TOM KREGEL:  A LIFE’S WORK IN THREE DIMENSIONS

Durham–The gallery is proud to present a retrospective of visionary artist Tom Kregel (1938-2002). Kregel’s astounding original sculptures and beautifully detailed drawings suggest narratives ranging from poetic melancholy to sly humor.  This is the first major showing of his work since his untimely death in 2002, and features works in bronze and his signature cast stone. Kregel held a Master of Fine Arts degree from California State University in Los Angeles.

ABOUT TOM KREGEL

Tom Kregel’s (1938-2002) creative life explored a variety of media. Inspired by his unique view of the world, his works included drawing, painting, welded steel, bronze casting, photography and sculpture creations.  Kregel used colorful materials to create juxtapositions of form, function, and narrative ranging from poetic melancholy to sly humor.

His last works were sculptures created by a unique procedure using cast stone, which was poured into clay impressions.  The results were one-of-a-kind creations that were sealed and colored with oil and water-based pigments. Some of works are composed of only four or five pieces while others have as many as 41 different pieces that can weigh up to 60 pounds each.

Kregel received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Oklahoma, and his Master’s at California State University in Los Angeles. He completed apprentice work in the field of classical bronze casting, and also worked extensively with welded steel.  Local North Carolina exhibitions included Artspace in Raleigh, the Fayetteville Museum of Art, Sawtooth Center for Visual Arts in Winston-Salem,  Somerhill Gallery and the Cedar Creek Gallery Sculpture Invitational in Creedmoor.  His work is in important private collections in the state and across the country.