Main Gallery
July 10 - August 8, 2026
JOHN BUCK
Mont Blanc on Wood
|
John Buck is an American artist known for his inventive wood sculptures and detailed printmaking practice, which together explore the interplay between personal narrative, cultural history, and the rhythms of everyday life. Working from his studio in Bozeman, Montana, Buck carves animated, symbolic figures and environments that draw from observation, folklore, memory, and current events. His sculptures often combine meticulously carved forms with kinetic elements, creating works that feel both handcrafted and theatrically alive.
Buck approaches sculpture as an extension of drawing, using line, pattern, and surface to build characters and scenes that operate as open narratives. His prints, created through complex woodblock techniques, mirror the imagery found in his three dimensional work, revealing a rich vocabulary of recurring motifs. Across both mediums, Buck reflects on social and political realities, environmental concerns, and the eccentricities of human behavior, all while maintaining a sense of humor and a deep engagement with craft. His art balances storytelling with formal clarity, inviting viewers into a world where the familiar becomes speculative and symbolic. Buck studied at the Kansas City Art Institute and the University of California, Davis, where he worked alongside several influential American artists. His work has been exhibited widely throughout the United States, including presentations at Zolla Lieberman Gallery in Chicago, the Missoula Art Museum, the Yellowstone Art Museum, and museums and galleries across the West and Midwest. His sculptures and prints are represented in major public and private collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Portland Art Museum, the Denver Art Museum, and the Library of Congress. Buck lives and works in Bozeman, MT. |
Exhibition Catalog Available
"From a technical standpoint, Buck has always had multiple stages in the creation of both his sculptures and his prints. These drawings are more immediate, as he creates them directly by hand. Although there may be a somewhat casual quality to his imagery, and the elements of his landscapes have an odd sense from their abrupt changes in perspective and scale, the viewer is seeing more of the artist himself in these works. This makes the drawings more personalized expressions of Buck's views on the environment and our relationship to the land."
- excerpt from John Buck by Bruce W. Pepich
CLICK HERE for the full essay.
- excerpt from John Buck by Bruce W. Pepich
CLICK HERE for the full essay.
