Sculpture and To Grandmother's House

"Done."
I've learned that this carving isn't over until they take it away.

More wood working was necessary to fit the sculpture into the corner angle of the metal housing.
Think how a corner cabinet isn't 90 degrees but an acute angle.....
That cutting showed us a weak knife edge that needed an alternative treatment. So more cutting and then finding another chunk of wood, aligning the grain pattern to be similar, and planing and fitting the wood so it looks on purpose. And then re-staining the new areas to match the existing finish.

Will they take it away soon? Please?

Sculpture and Modules

Architectural ornament is beautiful and meaningful.
It's also invisible.

Out of fashion, out of cultural awareness, its meanings forgotten, people don't see it at all.
So how do you get people to SEE it again?

I'm working on it: Take it off the building. Vandalize it with bright colors.
Ornament has always been used as modular units, repeated on buildings.
But modules are also a cornerstone of modernism, so intense repetition works.
             ......................................................................Just without the building.

What do you think?

 All photographs by David Bales 

Sculpture and a fine Finish

Wondering this would ever be finished, the carving section of project ended quickly and quietly.

I spent one day caring my signature, wrapped it up for several rainy days, and stained it today.

 I used a deck stain Penofil that has UV protection and a mildewicide.

To quiet the wood grain, I mixed in 1/4 tsp of raw sienna oil paint to a cup of the oil based stain.

For a bit of variance, I also mixed up a 1/4 tsp of raw umber for the darker brown.

Sculpture and a Visit to the Site

TriMet invited the artists out to the job site, I finally got to see where my sculpture will be installed.

......right in the middle of this puddle.

Anticlimactic? Yes, but it helps to keep a sense of humor. They took a chance on each artist being able to deliver on a sketch.  What is now a gravel mess of a parking lot will be a small green park.

Maybe this plan view will help you visualize...... That tiny red dot in the lower center is the site.



There's still a lot of work for them to do before they're ready to site my art.
Time for me to get back to finishing the carving!