Granville Beals, a sculptor known for his abstract creations, hails from Glens Falls, New York, where he spent his formative years. During his teenage years, he made the move to New York City and was awarded a Ford Foundation Scholarship to pursue his studies and training at the School of American Ballet within the New York City Ballet. Beals draws inspiration from the choreography of lines and the interplay of negative space, much akin to the world of dance, which greatly influences and shapes his artistic endeavors. “Metal embodies fascinating
contradictions. Within its rigid and dense cold mass lives a warmth and a
sensuality waiting to be revealed. The course,
loud, and often brutal process of working with metal combined with the fiery
violence of the weld induces a state of surprising tranquility. I often sketch out my ideas for new pieces and other times simply wait patiently and listen for the material to give me instructions.”
His sculptures use raw industrial scrap and metals which he manipulates to defy the expectations of the medium. While he fabricates much of his work from new pieces of select metals, he is passionate about repurposing industrial scrap to create his art – which he views as a unique form of recycling. The process of re-purposing and manipulating materials that might otherwise be destined for the foundry presents unique challenges that spark his creative impulses.
Interesting
shapes, lines, and negative space are intriguing elements to him and serve as a
constant source of inspiration. Beals’ sculptures reveal these dynamic forces
in works that exhibit unmistakable heft and permanence while also revealing the
spirit and balance that he experiences in the process of forging them.
Beals’ work is held in both private and public collections. His public sculptures can
be found in California, New York, and Internationally. His Holocaust Memorial
sculpture is permanently installed in Santa Clarita, California.
