VOA标准英语2013--Maryland Community Becomes Patron of the Arts

 

Maryland Community Becomes Patron of the Arts

Vicco von Voss has been making wooden furniture from salvaged¹ materials for 20 years.

“When I get a tree that has been blown over by a hurricane or strictly² taken down by a tree company, I have the opportunity to give this tree a second life,” he said.

Von Voss is known for creating elegant, yet functional³ pieces.  

“Part of my philosophy is that if it took a tree 80 years to grow, I need to build something that will last for that same duration.”

Honoring nature, art

Von Voss formed that philosophy while he lived for eight and a half years in a small cabin [9 feet x 12 feet] he had built on his lot outside Chestertown, Maryland.

“I grew to understand and love nature. But it wasn’t just loving nature, it was observing the real subtleties⁴ of the land, of the trees. And with that, I thought I’ve got became a steward⁵ of nature,” he said.

Von Voss works mostly by commission. So when a local museum - the Academy Art Museum in Easton, Maryland - invited him to exhibit his furniture at an art show next year, he had a problem: He sells his work as soon as he completes it.

“Basically the idea of borrowing my clients’ pieces for two months was not an option. I couldn’t go and say 'I need to borrow your dining table for two months.'”

Gallery owner Carla Massoni came up with an idea to work around the problem. If patrons were to loan money to Voss - so he would not have to sell each piece - he could create a body of work for the museum show. Afterwards, he would sell the pieces and pay back the money. So far, Massoni says more than 20 people have participated in what she calls the "Seed Project."

"Many of the people that are involved in this probably wouldn't be able to purchase a piece of Vicco's work. But they still want to be part of the process of his creating these pieces," said Massoni.

Making a connection

Bob Ingersoll is one of the participants.

“It seemed to me such an interesting project. Here I had a chance to help Vicco concentrate more on creating pieces of art. I expect to see a beautiful piece come out of this or more, many pieces,” said Ingersoll.

Massoni said such willingness could have something to do with the community's historic connection to the surrounding farmland and river.     

“What Vicco does is using the natural resources of the region, trees, the connection he has to the living breathing environment that he is part of. Many people share that philosophy as well,” said Massoni.

Von Voss said the Seed Project has allowed him to grow as a craftsman⁶.

“I thought what a phenomenal opportunity to get out of my own box and create something very unique and very sculptural, much more artistic⁷, but still functional, than what I have created in the past," said von Voss.

The Chestertown community hopes the Seed Project could blossom into support for other artists and craftsmen⁸ in the future. 

1 salvaged   

（从火灾、海难等中）抢救（某物）( salvage的过去式和过去分词 )； 回收利用（某物）

参考例句：

• The investigators studied flight recorders salvaged from the wreckage. 调查者研究了从飞机残骸中找到的黑匣子。
• The team's first task was to decide what equipment could be salvaged. 该队的首要任务是决定可以抢救哪些设备。

2 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

3 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。

4 subtleties   

细微( subtlety的名词复数 )； 精细； 巧妙； 细微的差别等

参考例句：

• I think the translator missed some of the subtleties of the original. 我认为译者漏掉了原著中一些微妙之处。
• They are uneducated in the financial subtleties of credit transfer. 他们缺乏有关信用转让在金融方面微妙作用的知识。

5 steward   

n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员

参考例句：

• He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
• He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员，到过世界各地。

6 craftsman   

n.技工，精于一门工艺的匠人

参考例句：

• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。
• The craftsman is working up the mass of clay into a toy figure.艺人把一团泥捏成玩具形状。

7 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

8 craftsmen   

n. 技工

参考例句：

• rugs handmade by local craftsmen 由当地工艺师手工制作的小地毯
• The craftsmen have ensured faithful reproduction of the original painting. 工匠保证要复制一幅最接近原作的画。