Blog
-
Darts by Bruce Bennett
“THE NIGHT BRINGS DREAMS A VISION WOVEN INTO REALITY” Bruce Bennett’s Darts sculpture is a message to the gods. The work was conceived from the sacred prayer arrows, or muvieri, associated with the Huichol (Wixárika) people of Mexico and their traditional pilgrimage to Wirikuta. The approximately 500-mile journey leads to the sacred high-desert region of…
-
Chairs by Bruce Bennett
Sculpture Chairs Bruce Bennett’s sculptural chairs explore an alternative vision of furniture, combining structural forms with the scale and presence of sculpture. Bennett’s chair works retain the recognizable structure of a chair while extending the form upward to create an almost cathedral-like presence. Geometric forms create complex architectural compositions reminiscent of a throne, and irregular…
-
Benches by Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett’s bench collection features a variety of designs and materials, often reflecting a classical simplicity of form. Both functional and sculptural, the benches vary in stone, finish, edge treatment, supports, and geometry. Together, they demonstrate Bennett’s approach to balancing the natural character of stone with practical design.
-
Tables by Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett first began creating artistic furniture in wood before discovering his love for working with stone. His early tables often combined wood and stone, allowing him to explore the relationship between the two materials. Over time, his designs evolved toward furniture made entirely of stone. Tables became one of Bennett’s largest bodies of work,…
-
Fish Out of Water
Bruce Bennett’s “Fish Out of Water” sculptures come in many shapes and sizes. Bruce made hundreds of fish from all kinds of stone, shaping each one into a unique work of art and a collector’s favorite. Some of Bruce’s fish sculptures were designed to spout water, making them ideal design elements for garden ponds and…
-
Caterpillars by Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett’s collection of caterpillars was a labor of love. Sculpted from beautiful marble and granite, each has a unique personality. From playful to peculiar, Bruce’s caterpillars are as varied as your imagination.
-
Bruce Bennett Research and Proposals
Selected materials from Bruce Bennett’s archive offer a glimpse into his research and presentation process. These documents include research sources, design references, proposals, and applications that informed or documented his work.
-
Torsos by Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett’s torso sculptures explore the sensuality of stone, emphasizing its natural textures, variations, and imperfections.
-
Studies and Drawings by Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett’s drawings and studies reveal a creative process rooted in research, investigation, and observation. They document the development of ideas, forms, and sculptures.
-
The Marble Mansion at Spring Creek
The Bruce Bennett Marble Mansion at 5000 Spring Creek Road in Knoxville is the artist’s home and garden, transformed over a lifetime through his work with marble. The property incorporates sculpture, architectural details, mosaics, and stonework throughout the house and grounds. Bennett’s home became an evolving work of art, reflecting decades of experimentation with Tennessee…
-
Bruce Bennett 1950-2025
Nature lover, Stone carver, Deep thinker, Dreamer Bruce could look at a hunk of stone and see what was inside of it -often a fish, sometimes a snake, a caterpillar, a torso, a saint. While much of Bruce’s work was architectural, he was responsible for some of Knoxville’s notable public art. For many years, Bruce’s…
-
Medallions by Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett’s medallion collection brings together imagery inspired by Celtic, Asian, Mississippian, and Mesoamerican artistic traditions. His monumental medallions combine these influences into sculptural works that reflect Bruce’s interest in the stories of different cultures.
-
Bruce Bennett: Artist Statement & Curriculum Vitae
Bruce Bennett’s artist statement and curriculum vitae offer a personal and professional record of his life as a sculptor. In his own words and through decades of exhibitions, commissions, and public works, they document his enduring relationship with Tennessee marble and the East Tennessee landscape. Artist Statement My work with stone and creation of objects…
-
Bruce Bennett: Alien Monoliths
Bruce Bennett’s Alien Monoliths imagine an encounter between prehistoric people and extraterrestrial visitors, recorded through the visual language of the people witnessing it. Bennett developed the series using imagery adapted from Jorge Enciso’s Design Motifs of Ancient Mexico, a collection of designs drawn from ancient Mexican seals and stamps. Within Bennett’s narrative, figures and symbols…
-
A Mosaic Driveway by Bruce Bennett and Allison Roberts
The summer of 2020 was difficult for everyone. COVID was the new epidemic, and we were all confined to our quarters. Bruce Bennett had an idea to break the boredom of quarantine.
