Archie Held

Garden Art "ART JUST SITS THERE..." "...Painting and drawing became my passion when I was sidelined from sports injuries in high school. I was truly amazed that I was able to express myself in a whole new way. Making art was very empowering, but the result was rarely very powerful to me. I would create works born of strong heartfelt emotions. They appeared so bold and impressive on the white gallery walls. I would watch people viewing the works at my first shows. Some people would walk right up to them. Most walked by just glancing. Some... involved in a conversation, missed them completely..."

"...SILENT AS AN UNOPENED BOOK." "...I finally had something to say and it felt like no one was listening. This desire to be heard was coupled with an all consuming preoccupation with form, line, movement, and gesture. I felt as if I had never really taken a good hard look at anything, and I began to look at everything around me in new ways. As an exercise I would visually distill things down to the essence of it's planes and contours.... "

	"LOOK HARD" "...Manipulating simple forms I began to articulate the rythmical movements observed in common gestures and dance. This physical vocabulary of an economy of form became the foundation for my work. This inquiry has become my daily preoccupation."

"SIMPLE ELEGANT DESIGNS..."

Archie Held recieved the Jim Marcelius Memorial Scolarship award for sculpture in 1980 while working towards his masters degree in sculpture at UCLA . This would prove to be the first of many awards and commissions he would recieve during the ensuing seventeen years.... Working primarily in bronze and stainless steel, Archie Held creates site specific sculptures for commercial or residential commissions, and welcomes collaborations with architects and designers.

GARDEN ART GALLERY