Dark Orbit Sculpture

Brooklyn based sculptor and educator Hank De Ricco has been active on the New York art scene since 1980. The year 1987 saw a breakthrough solo exhibit at PS1, Long Island City, NY. The next year began a decade long relationship with 55 Mercer St. Gallery that resulted in six solo shows. Outside New York he has exhibited in museums, university galleries, and major art festivals on both US coasts and as far away as Reus, Spain. A recipient of numerous artist grants, Mr. De Ricco has a history with the Adolf and Esther Gottlieb Foundation and the Pollack-Krasner Foundation recognizing him with a string of grants spanning his career. Mr. De Ricco was a full professor at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, where he taught sculpture, 3D design, and drawing since 1995. Additionally he has taught at Jersey City State College, Carnegie Mellon University, and Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin. Mr. De Ricco received his formal art Education at Pratt Institute and William Paterson College, Wayne, NJ. He received his degrees at SUNY Empire State College (BFA Painting 1980) and The School of Visual Art, NY (MFA Sculpture 1991). Mr. De Ricco created his first piece with bent and laminated wood, Orbit, in 2000. Mr. De Ricco worked for many years as a carpenter eventually becoming a cabinet maker developing highly skillful woodworking techniques. His raw materials include sustainable lumber products specifically made for the cabinet and furniture making industries that are suited to bending and building curves. His process involves soaking and then clamping successive layers of wood lamination under pressure to coax them into their final form with glue and fasteners. The pieces are colored with gel stains and aniline dye pigments and finished with a succession of coats of water-based polyurethane and various shellacs. CV: ?usp=sharing