Amy Cox – Stavkirke (Bourbon) Staves

My submission reimagines stave church carvings, juxtaposing Norwegian imagery on a uniquely American surface, charred oak bourbon barrel staves. It embraces a shared concern for making the most of available resources. At the same time, it honors the inherent, timeless beauty, resilience, and versatility of wood. My work recounts wood's use to honor and contain both heavenly and liquid 'spirits' while evoking its visceral textures and the lingering scents of pine tar, bourbon, and fire infused in the old carvings and my painting surfaces. Despite time and distance, their choices and traditions remain intertwined with ours, like the delicate strands and creatures depicted in the original carvings.