David Klein and Nick Woolley
have collaborated continuously since 2006 on projects which combine their shared passions: woodworking and animation.
Originally based in L.A., the
duo recently relocated to Portland, Oregon to continue their work in animation and fine art. Current visual aesthetics turn
a macro view on the natural world, lending an intimate look at elements like butterfly wings, fish scales, and bird feathers.
Their paintings are complimented with ornately carved wood silhouettes and hand-hewed frames, melding organic and earthy design
elements with clean, chic presentation. Staying true to their firmly rooted natural feel, the pieces are designed and crafted
using recycled materials and wood harvested from sustainable resources.
Klein and Woolley initially formed as the musical/visual duo of Billygoat, producing
animated art films and performing their live, original scores. The films have been described as "stop-motion shorts
of staggering complexity," created one tiny movement at a time via tens of thousands of individual photographs of an
ever-morphing art piece. These photos are then stitched together to become an elaborately detailed and captivating art film,
bringing their other-worldly aesthetic to life.
To directly fund the ongoing, years-long process of fine art animation, the two began to create
paintings and home installations that would become a backbone of their output, further establishing their niche in the contemporary
art world.
- Alie Ward,
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer