William Alburger
American
William Alburger, is a wood eco-artist from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It is respect for the processes and mysteries of Nature that informs his art. His organic designs come from the distorted boards themselves and he enjoys highlighting Nature's own signature on each piece. He is dedicated to designing and creating highly original, one of a kind pieces, weaving his art education with self-taught practices.
Alburger reclaims wood that has served the planet, first as trees, then as farm buildings. In each piece he creates, he highlights the beauty that only comes from age and persevering through hardships. Rich in texture and character, these antique boards, saved from the burn pile, reach the pinnacle of their life cycle as one-of-a-kind, signed pieces of art in the homes of art collectors.
In a similar way, he takes rescued wood—fallen trees decaying on the forest floor—and highlights the message of faith and hope, that fragile and forgotten can be turned into rare and mesmerizing beauty. Whether it's the "signature" of the Carpenter Ants, or the etch-a-sketch black lines of decay that create breathtaking spalted wood, William is irresistibly drawn to honoring these survivors.
His works, whether accent tables, wall hung mantels, headboards, shelves or cabinets, all showcase nature’s inherent artfulness. William believes the wood is already art and he is just trying to find ways of getting it into people's homes to be enjoyed. He often adds fabric, glass, metal, stone or other objects to the sculptures he creates, weaving the man-made and the natural. He also sneaks in some humor and intrigue to most of his pieces, in the form of secret compartments, removable walls/tops, concealed drawers, false bottoms or trick doors. This actually makes his pieces the equivalent of a personal safe, as no one would suspect or find the hiding spot.
Alburger began doing this as a child, transforming things he found outside into pieces he could bring inside. Today, he continues his passion for creating green art. Most days find him on his forested, creek-side property, where he works outdoors through all 4 seasons, his chickens and rescued cats close by.
See William Alburger's work in the February 2020 House & Garden UK Magazine and also in the H & G Shops section.
