Lundy and his art have been featured in art galleries (Including a solo exhibit in 2017 at Ensworth Gallery in Nashville, TN), two PBS television shows (Tennessee Crossroads and Tennessee’s Wildside), multiple television interviews, local newscasts, two feature articles in Nashville Arts Magazine and multiple blogs including one by the Editor of Fine Books and Collections Magazine for his book carvings. He is also a regular contributor to the international publication Woodcarving Illustrated Magazine featuring both his woodcarving and pumpkin carving which makes sense because Lundy is also a writer. In 2016 he worked with Fox Chapel Publishing to do a coffee table / instructional book on pumpkin carving – 96 pages of photos and instruction released internationally. Lundy has worked with NBC affiliate WSMV in Nashville with a feature segment on the TV show Today in Nashville along with a time-lapse pumpkin carve for the network and he has worked with Mercedes Benz / AMG doing a time-lapse pumpkin carve for Mercedes media outlets. Lundy also demonstrates pumpkin carving at locations like The Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Museum of Art, The Atlanta Zoo and many others as well as corporate events and private parties for international movie stars, music stars and sports figures.
Artist Statement
Moving from Chicago to Minnesota as a child changed my life drastically. I was suddenly in a world of trees and lakes. I loved it immediately. My love of the outdoors and the critters and spirits of the woods grew with me into my adulthood. Later in life, I moved to Middle Tennessee where I have been for more than twenty-five years and consider this my home.
It all began with a piece of half rotted firewood. I was enjoying a campfire in the woods on my property one evening when for some reason, I stopped inches from the flames holding a hollowed log. I set it aside and later brought it into my house for closer inspection. One step led to another and before I realized it, there was a beautiful hollowed out log carved into flames. The piece is named “Firewood” of course. I regret selling it as that piece is what started it all. (View the photo on the Assorted Sculptures and Carvings page within the Gallery.)
Inspired and curious by what I assumed was an accidental piece of art, I took a walk in the woods and found a dead, dried and weathered branch. Using very old and dull chisels that had belonged to my father and grandfather, I began to carve a face. This too surprised my family and me as I could not draw anything more complicated than a ‘smiley face’. However, for unknown reasons I can see and create forms in three dimensions. I had not known this of myself and it immediately seemed like a natural fit to carve wood. It changed my attitude and my life. I dove in and educated myself on types of wood, tools and finishing techniques. Since then, I’ve included other mediums from pumpkins and golf balls to old encyclopedias and carve into the paper.
My chisels are no longer dull. I enjoy all aspects of carving and sculpting. Now, what seem like minutes are actually hours as I immerse myself in whatever medium inspires me. I allow the natural grain of a piece of wood or the shape of a pumpkin to dictate what the finished piece will be. Carving is a passion that will be with me for life. I believe everyone has a passion for something natural and creative. Those who have not found it yet only need to open their eyes and minds and allow themselves to see the forest and the trees.
Lundy A. Cupp
Lundy Cupp is a carver and sculptor in the Nashville, TN area.