… somewhere in Italy. Photo credit: My daughter
Lutz HOrnischer
Artist & Sculptor BIO
Lutz Hornischer is an abstract wood artist and sculptor working in the San Francisco Bay Area. He started creating and making art as a child, but like some other early artists he was told to first get a "real job". After receiving a master’s degree in business and engineering, he worked for many years in entrepreneurial and product design roles for high-tech companies. While helping build and grow companies, develop new products, and design new customer experiences, he always looked for the creative opportunities and artistic expression in his work. Throughout his career, he continued doing art such as sculpting, fresco painting, drawing, and woodcarving.
Several years ago, his curiosity, his urge to create new things and his interest in experimentation with materials, guided him to pursue a career as an artist. As part of reclaiming his true purpose in mid-life, he felt drawn to work with reclaimed wood and set an intention to bring those discarded materials back to life. He gives the wood a chance for a fresh start and new use - just like in his personal life. He continues to explore the intersection between art and nature in his work, always looking for new ways to re-use natural materials and re-discover old crafts practices.
Artist Statement
My sculptures and wall art are inspired by nature, life and the uniqueness of the reclaimed wood I use. I enjoy the specific challenge of transforming an old and rustic material such as reclaimed redwood into contemporary sculptures and fine art. In my work I leverage the architectural qualities of the wood by laminating wood boards into larger blocks, sculpting organic shapes and exploring dynamic grain and natural color patterns. The old wood I am using has scratches, cracks, knots and other imperfections that are similar to real life. Every piece of wood is like a person, with its unique character, challenges and strengths. I yearn to give the wood a new life and I hope my sculptures and wall art inspire people to find a new awareness, purpose and joy in their own life. My art should also set an example that sustainability and re-use of material is not just a necessity, but a beautiful and inspiring part of our existence and future.
Always exploring new materials, I recently I started to work with plaster influenced by ancient Greek and Italian artwork. The elegance, flow and smoothness of ancient marble sculptures inspired me to create abstract work with similar qualities using layers of sculpted paper covered with plaster. I was intrigued by combining the thin and fragile qualities of paper with the sturdy and hard surface qualities of plaster. Making the plaster flow over the paper reminds me of my early years of making the wood “flow” through carving.
Gallery Representation
SFMOMA Artists Gallery, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA
SHOH Gallery, Berkeley, CA
h u g o m e n t o Gallery, San Francisco, CA
MiXX Atelier, Telluride, CO
See a complete list of sculpture galleries and venues that currently show my work.
Recent Press & Publication
"We are currently obsessed with artist Lutz Hornischer's reclaimed wood sculptures" - Bob Cut Magazine, October 2017
"Reclaimed Wood Sculptures and Wall Art" - Hardcover Book, 2017
Selected Exhibitions and Collections
Corporate Collections
2022 Gilead, Health & Wellness Center, Foster City, CA
2019 Delta Dental Headquarters, Oakland, CA
2018 Kaiser Permanente, Office of the President, Oakland, CA
2018 Google, two large wall installations, Mountain View, CA
Public Art
2020 Sculpture Installation, Art Walk, City of Yountville, CA
Two Artist Exhibitions
2019 Farley’s, Sculpture and Paintings, San Francisco, CA
2018 h u g o m e n t o, Sawdust Rising – After Afterlife of Trees, San Francisco, CA
Three Artist Exhibitions
2018 North Berkeley Investment Partners, corporate exhibition, Berkeley, CA
Juried Exhibitions and Art Festivals
2023 Rancho Mirage Art Festival, Rancho Mirage, CA
2020 San Francisco Design Week, San Francisco, CA
2020 Yountville Art, Sip and Stroll Festival, Yountville, CA
2020 Sausalito Art Festival, Sausalito, CA
2019 ArtSpan, Art in Neighborhood, juried, San Francisco, CA
2019 SFWA Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2018 Sausalito Art Festival, juried, Sausalito, CA
2018 Mill Valley Art Festival, juried, Mill Valley, CA
2018 Yountville Art Festival, juried art show, Yountville, CA
2018 Expressions, Healdsburg Art Center, juried exhibition, Healdsburg, CA
2017 Marin Society of Artists, juried group exhibition, San Rafael, CA
2017 Blue Line Gallery, juried group exhibition, Roseville, CA
2017 ACCI Gallery, juried group exhibition, Berkeley, CA
2017 ARC Studios and Gallery, juried exhibition, San Francisco, CA
2017 Yountville Art Festival, juried show, Yountville, CA
2016 Sebastopol Center for the Arts, juried exhibition, Sebastopol, CA
2016 Berkeley Art Center, juried exhibition, Berkeley, CA
Group Exhibitions
2022 Gallery at 48 Natoma, Folsom, CA
2021 SFMOMA Artists Gallery, Salon Style, San Francisco, CA
2021 Room and Board, Group Exhibition Open Studio, San Francisco, CA
2020 SHOH Gallery, The Art of Quarantine, Berkeley, CA
2020 Palette Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2020 MiXX Atelier Gallery, Telluride, CO
2019 SFMOMA Artists Gallery, Small Works, San Francisco, CA
2019 SHOH Gallery, Selected Bay Area Artists, Berkeley, CA
2018 Room and Board, Group Exhibition Open Studio, San Francisco, CA
2018 SHOH Gallery / OkStereo - Art, Audio & Events venue, Oakland, CA
2017 Room and Board SF Open Studio, selected artist exhibition, San Francisco, CA
2017 Hotel Triton, selected group exhibition, San Francisco, CA
2017 SHOH Gallery, selected works exhibition, Berkeley, CA
2017 Blackhawk Gallery, invited as featured artist, Danville, CA
2016 The Compound Gallery, group exhibition, Oakland, CA
Benefit Art Auctions
2017 to 2023 Art for AIDS Benefit Auction, juried, San Francisco, CA
2018 & 2019 Hospitality House Art Auction, Minnesota Street Project, San Francisco, CA
2017 to 2022 ArtSpan Auction, juried benefit auction, San Francisco, CA
2019 Root Division, juried benefit auction, San Francisco, CA