In Colorado, sculptor James Surls connects with nature via raw materials to create vast wooden forms

Known for his monumental sculptures, hewn from native woods and steel, American modernist sculptor James Surls has rooted his artistic practice in the majesty of nature, becoming a pivotal figure in the Texas art scene with work in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the New York Guggenheim, and MoMA, among others. Now age 83, and working from a 4000 square foot studio in Carbondale, Colorado, Surls creates in close collaboration with the vast landscapes of the Rocky Mountains and the American Southwest – as a source of inspiration, spiritual connection, and the natural materials that play an instrumental role in his art. For the short film Will of the Wisp, director Garrett Creamer meets Surls in Aspen, following his acquisition of a massive log discovered in a field, and the meteoric task of transporting the wood to his studio. Observing the ambition and sense of scale that animates his powerful organic forms, Surls reflects on his philosophy on life, the physicality of his art, and finding balance amid health concerns, adjusting his perspective into old age with the belief that everything eventually finds its right place... read now at nowness.com _______________________________________ Subscribe to NOWNESS here: http://bit.ly/youtube-nowness Like NOWNESS on Facebook: http://bit.ly/facebook-nowness Follow NOWNESS on Twitter: http://bit.ly/twitter-nowness Daily exclusives for the culturally curious: http://bit.ly/nowness-com Behind the scenes on Instagram: http://bit.ly/instagram-nowness Staff Picks on Vimeo: http://bit.ly/vimeo-nowness