LaVon Van Williams- Sculptor of low-relief carvings

“the freedom of woodworking was refreshing to Williams even as the craftwork involved still called on the hard work and attention to detail” Karin Borei 

LaVon Van Williams became a wood sculptor by learning to carve with a chainsaw followed by refinement with a mallet and chisel. “He adopted the distinct African-inspired carved sculpture tradition of the Carolina coastal Gullah/Geechee people to find his voice.” (Borei). He is an urban folk artist drawing his inspiration from jazz and blues. He originally went to an art school in California where a professor, “insisting black artists have no future in the art world,” Williams went home and turned his back on the established art paradigm. (Jeanine Taylor).

LaVon’s older brother Dave had learned carving from their Uncle Luke who in turn taught his younger brother the craft. Much of his work depicts people playing jazz instruments or engaging in emotional activities, Williams states, “You’re looking for a fantastic movement or a fantastic shape that comes in the piece, and that’s the whole power of the piece. You want it to explode out when the viewer sees it, or you want it to be calm, but yet you still want a powerful presence in the piece, so that it dominates or takes off.” (Black Cultural Center Virtual Museum). This family tradition has born some emotive wood carvings such as evidenced by LaVon’s Five O’ Clock Jump, which is a tribute to Count Basie a jazz musician. 

LaVon Van Williams Jr (born 1958)   

Jeanine Taylor Folk Art 

LaVon Van Williams  

Jeanine Taylor Folk Art, FL