Feminine Entwinement
Tug boat houser rope, 8' x 2' x 2'Val Lyle, Bristol, TN
Location: The Downtown Center
Born in nearby Johnson City, TN, Val Lyle grew up in Knoxville longing to find out what was going on "out in the real world." She spent much of her adult life in the cities of Honolulu, Phoenix, and Sarasota, FL where she earned her BFA in sculpture at the Ringling School of Art and Design, and more recently New York City, where she credits much of her artistic development. When given the opportunity to move back to East Tennessee, Lyle took it. "I'm one of the lucky ones. I've been able to go see some of the world, develop a deep appreciation for our unique area, and return to enjoy living in it." Lyle earned her MFA while maintaining the family home place in Bristol. She has exhibited extensively and continues to teach art courses and workshops. You can find out more at www.ValLyle.com.
"This sculpture is made from part of a tugboat rope I collected while living in Manhattan, NY. The rope as a metaphor entered my work about 1987, when I was pondering the influence of Appalachia on my artistic aesthetic. It continues to convey much of what I think about: what is my 'life-line,' what effect my 'heritage binding' with this region has on me, what 'ties me down' for better or worse, what keeps me together, and is it possible to always tell the difference? I look for ways to make sculpture more approachable, using common materials in an uncommon way, and using a figurative reference help to accomplish that in this piece. I muse at the awesome strength of a tiny tugboat that keeps the great ships from running aground, as a reference to the tall, strong, confident, feminine figure that has just tossed a scarf across her shoulders facing the wind."