Brian Gladwell's Bio

Brian Gladwell was born in North Battleford, Sask. In 1947. Following studies in Political Science he entered the field of furniture making. His work has been shown in museum exhibitions nationally and internationally, is included in major public and private collections, and has earned him numerous provincial and national grants and awards. He served as Artist in Residence at Purchase College, New York, in 2009, and again as Artist in Residence at the University of Wisconsin Madison in 2012.

Based in Regina, Gladwell teaches woodworking at the Balkwill Civic Art Centre, where he is a Resident Artist. He’s also active in non profit arts organizations, and is a past president of The Furniture Society, an international association to advance the art of studio furniture making.

His work situates itself in a grey zone between furniture and sculpture, ranging from primarily functional furniture commissions to pieces presented through galleries. Characterised by an ambiguous relationship to function, the gallery work engages a dialogue on furniture conventions by employing unexpected materials, like corrugated cardboard, to reference the traditions of furniture, architecture and formalist sculpture.