This is what the author says about his brick sculpting:

The integration of sculpture into architecture has always intrigued me. Sculptors have historically found ways to carve or mold various building materials into incredible works of art that in many ways define a culture. Living in the clay rich Carolinas, USA provides plenty of soil suitable for brick making and brick sculpture. The Ishtar Gates of Babylon are the historical standard and even though we live in a technology-driven world, my process is the same as the Babylonians. I carve unfired clay bricks, fire them at around 2000 degrees Fahrenheit and reassemble them with mortar like any other brick structure. I love the idea of shaping ancient, eroded stone into images our history, our environment and our very selves, then returning it to stone through the firing process.

“Life is an Open Book” Downtown Charlotte, NC

“A Mindful Journey” West Columbus High School Cerro Gordo, NC

“The Arts Alfresco” Black Creek Greenway Cary, NC

A wonderful thing about public art is that it intersects our daily lives and inspires personal interaction and interpretation. My work has been called perplexing, illusive and sometimes even ghostly. I think that choosing to be a public artist is a lofty ambition and an enormous responsibility.
I concentrate on high relief and fully 3-dimensional sculptures, pushing the material’s limitations and expanding the viewer’s perception of what brick can be. People are my favorite subject with all of their subtleties of gesture and expression. To capture the essence of a living being in a cold, industrial building material is my biggest challenge and greatest joy.

Meet Me At the Square, Reidsville

“To Build A Community” & “Dome of the Sky Wal-Mart, Winston-Salem, NC

“The Common Thread” Downtown Gastonia, NC

“The Path of Becoming” Downtown Greenville, SC

“The Pride” Leesville Road HS - Raleigh, NC

Author: Brad Spencer
Photos courtesy of: Brad and Tammy Spencer

" I studied painting and sculpture in college where I received a BFA and MFA 1976-1983. In the late 80’s a friend and salesman for a local brick company showed me some brochures of brick sculpture that was being created out west. I began experimenting with the medium. The brick company, Boren Brick in Pleasant Garden, NC, became interested in offering brick sculpture as a product/service and set up a studio for me at the brick plant. The sales staff would get me commissions and brick became the most prevalent medium for my sculpture business. After 2 years I set up my own studio and became a freelance sculptor for any brick company who requested my services.

CVS Pharmacy, Downtown Greenville, SC

From the time I was a child I loved to draw. I was also interested in art history, particularly from the Renaissance. It wasn’t until college that I began experimenting with sculpture. Combining my experience in drawing and 3-dimensional sculpture was a perfect fit for doing relief brick sculpture. I became interested in early examples of relief sculpture from ancient civilizations like the Ishtar Gates of Babylon. My wife and I were involved in mission, construction projects in southern Mexico and made 9 trips there. During that time I was inspired by the relief sculpture adorning the 7 Mayan ruin sites we visited. I believe the work of modern brick sculptors is a continuation of what ancient civilization sculptors were achieving on the public buildings and temples of their time.
My wife Tammy is my partner in life and business. She is extremely skilled in sculpting the “finishing touches” of the finest details. She also takes care of the office work that is crucial for any business.

“Meet Me at the Square” Market Square Park, Reidsville, NC

After working with the brick medium for several years, I began experimenting with freestanding brick sculpture to explore the limitations of the medium. This allowed me to create 3-dimensional public art projects independent of other architecture. Because my freestanding projects are the most unusual and perplexing, I get frequent inquiries and responses from all over the world about these works.
I am also a musician and repair stringed musical instruments. If I wasn’t a sculptor I suppose I would do something related to the music as a career."

Fire Station, Pleasant Garden, NC

Eppes Memorial, Greenville, NC

Courthouse, Wentworth, NC

Author: Brad Spencer
Photos courtesy of: Brad and Tammy Spencer

The international architecture and design website Architizer announced their 4th Annual A+ Awards 2016 on April 12th.

The Architizer A+Awards is the largest awards program focused on promoting and celebrating the year’s best architecture and products.

Among the award-winning buildings is the Shakespeare Theatre in Gdansk, Poland, designed by world-famous architect Renato Rizzi.
Brick manufacturer Vandersanden Group won the jury prize in the Hall/Theatre category.
The building was constructed from dark anthracite 533 Morvan brick, while the pavers 730 Morvan around the building are exactly the same colour.

The A+Award is designed by Snarkitecture, a collaborative and experimental practice operating in territories between art and architecture.
The award is a cube composed of two equal but opposite halves, cast from solid cultured marble. When separated, a concealed, textured landscape is revealed along with a black anodized aluminum plus sign with diamond tip engraving.
The two halves of the award can be securely stacked in an open position for display by nesting the two plus signs on the exterior of the cube.

The A+Award is made by hand in the USA.