WILLIAMSBURG — Alvaro Ibañez will open his studio in Kilmarnock for public viewing of the sculptures of local artist David Littleton in his first solo show Sunday, Nov. 13, starting at 2 p.m.
Littleton graduated from East Carolina University with an Art History degree and studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Until 2020, however, Littleton had struggled with alcohol addiction.
“I was drunk for 30 years of my life, which affected both my personal life and my ability to create art. I was able to get sober in 2020 and recently started sculpting again. Every day is a new challenge and adventure,” Littleton said in a press release.
Ibañez saw Littleton’s “Prodigal Son” at a Williamsburg Art Group show at the Stryker Center and was attracted by the emotion of the 6-foot 2-inch sculpture. He contacted Littleton the same day and soon arranged for him to bring thirteen of his pieces to the Surreal Arizona gallery, according to the release.
Many of Littleton’s pieces in the show are influenced by his experience with alcoholism and the road to recovery, and the titles often reflect his struggles. A smaller piece showing a group of people is called “Step 1” for the first stage of Alcoholics Anonymous. The sculpture is also known as “The Crucifixion of the Alcoholic.” A woman contemplating a rosary in her hand is called “Faith.” a large sculpture of a female nude with a bottle is called “Why Alice Should Have Stayed at Home in the First Place.”
Littleton currently lives in Williamsburg with his wife and their dog, creating all of his sculptures in his garage. He endeavors to express love, beauty, honesty, pain, and the idea of rebirth through his work, he said. The primary medium that Littleton uses when sculpting is ceramics, though recently he has been working more with plaster and gypsum.
Littleton credits the Williamsburg Art Group (WAG) — of which he is a member — for the opportunities it has given him to display his work.
“WAG was a group of artists who branched off from the regular gallery scene in Williamsburg because of the ridiculous 40% commission rates, so we started displaying in Bruton Parish church and some proceeds go to charity instead,” he explains.
Following the gallery tours on Nov. 13, two Williamsburg authors will present their latest books in the main gallery on Whittaker Lane, starting at 3 p.m. Caterina Novelliere will discuss “War Rising,” her latest book in the “Four Horseman” series. Roger Gosden will present “The Boy Who Could Bee,” a children’s book he wrote under the name of Rowan Gordon.
Ibañez’s wife Denise DeVries organizes the author events and can be reached by email at deniseadevries@gmail.com or by phone at 804-450-4618 for more information.
Littleton’s sculptures will be at the Surreal Arizona Gallery until mid-December and may be seen from noon to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, or by appointment. For more information, call Alvaro Ibaňez at 577-0969 or visit the gallery’s Facebook page.
