BRONZE POUR: Sculptor Rory Mahon works on a piece in his studio in Hopewell.
By Thomas Kelly
Rory Mahon is a sculptor, a builder, a problem solver, a worker of flame and metal. He is also supportive of others, a teacher, and a family man. His work is humanistic, personal, speaks of nature and is also very approachable by the casual viewer. He works in many materials, and his work can make the viewer have warm feelings. The work is traditional yet modern and speaks a lot about how Mahon sees the world. He and his wife Ayami Aoyama’s studios are in Hopewell.
What was the beginning of you heading into the arts? That seminal moment?
Well, I went to a very good college in New York City called The Cooper Union where I first majored in architecture, then switched my major to art. I had great instructors and a fantastic mentor there, and I fell in love with sculpture and photography. Upon graduation, I found the Johnson Atelier and was hired as an apprentice. I soon made some bronzes there that solidified to me that I was meant to be a sculptor.
Why did you gravitate toward sculpture and 3-dimensional instead of painting or 2-dimensional work?
It was partially my training at college. I loved my sculpture classes more than the other disciplines. Plus, I took a foundry class there, and I was absolutely fascinated by the process. The fact that intense heat could be used to alter an amazing material into whatever I wanted truly got into my psyche.
Upon joining the Johnson Atelier I was immersed in sculpture, day and night. My path was set for me.
I enjoy drawing out my sculpture ideas, and photography has always been a part of how I communicate my other ideas, but sculpture won me over as my primary discipline decades ago.
Do you make elaborate preparatory sketches or are they rough thumbnails?
I almost always draw out my ideas on paper before I begin the sculpture. It helps me visualize certain details, especially during a complicated project. I will sometimes keep the drawings going throughout the project until completion. The drawings are nothing special. I always discard them. They are just a tool to get me through. But I love how the drawings help me see into the future and avoid problems. I don’t always need the drawings to help me visualize what I want to make, but when I do, they are invaluable.
What is your favorite material to use now as opposed to when you started?
I’ve always loved bronze. Since my first foundry class in college. I’ve never diverted from this. However, I do see the value in expressing my ideas in other materials when appropriate. When it is necessary, I gravitate towards cement for larger outdoor works. Cement can be made much more beautiful than most people conceive of it. And many years ago I began carving large blocks of brick and mortar, and I found a new way to express ideas with these materials. Plus carving gives me the opportunity to practice reductive form making, as opposed to additive form making, which is mostly what I do when making bronze sculptures.
What fight/struggle do you have regarding your art?
I consider my current struggles mild compared to what I’ve dealt with in the past. In my maturity I’ve achieved a harmony through hard work and perseverance.
I suppose the biggest struggle right now is pouring large molds with a large amount of bronze. Both my sons have recently left the nest, and they were a big help for me during bronze pours.
I’ve also had two notable dry spells in my creative career. Such occurrences can be frightening for an artist. I was deeply bothered by both. Doubt crept in. However, I rebounded from both of them in a strong way. I think I can confidently say that if such an event ever happens to me again, I will not freak out. Based on past experiences, I will just consider it a normal part of the creative continuum and just be as productive as I can until the creative juices start to flow again. This is the kind of confidence I’ve developed over the decades.
Who are some of your early inspirations or influences and whose work do you enjoy now?
In my earliest formation as an artist, I admired Michelangelo. I thought figurative work was my way forward. After a few attempts at figurative work, I realized I was wrong. Not long after that I became impressed with seeing Constantin Brancusi’s work at MOMA and later seeing Isamu Naguchi’s inventive sculptures. To this day, I still consider them both masters at form making. I enjoy a lot of work that I see these days, but I don’t follow the current art world too closely anymore. I’d say the most enjoyment I derive these days from viewing art is the work of my friends and colleagues.
You had a pivotal time spent working at the Johnson Atelier. What was the best takeaway from those days?
Being a transplant from NYC, I knew no one down here when I moved to take the Johnson Atelier job. Like many others who joined during those days, we gravitated towards each other. That place became the hub of our lives, and to this day, many of my best friends are Johnson Atelier alumni. And I met my spouse there (as many others did), artist Ayami Aoyama. Professionally, the Johnson Atelier holds a special place in my heart. Many years ago, I made a sculpture there that first signified to me that I was indeed a sculptor. It was a wonderful moment in my life, and I will never forget that the Johnson Atelier is where it happened.
The apprentice system that was in effect there is where I initially learned my skills. It also eventually became the place I learned to teach and formed a lifelong passion for teaching.
Tell us about the quarter mile sculpture trail that you have built in Hopewell?
It happened organically. I originally cut a path through the woods on our property, to give myself and our guests a pleasant place to walk. As we continued to make more outdoor works here, my wife and I needed places to put them, and the trail became a logical and beautiful setting. We also have several pieces made by our friends who made bigger pieces than they could bring to their homes after making them, so we have given them a nice place to live. The trail is surrounded by a hundred acres of our neighbor’s property, and it is very peaceful. Benches are provided for those who care to relax for a while. Additional sculpture will be sited there in the future as soon as it is completed.
Is making sculpture still fun for you? Are you still amazed at some of the outcomes?
Absolutely. It’s a lot of work, but it’s also fun. Not always fun, but often fun. That fun motivates me every day. I often have a playful approach to my work, and I usually work with a smile on my face, or in my heart.
I’m not so amazed by the outcomes because I have an idea of how it should look when finished, and it usually looks exactly like I planned. One thing that does excite me is when I’m working on a piece, how I will get ideas for further exploration in a similar vein, or slightly different direction.Most artists know how exploration leads to more exploration. Sometimes my next sculpture idea could not be accessed in any other way. Hard work leads to good things.
What will you be exhibiting at this year’s Hopewell Tour Des Arts?
In addition to all the outdoor work, we also have a professional indoor gallery with lots of our work. I’ll have my photography and sculpture, my wife will have her stone sculpture and paintings. We have done the Hopewell Tour Des Arts for many years and love meeting new friends. We will also be opening our studios to visitors so that they can see the places where all the magic happens. People are welcome to come and spend as long as they want in our glorious sculpture gardens.
What is a dream project of yours?
For over 10 years, I have been working on a beehive hut, or clochán, commonly associated with the ancient southwestern Irish seaboard.
It is an ancient dry-stone dwelling with a dome-shaped roof that resembles a traditional straw beehive. I am lending a mild artistic flair to this otherwise plain, traditional structure. I would love it if I could finish it within another four years. I know it will be a very strong addition to the already beautiful and diverse elements that can be found on this property.
What is on the horizon? What are you looking forward to?
I just look forward to continuing on the same path I have been on. It’s proven to be a fulfilling journey, and I want more of the same. Working in the studio daily, teaching others, making new friends through the arts. All good stuff.
Mentoring more inexperienced artists is something I’ve been more interested in lately. I feel like I have a lot to give, and I feel compelled to share.
I will also be curating a show dedicated to the workers of the Johnson Atelier in January 2027. I have about 85 artists participating. It will be at the Trenton City Museum, Ellarslie. They have graciously granted us a very long slot for our exhibition. That should be an exciting show. Please be sure to visit that one!
To learn more, visit rorymahon.com, or follow him at instagram.com/rorymahon11 and facebook.com/rory.mahon. Text to arrange a visit: (609) 477-4424.