Catling’s work, “Looking upon an unknown sorrow,” part of his “Effigies of the fragile” exhibit coming to Grace College.

WINONA LAKE — William Catling, sculptor and visual artist from Riverside, Calif., will present his exhibit, “Effigies of the fragile,” on Friday, Sept. 21, at an opening reception in the Mount Memorial Hall Art Gallery, 200 Seminary Dr., Winona Lake. Catling will give an artist talk at 7 p.m., with the reception following until 9 p.m. The community is welcome to attend the free event.

“Effigies of the fragile” is comprised of sculptures and drawings that were informed by many decades Catling spent in the studio dealing with the tension between strength and vulnerability. The works reflect the artist’s awareness of the physical and the ephemeral nature of life, revealing both a powerful way of existing and the inevitable reality of suffering.

Catling explains, “The bronze-cast figures are inspired by the natural world of tree branches, rock and earthen formations. I used natural materials to reinforce a connection to the earth as a source of life and a place of human interaction, as well as the inference of flight which transcends the earth and the limitations of the body.”

Catling’s artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is held in private and permanent collections worldwide. Catling holds a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from California State University Fullerton and a Master of Arts in Sculpture from San Francisco State University. He is a professor of art, department chair and founding director of the Master of Fine Arts in Visual Arts program at Azusa Pacific University.

“It is a privilege to have Bill as a visiting artist at Grace. His artwork speaks eloquently of life and compels the viewer to find meaning through their own lived experience,” said Kim M. Reiff, chair of the visual, performing and media arts department and assistant dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Grace College.

While at Grace, Catling will also speak in Chapel at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 21. His talk is entitled “To wash in the pool of Siloam: How seeing like an artist opens the eyes of our souls.” The public is invited to attend.

From 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, Catling will hold a three-dimensional clay-based workshop in Mount Memorial Hall, Room 001. The workshop is open to the public, but reservations are required by emailing [email protected].

To view Catling’s “Effigies of the fragile” exhibit, visit the Mount Memorial Art Gallery Sept. 21 – Oct. 6. The gallery is free and open to the public 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call (574) 372-5100, ext. 6022 or email [email protected].