The Coleman Center for the Arts and Culture
Primitive Urge: The Recent Works of James Cockrell, April 10 to May 8, 2004
Primitive Urge: the recent works of James Cockrell presents an installation of over 30 samples of James Cockrell’s exquisite handcrafted furniture and birdhouses. Inspired by the natural beauty in the landscape of the Deep South, Mr. Cockrell walks the area’s woods collecting individual sticks to weld into functional art. He uses his artisan skills to bring out the natural beauty that surrounds us.
James Cockrell has always been drawn to the beauty of the organic shapes and surfaces of trees. In 1997, he began sharing this beauty with others. He came home to Alabama to care for his ailing father and found their old homeplace also in need of care. He began clearing the overgrown yard of the small trees that had taken over. He was fascinated by the simple beauty of the trees and decided that he would create something of use out of them. This became the genesis of his artmaking. For the next four years, he created chairs, benches, tables and birdhouses for friends and family. By 2000, he had commissions to create pieces for art collectors, museums and institutions, including the Slave & Civil War Museum in Selma, Tuskegee University and Mississippi State University.