-
Secret History Walk at Volunteer Landing
Along the north side of downtown Knoxville’s riverfront, the Secret History Walk at Volunteer Landing tells stories of the city and the Tennessee River carved in stone. Jack Neely, Knoxville writer and historian, curated the text for the installation, selecting quotes from historical accounts, literary passages, and local stories for the Story Stone markers placed…
-
Mary Vestal Park
The sculpture No Place Like Home, installed at Mary Vestal Park, was carved by Alan Finch at Bruce Bennett’s Custom Marble and Design studio at Candora for the 2003 One Ton Show. The sculpture was donated to Mary Vestal Park by Candora Properties in 2015. Read the City of Knoxville announcement.
-
Three Eggs in Space Fabrication
Bruce Bennett and the talented craftsmen at Custom Marble and Design fabricated Three Eggs in Space for artist Karen Bailey in 2010. The sculpture stands today in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo from the Public Art Archive https://publicartarchive.org/art/Three-Eggs-in-Space/b1aa9139
-
The Children’s Table at UT Gardens
Bruce Bennetts Children’s Table at UT Gardens September2006
-
2003 One Ton Symposium
The first One Ton Symposium took place at Custom Marble and Design in 2003. Bruce Bennett opened his studio to introduce artists of all media to marble. The One Ton Show is an ongoing event that fosters community involvement and interaction, through the utilization of Tennessee’s own Marble for the creation and display of public…
-
The First Sculpture Symposium
“What we would like to do is bring community and art together.” In 1998, Bruce Bennett hosted the first sculpture symposium at Custom Marble & Design in South Knoxville. Bruce invited sculptors to work with Tennessee marble he provided, bringing artists together to explore the native stone and create new work. This first symposium would…
-
Bruce Bennett First & Future 50 Award
Bruce Bennett in May 20, 1997, with the plaque he made for the Greater Knoxville First & Future 50 Awards. View the original article (PDF)
-
Bruce Bennett Creates at Candoro
1997 Knoxville News Sentinel Home & Garden feature on Bruce Bennett. Ronda Robinson featured Bruce Bennett in the Knoxville News Sentinel Home & Garden section in 1997. “Bennett says he likes stone because it has character and invokes a peaceful, warm sensual feeling.” Read the KNS Friday, March 14, 1997
-
Custom Marble and Design
Bruce Bennett, owner of Custom Marble and Design, began his stoneworking career as a sculptor in 1978, designing and fabricating original furniture from stone and wood. Bruce’s connection to the historic Candora Marble building in South Knoxville began when he visited the old marble company to purchase stone for a fireplace hearth. At the time,…
-
Bruce Bennett Exhibitions & Show Archives
Explore exhibition announcements, invitations, show cards, and posters documenting sculptor Bruce Bennett’s exhibitions and events throughout his career. Show Cards and Pamphlets from Bruce Bennett’s Archive
-
Art in the Park
Bruce Bennett was featured in the Knoxville News Sentinel arts section on May 6, 1990. Sculptor Bruce Bennett, whose works are featured above, will participate in the Art in the Park festival. Read the full article.
-
Glass and Marble Exhibit at the Rose Center
The Citizen Tribune of Morristown featured Bruce Bennett in its Lakeside Living column on January 14, 1990. Bruce Bennett designs and creates marble furniture. His talents have been admired all over the Southeast, and last fall, he won the Merit Award at the Tennessee Artist and Craft Association Show in Nashville. He also enjoys creating…
-
Furniture in Stone
Bruce Bennett was featured in the arts section of the Knoxville News Sentinel in July 1984. Then a vacation in the Smokies led to a change in venue. “I fell in love with the area and decided to stay here.” Read the full article.
-
Intriguing juxtaposition
Roger Green, writer for the Times-Picayune, featured Bruce Bennett’s work in his February 12, 1984, article about the Mario Villa Gallery at 3908 Magazine St. in New Orleans. Bennett’s “Marble Table No. 6,” now at the Mario Villa Gallery, reflects the artist’s exploration of volume and solidity Read the article.
-
Knobbles by Bruce Bennett
From Bruce Bennett’s original pamphlet describing the creation of his Knobbles: Late one winter night, as I looked around at the pieces of turned wood from my furniture business, I imagined knots becoming faces, knobs turning into heads, and oak spindles forming into legs. Needing Christmas Gifts for friends, I made a few stringless puppets of…
-
Craftsman Takes Tennessee Marble to Artistic Heights
“Craftsman takes Tennessee marble to artistic heights” Beth Monin, Banner Arts Writer.
-
Bruce Bennett | A Heart For Stone
In a 1993 Knoxville News Sentinel Living article, Bruce Bennett is featured at Candoro Marble in Vestal, Knoxville, Tennessee. A year and a half ago, he leased the Candora property after its owners went into bankruptcy. He is now using the building for his design studio and as a gallery for a show of his…
You must be logged in to post a comment.