emeritus Distinguished Curatorsʼ Teaching Professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia (1978- 2008). He received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from Rutgers University in 1975. His research areas are in Commutative Algebra and Mathematics Teacher Education, and he has published numerous research papers and two books. Professor Papick is the recipient of six University of Missouri teaching awards (Purple Chalk Award, Amoco Award, Mystical 7 Award, Kemper Award, Intercampus Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching, Curatorsʼ Distinguished Teaching Professorship). Since retirement, his creative energy has been devoted mostly to creating wood objects using unique and beautiful woods.
