TheBurg

56 | theburg | 05.17 Y ou already may be familiar with "Art in the Wild." e annual outdoor exhibit, now in its fifth year, showcases art installations integrated within the rustic, leafy surroundings— the trees, grasses and wetlands—of Wildwood Park's 3.1-mile loop. But have you ever wondered who makes these unique artworks—and how they go about their creative regimen? I did. So, I went to find out. POSitiVe thiNgS I could not have truly understood Ray Curanzy's style without first visiting his creative space. His third-generation family farm, in rural Lebanon County, surrounds the main road and features an 1800s-era stone house and mature trees that his grandparents planted. As he names each individual tree—persimmon, paw-paw, magnolia, Persian walnut—I become aware of how different each looks. A woodworker by trade who goes by the online moniker, "Merry Woodsman," Curanzy feels rooted in his family's orchard. "I draw my energy from this farm," he said. "It's much bigger than I am. is space is so humbling, so full of my grandparents' influence." e barn overflows with treasures he's accumulated from nature walks and other places he's lived. In addition to the sawdust, tools and wood scraps I expected to find in this barn-turned-woodshop, I saw antique doll parts, X-rays from the 1950s and a collection of wasp nests I hoped were dormant. "I'll use these in my creations some day," he said. "I stop collecting treasures when my pockets are full." On uneven ground outside the barn, sprawling across multiple sawhorses, I saw a sculpture-in- progress for "Art in the Wild." I guessed that the bowed wood resembled fancy arches, but I guessed wrong. I had stumbled into him shaping and positioning a large octopus tentacle. "I wanted to represent the transition of man fearing-to-revering sea monsters in symbolizing dangerous, uncharted waters," he said. "Octopuses have a level of intelligence that inspired me." Curanzy's exhibit spot is in the water, along the towpath of Wildwood. "I wanted to lend credence to the image of a squid coming out of the water to accentuate the space," he said. e attention-grabber will be a wooden figure, maybe a "bird-person," he speculated, as he still extemporaneously interacted with his art. "ink circus ringleader, where the figure is directing the guests' attention towards the tentacle—the main attraction," he said. Unlike many woodworkers who try to create flawless pieces, Curanzy fashions most of his process around imperfection and spontaneity. "Why not start off with curved wood instead of straight boards?" he said. "We miss all sorts of opportunities during our misguided search for perfection." Natural SelectioNS Unearthing the creative process behind "Art in the Wild." bY giNA NAPOLi

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