Charles LeDrey – anything can be turned to art with passion

Charles LeDrey, a sculptor born and raised in Seattle, learned to sew at age of 4. LeDrey who currently lives and works in New York is a great example that everything can be art in the hands of talented artist. I love his work especially as it proves that art is everything a human been sees as expression of feelings, ideas or emotions. Art represents it creator’s soul and humanity and it is something you carry inside, not necessarily something you can learn in school. In fact some of the best artists known to the world are self-taught.
Although at some point in his youth he attended briefly art school and Seattle Charles LeDrey is self-taught artist. He also worked as a museum guard at the Seattle Art Museum for a short time in the mid 1980s. Interestingly enough, LeDray does not have any studio assistants. His art is a one-person pursuit, something unusual for a sculptor since the complexity and size of some works can be quite challenging for one man.
LeDray is most known for his small, but correctly proportioned sculptures of everyday objects, keeping them on the art side and without having them to fail into precious or adorable categories. He also rides the subway in New York dressed as a laborer.
In some instances Charles LeDrey works with many different materials, some of they considered junk by the ordinary standards. One of his most famous works completed in 1991 and named “Workworkworkworkwork ” is created out of nearly 588 objects and including pieces of pottery, paintings, fabric shirts, handmade necklaces, used magazines and other stuff reflecting objects put up for sale form homeless people on New York streets.
Another of his artworks “Milk and Honey” is made from over 2000 hand thrown white ceramic elements like miniature teapots, saltshakers ,vessels , vases and took him a little over 2 years to finish.
Not a fashion designer LeDrey’s fabric-based work subject is primarily clothing. “At age of 10, he could sew, knit and macramé with a skill that staggered his elders.”The more I did, the more I wanted to do” said LeDray. Every object is hand-stitched by the artist and tells a story. One of LeDrey’s favorite clothing sculpture subjects is men suits. These miniature installations include precise “miniaturized jackets, shirts and polo tops… trousers, ties, bow ties, gloves, hangers. According to the critics they have been interpreted as “marvels of meticulous craftsmanship and poetic symbols of male identity.” On July 11 2009, after 3 years of full time work, a three part installation, named “Men’s Suits” was exhibited in London for 3 months.
Critics sometime describe LeDray as “contemporary art world’s best-kept secret”, mostly because the artist is notorious for laboring away sometimes for years with no publicity until he finishes his work. LeDray is also known for refraining to discuss the meaning of his work, leaving it to the imagination and interpretation of the public and the critics.
If you happen to be in Huston this summer you can witness Charles LeDrey’s passion for art visiting art works exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston May 15 through September 11, 2011. It will feature approximately 50 sculptures and installations spanning the past 25 years of his career.

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