Much of Haydenville artist Peter Golash’s past work involved creating abstract geometric sculpture — specifically asymmetrical planar hollow core simulated solids — which often provoked the question: What is it?”
When he responded, “It’s abstract geometric art,” he says, the asker often seemed dissatisfied with the answer.
Now, Golash has added geomentric spheres to his repertoire. Unlike his earlier pieces, the spheres, which are based on a network of geodesics (great circles), are completely symmetrical.
“Something different is good,” Golash says. “Now, when someone asks me what it is, I say, “It’s a truncated icosahedron (that’s one of the five platonic solids).”
Hampshire Life: What is your creative process like?
Peter Golash: Trial and error. I create a series of sketches to develop a design.
H.L.: Does a piece ever start with a “Eureka!”moment?
P.G.: My ideas for designs come from visual conceptions.
H.L.: How do you know you’re on the right track?
P.G.: I’m doing OK when I feel satisfied with the progress of the realization of the design.
H.L.: What do you do when you get stuck?
P.G.: When I get stuck creating a geodesic sphere, I take my wrench out, undo a couple of struts and set myself free.
H.L.: How do you know when the work is done?
P.G.: With my abstract geometric art, I know it’s done when it has come to a visual balance. With the geodesic spheres, the work is done when I tighten the last bolt.
H.L.: What did you do today that relates to your art?
P.G.: I cut struts for additional upcoming geodesic spheres. I also started a series a sketches for my abstract geometric sculptures.
H.L.: Why is art important to you?
P.G.: Because it fulfills the total experience of being alive. Asymmetrical designs are more creatively expressive than symmetrical ones. Symmetrical designs have a precision of design that is more exacting.
— Kathleen Mellen
Peter Golash’s work can be seen at his home at 28 Kingsley Avenue in Haydenville or at Lashway Forest Products on Route 9 in Williamsburg.