Born in Evanston, Illinois, John Wolfe moved with his family to Winter Park, Central Florida when very young. Both
parents, college professors and Mother a prominent fiber artist, designer and painter, inspired John toward a career as an
artist and educator. From his earliest years, drawing, creating and fabricating, from mobiles to pottery and then a degree
in Studio Art and Education was the natural progression. His primary focus at Rollins College was the three-dimensional media
of jewelry design, sculpture and clay that consumed his studio time and refined the skills that he used to teach art in Orange
county, Florida for fifteen years. Courses in painting still influence the finish of Wolfe’s sculpture today.
From Wolfe’s earliest childhood memories, a balsa wood
and coat hanger wire mobile created by his mother hung in their living room. This sculpture inspired him to construct mobiles
and kinetic sculpture that are still the primary focus of his work. The fearless application of bold color, inspired by Calder,
Klee and Matisse is a recognized element of his work. The inspiration for many of the elements of Wolfe's sculpture come
from botanical and natural observations, plentiful from living in the woods, cruising the shaded banks and canopies of the
St. John’s River and accessing the beaches and wildlife of Florida’s Atlantic coast.
Wolfe’s sculpture and mobiles are displayed in both indoor
and outdoor sites and range in size from tabletop to outdoor and public sculpture of monumental scale. As a “hands-on”
artist, Wolfe welcomes the opportunity to work with clients, facilitating the progression from idea to the ultimate design
and fabrication of the distinct and original work for the selected site.
Wolfe frequented the art show circuit during the late 1980s and through the 1990s winning many awards and then in
2000 moved with his wife to DeLand, Florida and founded the Wolfe Gallery, a galley of American crafts and Florida artists.
The gallery, stealing most of his studio time, was sold in 2005 and Wolfe returned full time to his studio, at his home on
wooded property, just north of DeLand. The Wolfe gallery still thrives.
Information about the Sculpture
John Wolfe’s sculpture
is created primarily from fabricated steel and aluminum, frequently using his background in painting to create dynamic textures
on the surfaces of his work. His sculpture and mobiles are displayed in both indoor and outdoor sites and range in size from
tabletop to outdoor and public sculpture of monumental scale.
As a “hands-on” artist, Wolfe welcomes the opportunity to work with clients, facilitating the progression
from idea to the ultimate design and fabrication of the distinct and original work for the selected site. Standing sculpture
is frequently displayed in outdoor areas, adding bold focal points to the landscape. Outdoor kinetic pieces, such as the windvanes,
create a new dimension of movement to the site. Outdoor painted sculpture is hand painted and top-coated with an automotive
clear, for years of protection to the paint. Adding a piece of Wolfe’s sculpture to your home or office interior will
enhance any collection. Installation sites for mobiles are often overlooked. Mobiles add an exciting presence to negative
spaces creating exciting displays of kinetic form and color. Open spaces in stairways, spacious cathedral ceilings in many
homes, open areas above tables and pianos are just a sample of installation possibilities. A wall mounted sculpture, some
kinetic, natural metals or painted, can replace a painting adding three dimensional excitement to your display.
