Robert Preece: Why is the idea of flight important to you? What sorts of memories does it evoke, and how do they relate to your work?
Paul Villinski: I was an “Air Force brat.” I spent my first 14 years on or near USAF bases. I devoured histories of aviation and constantly built—and crashed—flying balsawood models. When I was 12, I bought a $5 set of plans for a DIY hang glider from the back of Popular Mechanics, built it in the garage, and then discovered that I wasn’t strong enough to lift it. My dreams of soaring went on a shelf, and I found my way into the arts instead. In my late 30s, I began flying paragliders, then highperformance sailplanes and single-engine airplanes. I can’t glance out the window without studying the sky and wishing I were in it. So, much of my work has wings of one sort or another. As I grow older, I find that my ideas are increasingly rooted in my childhood …see the entire article in the print version of October’s Sculpture magazine.
