Charles Rudy, Resident Artist Lecture 1954

Charles Rudy gives a lecture at Skowhegan looking at the history of painting and sculpture through a series of slides. He reflects on many artists such as Edgar Degas, Pablo Gargallo, August Gaul, Isamu Noguchi, José de Creeft, and many others. Rudy goes into precise details regarding how these artists have made their works, and the technical frameworks they used. Rudy then starts sharing slides of his own work with the students, and explains how his various life experiences have informed his sculptures, particularly being around the rural landscape. The rural landscape informed Rudy’s love for sculpture of animals, with a specific affinity for mountain goats, mountain lions, buffalos, and bears. Rudy shares his passion for working with a diverse range of materials, such as oakwood, Greek marble, and Indiana limestone and how these surfaces have all helped him expand his relationship with sculpture. Rudy ends his lecture by telling the students the importance of collaboration, stating how collaboration with architects has informed his approach to scale when thinking about the construction of his sculptural practice.