Sculpture and Crayons

I found this artist on Teresa Cheek's Art is the Answer.

In addition to other work, Artist Diem Chau carves pencils and crayons. The work is funny, charming, but also an amazing economical way to carve. Pun intended. See more of the work here.

Sculpture and National Identity

Sorry tourists, the harbor is empty.

The iconic "Little Mermaid" sculpture by Edvard Eriksen has left Copenhagen for China. She is representing Denmark in the Shanghai World Expo.

"What else could we have sent? A Danish hot dog? A Lego Block?" says Peter Romer Hansen, senior director of business development. "She is great in her smallness. She is tiny but her longing to go out to see the world is wonderful."

That's right, a fairy tale by Hans Christen Anderson, of a mermaid who longed to become human, became a sculpture in 1913 which became a a much loved national symbol that is now representing her country on a state visit to China.

The idea to send the mermaid to China belongs to the Danish architect Bjarke Ingels. He designed Denmark's pavilion at the fair. The mermaid and her rock will be displayed in a pool of clean seawater from the Copenhagen harbor, that's to show the kind of advanced environmental technology that Denmark wants to sell to the Chinese.

Sculptural diplomacy is alive and well.

Story from the NY Times by John Tagliabue. Photo credit here

Sculpture and Mark Langan

One of my tags is "the pleasure of cardboard". I use it for making quick maquettes, padding, packing, and floor protection when painting.

Artist Mark Langan creates on of a kind sculpture using cardboard as his medium. He uses the ready made textures of cardboard to create patterns both realistic and abstract with just matt knives, glue, and recycled cardboard.

Most sculptors would never think of his audience and collectors. With cardboard as his chosen material, Mark contacted corrugated manufacturers, packaging companies, recycling firms, green industries, organizations and related events. Many business have commissioned artwork. His sculpture currently adorns the boardrooms and lobbies of paper related firms throughout the U.S.

Mark Langan's Website and an article on his work.




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Sculpture and Seed - "Form vs Texture"

Another beautiful book. Seeds Time Capsules Of Life by Rob Kessler and Wolfgang Stupy.

The plant magazines often talk about a plant being "sculptural". Agave, some cactus, and this Euphorbia Obesa, that I couldn't resist. It's a round sphere of eight segments with each segment having a tiny bumpy ridge. The entire thing covered with stripes and chevron patterns of two shades of green



What we don't notice is how sculptural seeds are. The Seeds book uses highly magnified images of individual seeds to show how well structured seeds. Different forms adapted for dispersal by wind, animal, water, or propulsion.

Looking at the book, I realized it's also a primer on the difference between form and texture. I often notice sculptures where the artist got carried away, creating such detail that it starts consuming the form. Photos below from the Seeds book.

Here are three clear forms with texture.





Here are three examples where the surface texture has become so strong that it has become form. Each in turn has a new surface texture. Each zoom in changes the texture to form. It's something to be mindful of when modeling anything. Just know that the more elaborate the texture becomes the more likely it is to be seen as form. Just stay very clear on what story you are trying to tell and make sure your sculpture isn't eaten by it's texture.

Sculpture and Basalt Fountains

image from NW Stone works

We're lucky here in Pacific Northwest to have beautiful natural stone. Here at the studio that means round river boulders, remnants of the Missoula Floods. A short drive away are many volcanic flows of basalt. The most beautiful basalt is columnar. It has naturally faceted sides and is stunning. That's how it looks naturally, in above photo.

While at the Home and Garden Idea Fair, I saw a well designed fountain made from three choice columns. Designed by Krista Lawrence of Eden's Gate Landscape Design. It was made by Tom Monaghan of NW Stoneworks and installed in the display garden of North Fork Landscape.

You can see a slide show of the entire process of Tom making the fountain here.




It incorporates three basalt columns, one horizontal that acts as a cradle and base for the other two. It's a distillation of our natural waterfalls and is both natural and a very abstract landscape. Perfect for the right garden at $15,000.

"Sculpture- Amber and Insects"

Found an interesting book at the library, Amber, the Natural Time Capsule by Andrew Ross. Ross curated the amber collection of the Department of Palaeontology at the Natural History Museum, London. Photos from the book.



What's interesting about this book is that it's as much about fossilized insects as it is amber. Two thirds of the book is about identifying the insect inclusions. Ross has charts to help identify the different phylum of bugs, and also ways to recognize more recent fake amber made of plastic.

Sculpture and 10 things in the studio #8-9-10

Last installment of what makes me happy in the studio.

8. The woodshed. No naughty highjinks, just wood. Big slabs of black walnut, sequoia and cedar. Smaller chunks of exotics, jelutong, mahogonny, cherry. I'm stockpiling big chunks of fir, both lumber and logs, for future projects.
The box of ivory piano keys went to a good home. The woodshed also houses the molds for many of my relief series and assorted bird cages.
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9. When it's cleaned up (every Saturday) the studio is also home to our contact improv dance jam. It's been going on for over 20 years. Dancing is the best prescription to hours of standing in place sculpting. Get out of my thinking and into my moving body.
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10. Having so many parts of my life in one place. Even if they sometimes all want my attention at once.

Work, Garden, Pets, Family of all sorts, why would I want to leave?