Artist's Bio: Kyle Van Lusk, M.F.A

Born in the mountains of North Carolina, some might say that Sculptor Kyle Van Lusk is a product of his environment. Inspired by the juxtaposition of beauty and strength in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lusk continues to create sculpture that reflects his mountain home. Raised in a small town near Brevard, NC, Lusk was encouraged by his parents to become an artist. He first studied at Brevard College, then earned his BFA in 1995 from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. Renowned for its excellent sculpture program, East Carolina University was also where Lusk chose to go as a graduate, earning his MFA in Sculpture in 1998. While at ECU, Lusk gained ample experience constructing large scale steel sculpture as an assistant to Professor Carl Billingsley. Since completion of his graduate work in 1998, Lusk has created and displayed work in several juried outdoor sculpture competitions including The University of North Carolina Arboretum Outdoor Show in Asheville, NC and The Edwards Memorial Sculpture Competition in Boone, NC. He also has works in permanent collection and on loan to university campuses including East Carolina University, Appalachian State University and the University of North Carolina Asheville. With his wife, Heidi, and son, Declan, Lusk currently resides in Boone, NC where he teaches sculpture and drawing at Appalachian State University. Lusk continues to study the mountains up close through rock climbing, mountain biking and hiking.

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Resume: Kyle Van Lusk

Education:	1998 MFA (sculpture) East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C.
	1995 BFA (sculpture) East Carolina University
	1992 AFA (sculpture) Brevard College, Brevard, N.C.
Professional Teaching Experience:	2000 Instructor, Sculpture: Foundry, Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C. Instructor, Drawing Fundamentals, A.S.U. Instructor, 3-D Fundamentals, A.S.U. Instructor, 3-D Fundamentals, ASU. Instructor, Drawing Foundations, ASU. Instructor, Drawing Fundamentals, ASU. Instructor, 2-D Fundamentals, ASU.
	1999 Instructor, Sculpture: Foundry, A.S.U. Instructor, Sculpture: Carving & Construction, A.S.U. Instructor, Drawing Foundations, A.S.U. Instructor, Drawing Fundamentals, A.S.U. Instructor, 3-D Foundations, A.S.U. Instructor, 3-D Fundamentals, A.S.U.
	1998 Instructor, 3-D Fundamentals, A.S.U. Instructor, Drawing Foundations, A.S.U. Instructor, Drawing Fundamentals, A.S.U. Graduate Instructor, 3-D Design, East Carolina University.
	1997 Assistant Instructor, Sculpture Survey, E.C.U.
Related Work Experience:	2000 Coordinator, ASU Invitational Iron Pour, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.
	1999 Sculpture Area Coordinator, ASU Department of Art, Boone, NC. Panelist, Southern Natl. Iron Conference, Sloss Furnaces, Birmingham, AL.
	1998 Graduate Assistant, Grat Art Gallery, ECU, SOA. Graduate Assistant, SOA Wood Shop, ECU, SOA. Graduate Assistant, Wood Design, ECU, SOA.
	1997 Graduate Assistant, Foundry Studio, ECU, SOA. Graduate Assistant, Gray Art Gallery, ECU, SOA. Graduate Assistant, Baltics Foreign Study, Tallin, Estonia. Director, Sand Mold Workshop, Baltic Cast Iron Symposium, Tallin, Estonia. Graduate Assistant, Welding Studio, ECU, SOA. Director, Sand Mold Workshop, Iron Symposium, Edenton, NC.
	1996 Graduate Assistant, Foundry Studio, ECU, SOA. Graduate Assistant, Welding Studio, ECU, SOA. Pouring Crew, Southern Natl. Iron Conference, Sloss Furnaces, Birmingham, AL.
Solo Exhibitions:	1998 Kyle Van Lusk, Recent Sculptures, Thesis Exhibition, Kinston, NC.
International Exhibitions:	1997 Radiators to Iron, Tallin Art Academy, Tallin, Estonia.
Selected National & Regional Exhibitions:	2000 3-D Chicago/Pier Walk Maquette Show, Chicago, IL. Sculpture on Loan, Campus of the University of North Carolina Asheville, Asheville, NC. NC Arboretum Juried Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Asheville, NC. Sherry Edwards Memorial Juried Exhibition, Boone, NC. Appalachian State University Faculty Exhibition, Boone, NC.
	1999 Sculpture on Loan, Campus of ECU, SOA. Gallery 9, Invitational Art Show, Boone, NC.
	1998 41st Annual Outdoor Art Show, Rocky Mount, NC. WAA Juried Exhibition, Wilson Arts Council, Wilson, NC. CCA National Competitive Exhibition, Kinston, NC. Greenville Museum of Art Invitational, Greenville, NC. Pitt County Juried Arts Show, Ayden, NC. Edenton Arts Council Invitational, Edenton, NC.
	1997 The Rebel, ECU Arts and Literature Magazine, Greenville, NC. CCA National Competitive Exhibition, Kinston, NC. 18th Annual National Arts Competition, Goldsborro, NC. Frank Schtick Memorial Arts Show, Nags Head, NC. Pitt County Juried Arts Show, Ayden, NC. ECU Graduate Exhibition, Gray Art Gallery, ECU, SOA ECU Student/Faculty Show, Eagle Gallery, Raleigh, NC. Sculpture on Loan, Joyner Library, ECU.
Selected Awards:	2000 1st Place, Sherry Edwards Memorial Outdoor Sculpture Competition, Boone, NC.
	1998 Best of Show, 41st Annual Out Door Art Show, Rocky Mount, NC. Award of Merit, Pitt County Juried Arts Show, Rocky Mount, NC. Award of Merit, WAA Juried Exhibition, Wilson, NC.
	1997 1st Place Sculpture, The Rebel Visual Arts Competition, Greenville, NC. Award of Excellence, Frank Schtick Memorial Arts Competition, Nags Head,
NC. Honors:	1997 Rivers Foundation Grant, ECU Foreign Study. 1995 Most Outstanding Senior/Sculpture, ECU, SOA. 1992 Most Outstanding Senior/Art, Brevard College, NC.
Technical Expertise:	Foundry: Ferrous and Non-ferrous. Molding: Traditional Plaster, Bonded Sand and Ceramic Shell. Welding: Oxy/Acetylene, Arc, MIG, TIG and Plasma. Carving: Stone, Wood and Ice. Woodworking: Joinery, Finishing and All Standard Equipment.

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Artist's Statement

The Inspiration for my work is nature, especially the mountain landscape of western North Carolina. I have always found a sense of simplicity and unity there, a sense that there is a greater order than what we have created for ourselves. Many of my ideas are inspired from the formal relationships that I find in this landscape; from the massive shapes and textures of the mountains and their rock formations to the elegant linear qualities of the ever changing foliage. It is these feelings of simplicity, balance, unity and tension that I value and desire to express in my sculpture. I have a special affinity for the materials and processes involved in creating sculpture. I work primarily with iron, bronze and stone. I feel that these materials have an intrinsic strength and beauty and I work with the natural qualities of each to embody my aesthetic in form.

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