Whimsical wood sculptures by artist Joe Derr

The trio was sitting high and playing loud. The auction house had placed the wooden female jazz singer, and her piano and trumpet players on a perch atop some furniture seemingly to give them prominence.

They were among the first items I saw when I entered the back room of the auction house, where the sale of some small Modern Design items was winding down. The woman had been carved in a leaning-back chest-out poise, a diva in painted pink wood with yellow hair, a red dress with a slit up the left leg and red high heels.

The horn player was blowing, and the piano player’s fingers were raised, aimed at the keys.

This was one of those feel-good sculptures that instantly made me smile. That, I presume, was what these figures were supposed to do – offer a bit of whimsy to any day – and the artist had succeeded. Not only that, he was dead-on in his portrayal of a diva and her band performing in a night club (or lounge). I could easily imagine them playing and her singing.

As usual, I was curious about who this artist was, so I went in search of an auction sheet to learn more:

“Derr Large Wood Sculpture. Piano. Pianist. Jazz,” was printed on the sheet. On the web, the auction house offered the rest of the description: “… Musician. With Blonde Female Singer. Tag from Discovery Gallery. Dimensions: H: 39 inches: W: 34 inches: D: 19 inches.”

In one of the photos, the auctioneer had aimed the camera at the price tag on the singer’s arm: It appeared to be $2,000 or more.

Googling, I learned that Derr was actually Joe Derr, whose “playful imaginary” sculptures have been pretty popular among collectors worldwide for more than a decade, according to B.E.E. Galleries in New Orleans, which sells them. He works in various mediums – including bronze, ceramics, oils and acrylics – but is apparently best known for his lighthearted wood sculptures.

Derr is a self-taught artist, and all of his works are done by hand – from the carving of the pieces of wood (using up to 90 pieces) to the painting of each in bold colors. His slim women – like the jazz singer in the auction figure – are largely fashioned into divas. You can see more of his wood sculptures here, some of his paintings here, and other works that show his versatility of subject matter.

A native of Reading, PA, he lives in New Orleans and has exhibited widely.

At the auction house, not too far away from the jazz group, I found another Derr sculpture – a woman and her dog in a bright orange convertible. This one was titled “Bambi and Bozwell,” signed and dated 05, according to the auction bid sheet. It bore a vanity license plate with the name “Bambi” and carried a price tag of $1,500.

Neither of the sculptures sold for that much at the auction. The jazz trio went for $200 while “Bambi and Bozwell” sold for a mere $50.

What a steal – and only at auction!