Desert Sun, Wednesday, January 26, 2000
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FEATURE ARTICLE & COLOR ARTWORKS

Ron Chespak's paper sculptures have been featured in homes, businesses and libraries.

The Palm Springs resident can now add a children's book to his list. Chespak is the illustrator of "The Whimsical Verse of Olly-O," which was written in the 1960's by Molly James and published as six separate poems.

In 1998, the poems were collected into one book and published by Olly-O Enterprises, Inc. of Corona del Mar. Chespak made the sculptures of The Busy Buzzy Bee, The Chatty Lion Cat, Louie the Lazy Lizard, The Pink and Purple Fish, The Old, Old, Old, Old, Owl and Silver Fox Friendly" using 100 percent acid-free archival-quality Strathmore paper.
"The pictures allow for the imagination with the verse," he said. Because he was not allowed to view the previous illustrations done for the stories' earlier editions, the ideas came "from my years of (watching) cartoons and from my extensive research in libraries on children's books," he said, "and I think my ability as a graphic designer to target my audience, with are children."

Chespak has been creating art sculptures since 1978 with his first frame piece, "The Gift." It is a sculpture of a gift box with a bow on top.
Born in 1960, in Newark, NJ, Chespak moved to California in 1978. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton.

A few months later, he decided to leave a corporate job and become a full-time artist. "I found I was just designing for corporate clients as opposed to making art for art's sake," he said. "Shadow's light and composition surround us everywhere and capturing them in simple form is what I do," he said of his work. "I chose paper because it is so simple. Since everything can be looked at differently, there is always a new way to see…"

He begins sculpture by making drawings and sample sculptures. When he reaches his final concept, Chespak cuts, paints and glues the pieces together, he said. The Strathmore paper that he uses is a smooth, hot-pressed paper with a high-cotton content. He said this kind of paper enable him to bend and fold the paper. He uses lacquer paint, which results in a sun- and weather-resistant piece of sculpture, he said.

Chespak said he glues the paper together using archival glue. He said the glue does not create a noticeable spot on the work. "You want it to be undisturbed," he said. For additional protection, each sculpture is encased in a five-sided cast acrylic box frame.

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