William Cornish is the most recent addition to the Arbor Gallery inside the Multicultural Arts Center in Merced.
The artist considers himself as a mathematician gone rogue.
Previously, he was a lifelong educator entertaining minds from middle school algebra through junior college coursework; specializing in moving hieroglyphics from one side of an equation to the other just to confuse others.
“I see myself as a vaguely drawn Venn diagram of a knockoff brand MC Escher, Salvador Dali and Thomas Edison,” Cornish explains. “Whether I’m doing mad science or bad science, my creations allow for me to express a creative side that was stymied with strict logic and rules in mathematics.”
Cornish taught in Southern California for almost 20 years before he began to apply science to glass and resin about five years ago, and then, one year ago, he purchased a wood saw. Another Arbor Gallery artist, Karen McComb, came across Cornish online selling his crafts and invited him to apply. Now, escaping the limits of mathematics, he is a mixed media artist with an emphasis on wood, resin, metal and glass. His unique creations can be seen at Arbor Gallery.
Arbor Gallery is a beautiful co-op gallery located inside the Multicultural Art Center in downtown Merced representing a variety of talented local artists. The artists of the gallery are versed in a large variety of mediums including acrylic paint, alcohol ink, fabric, jewelry, metal, oil paint, photography, pottery, resin and wood. Displays of artwork, inside the gallery and the hallway, change bimonthly so there is always new art to see. It is open to the public and admission is free. In March 2023, Arbor Gallery will hold a gala celebrating their 40th anniversary.