Stephen Mohring

My work is, at its core, a meditation on the transformation of raw material to sculptural object. I have always been fascinated by the visceral nature of traditional well-crafted materials, especially when combined with the seductive allure of time-based media or performance. All the wood used for the sculptural projects here has been locally sourced, milled by me, and worked primarily with hand tools.

The set work presented in SEE was created for Ten Thousand Things, a theater company that brings some of the best local theater to non-traditional audiences with little access to the arts. For our shows, there is no lighting except normal house lights, standard dramatic stage effects are unworkable, and audience seats are at floor level. The wonderful consequence of all these restrictions is that each set becomes an intricate assignment for which I am able to explore new and unconventional techniques.

Stephen Mohring, Professor of Art
Amherst College, B.A., Rhode Island School of Design, M.F.A.

Stephen Mohring teaches sculpture, woodworking, and interactive electronic art. He runs Carleton’s sawmill — part of the Sustainable Crafts Initiative, which he developed in collaboration with the Arboretum — producing sustainably harvested lumber for the art department. He also works as the resident set designer for Ten Thousand Things, a Twin Cities based company that brings lively, intelligent theater to people with little access to the wealth of the arts.