Artist's Statement

Randall Cleaver’s work combines what has been discarded to create timekeeping artifacts. Their utility and motion involve the viewer in their complexity of forms, textures, relationships, and humor.

Creating with found objects started as an inexpensive way to obtain materials, but soon, the objects themselves became a source of inspiration. Cleaver tries to give his viewer the sense that the parts were manufactured to form the object, in order that the various parts transcend what they were.

The clocks, as a body of work, are a conglomerate of ideas Cleaver has had over the years: actual, as opposed to implied, motion; machine sounds emanating from the pieces; humor; functionality; the sense of history in timepieces; and the near obsession our society has for time.

The clocks also give an archetypal starting point with which to view his pieces. From there the viewers can work their way deeper into the works.

The lamps are similar to the clocks in that they too are viewer friendly. Instead of the movement of clock works to accent the piece, there is the glow of the bulb, not only accenting the piece, but changing the mood of the entire room when lit.

Cleaver’s working style is intuitive. He starts with a germ of an idea or a particular found object that will suggest a piece, but as it grows, different relationships will be discovered and the form of the work will respond to these discoveries.

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Artist's Biography

Randall Cleaver’s father was a huge packrat, always bringing home something he found at an auction, flea market or junk pile. Randall would make his own toys or adapt existing toys with the raw materials found in the basement and garage of his childhood home.

As a sculpture student it was a natural thing to scour salvage yards and rubbish piles for art supplies instead of buying new. This attitude of reuse and adapting existing parts still plays a major role in his work today.

Randall was born in Reading PA in 1959. He graduated from Penn State in 1981 with a BFA in sculpture. He spent twenty-five years living in Philadelphia and is now living in Takoma Park Maryland where he is happiest working in his shop.

More information may be found at www.randallcleaver.com

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Education

1981
Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA
BFA in Sculpture

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Artist Bibliography

2011
Trescott, Jacqueline, “Found objects make up Takoma Park artist’s timepieces,” The Washington Post, November 4, 2011

2009
Skinner, Tina, Found Object Art 2, Schiffer Art Books

Johnson, Garth, 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse, Quarry Books

2001
Spencer, Dorthy, Found Object Art, Schiffer Art Books

1998
Trashformations: Recycled Materials in Contemporary Art and Design exhibition catalogue, Whatcom Museum of History and Art, Bellingham, WA

1997
Artist’s of a Different Caliber exhibition catalogue, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

1996
Hannson, Bobby, The Fine Art of The Tincan, Lark Books

Exhibitions

Solo

2013
Randall Cleaver: Found Objects, The Gallery at 543, Philadelphia, PA

2011 – 2012
Found Time, National Watch and Clock Museum, Columbia, PA

2010
Old to New, Takoma Park Community Center, MD

2009
Randall Cleaver: Found Objects, Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA

Hops and Clocks, National Watch and Clock Museum, Columbia, PA

2008 – 2009
Something Old, Something New, Philadelphia International Airport, Terminal “D,” Philadelphia, PA

1990
Germantown Academy Arts Center, Fort Washington, PA

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Two-Person

2013
Purpose Repurpose: Cleaver and Ferrell, Howard County Center for the Arts, Ellicott City, MD

1994
Cardinal Gallery, Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Annapolis, MD

Stockton State College Art Gallery, Pomona, NJ

Langman Gallery, Willow Grove, PA

1992
Markeim Art Center, Haddonfield, NJ

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Three-Person

1996
Langman Gallery, Willow Grove, PA

1988
Gloucester County College, Gloucester, NJ

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Group

2012
Seasons of Change: Human/Nature, The Gallery at 543, Philadelphia, PA
Curator: Jennifer A. Zwilling

Recovered Delights: The Inventive World of Found Object Sculpture, Snyderman/ Works Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2011
Is it Time?, Cerulean Arts Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2010
Inspiritations, Katzen Art Center, American University, Washington, DC

2009
Washington Artists: Eight Diverse Visions, Marlboro Gallery of Prince George’s Community College, Prince George’s County, MD

Ecologically Correct: The Philadelphia Dumpster Divers, Outsider Folk Art Gallery at the Goggleworks Art Center, Reading, PA

2008
Reincarnations: Art Created from Found Objects, The Gallery Space at 1111 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC

Found Objects : New Beginnings- The Art of Trash, Baltimore Public Works Museum, Baltimore, MD

2007
Recycled Creativity: The Tipping Point of Cultural Chaos, The Arts Scene, West Chester, PA

2006
The Art of Craft, Air Gallery, Annapolis, MD

Neighborhood Bike Works: 4th Annual Bike Part Art Show,
Nexus/foundation for today’s art, Philadelphia, PA

2005
Clocks: Time Well Spent, Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Louisville, KY

Art & Community: Neighborhood Bike Works, Journy Home Center, Philadelphia, PA

2004
Specific Density, the Borowsky Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Curator: Miriam Seidel

Art & Community: Neighborhood Bike Works, Ester Klein Art Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Saving Philadelphia: the Art of the Dumpster Divers, Sedgwick Cultural Center, Philadelphia, PA

2003
Seat of Imagination, Abington Art Center, Abington, PA

2002 – 2003
Featured in Enviroart, GreenWorksTV

2002
Structures, Salon Des Ami, Malvern, PA

Recreation/Re-Creation, The Noyes Museum of Art, NJ

2001
Craft Annual, The Noyes Museum of Art, Atlantic City, NJ

2000
Not Politics as Usual, The Works Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Constructions, InLiquid at the Bride, The Painted Bride, Philadelphia, PA

1999
Y2K, LockJaw Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Wustum Museum, Racine, WI

1998
Found Objects in Different Contexts, Art in City Hall, Philadelphia, PA

1997
Artists of a Different Caliber, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

Recycled, The Works Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Tick Tock, OXOXO Gallery, Baltimore, MD

Hello Again!: Recycled Art and Design, Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA

Trashformations, WhatCom Museum, Bellingham, WA

E.A. Draper Craft Showcase, Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE

Tin Can Alley Part 2, America Oh Yes Gallery, Washington, DC

1996 -1997
Tin Can Alley, Hilton Head, SC

1996
The Fine Art of the Tin Can, OXOXO Gallery, Baltimore, MD

Art and Function, Long Beach Institute for Arts and Sciences, Loveladies, NJ

1995
Recycled, Ferrin Gallery, Northampton, MA

1993
Art of the State: PA ’93, The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA

Art at Friends, Newtown Friends School, Newtown, PA

Arts & Crafts, Cardinal Gallery, Maryland Center for the Creative Arts, Annapolis, MD

1991
Edgewood Orchard Gallery, Fish Creek, WI

1988
60th Annual Juried Exhibition, Art Association of Harrisburg, Harrisburg, PA
First Prize, Sculpture

1987
Group Sculpture Exhibition, The Old School, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE