A Time and Place | Luther and Victoria Stroup

May 14 – June 11, 2022
Owen Gallery

Reception:
June 3, 2022
5PM – 7PM
Owen Gallery

A Time and Place highlights four consecutive generations of handcrafted woodworks inspired by the rich Appalachian region. The exhibition’s aim is to showcase how tradition and innovation blend with local natural resources to create one timeless body of work. The primary focus will be handmade Grandfather clocks from the Stroup Hobby Shop. This includes the first Grandfather clock crafted by founder H.M. Stroup in the late 1940s, which features extensive inlays and a hand-painted dial. Additionally on display are four Grandfather Clock models still in production at the Stroup Hobby Shop in Spruce Pine. The exhibit also features mantle clocks, wall clocks, desk clocks, cabinetry, home decor, wood turnings, and jewelry designed by all four generations. All works will be made from a variety of mindfully selected local hardwoods such as maple, walnut, cherry, and oak. 

The Stroup Hobby Shop produces handmade wooden works of art ranging in size and complexity from jewelry to grandfather clocks. The shop harnesses local Appalachian woods and draws inspiration from the natural beauty in the region. We have artfully crafted 2,500+ clocks since our establishment in 1949. We have products in all 50 states and a number of foreign countries across the globe. We are fortunate artists to be surrounded by these mountains so full of natural inspiration and so ripe with a rich heritage. Here at the Stroup Hobby Shop, we incorporate both of these aspects into everything we craft. We still use the original patterns created by our founder as far back as 1949, but we also revel in the process of developing something new. Working with wood is unique in that our medium was once very much alive. We take pride in giving our local woods a second life through our artistry but, the greatest pleasure is in finding the perfect home for our creations.
– Luther and Victoria Stroup

Grandfather Clock Model 106 in Mahogany

Grandmother Clock Model 103 in Cherry

Squatting Man in Mahogany from the “Series of Man”