With its proximity to the cultural hub of New York City and its quieter suburban and rural landscapes, Connecticut was fertile ground for artists and writers in the period of Modernist movements between 1913 and 1979. Many of these cultural figures are well known through biographical and critical studies. Creative Places seeks to show how place played a significant role in creative work, and how in turn the artists and writers influenced communities in Connecticut.
David Smalley
Education/Curation, Sculpture
1940 – 2015
Smalley was a regionally significant sculptor and influential teacher at the fore-front of technology in use of computer-driven metal cutting and fabricating for sculpture.
- Biography/Description of Work
David Smalley, from Quaker Hill, New London, Connecticut, has been producing sculptures since the late 1950s. His work is primarily large scale pieces in metal: stainless steel, brass and aluminum. An art teacher at Connecticut College from 1965 to 2002, he founded the Center for Arts and Technology at Connecticut College, pioneering the use of the computer as a tool for sculptors. The majority of his work is rooted in abstraction but still contains clear references to nature. Many of Smalley’s works are kinetic.
- Sources view
- Zimmer, William. 'Art; Blend of Sculpture and Technology in the Abstract and Real World. New York Times, October 26, 1997. [ http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/26/nyregion/art-blend-of-sculpture-and-technology-in-the-abstract-and-real-world.html ]
Zabel, Barbara. Exhibition catalog, Smalley Retropsective, Lyman Allyn Museum, 1997.
Lyman Allyn Museum web site. [ http://www.lymanallyn.org/about-us/outdoor-sculpture-tour/ ]
Artist's web site. http://www.davidsmalleysculpture.net/index.html
Obituary: 10/04/2015. New London Day. [ http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theday/obituary.aspx?pid=176009085 ] - Associated Resource(s)