Awesome coffee at Venus Sophia

2010-07-22

Venus Sophia is a great Tea Room in downtown Victoria's China Town. The oldest China town in Canada is home to an absolutely fabulous Tea Room that just happens to have the best Espresso in downtown Victoria. Rod and Jill are the owners/proprietors and they brought some amazing coffee's from their other business in Nelson, B.C. This is Rod pulling another brilliant Americano for me....Bliss!

Getting used to a piece of equipment....

2010-07-14

When I bought my first crane truck I thought I had acquired a monstrous contraption. It quickly became profitable, even though insurance and commercial registration were expensive. When I upgraded to my current green Int'l 1750B I thought I had bought a HUGE beast...Now that 'beast' is much loved, an unbelievably hard worker, and although 24 years young - has revolutionized the way that I approach stone.

I think it is an interesting condition that we humans share - whereby that which was foreign or daunting becomes comfortable and trustworthy with repetition. It speaks volumes of our tendancies. This truck is loved.

Of course it helps that it holds 4.5 tons of stone and shuffles them down island at 60mph burning the same amount of fuel my 2004 dodge 1 ton did with its cummins engine. HAH! For those who care - the Hiab picks 4.5 ton at the truck and 1 ton at full extension 25ft.

Raymond Mason on sculpture...

2010-07-12

I took this photo on my recent trip up island for stone....I came accross this quote from Raymond Mason in his book, "At Work In Paris",

"I am convinced that if one could portray extreme emotion, one would attain to the essence of sculpture itself. And that if emotions are to be examined, they should be sharp and simple like botanical section. Narration must be upheld by a rigorous web - no expression without underlying geometry."

Bloody brilliant - n'est pas?

2010 Rock trip to N. Vancouver Island..

2010-07-11

Well, Dan and I returned from our rock trip up island. Four days of blissful chipping at rocks has resulted in the acquisition of about 4 tons of beautiful fine grained marbles and various granites. I'm sure you'll see some of these stones transformed into sculpture in the next few months. I was quite surprised at how cathartic the trip was. I think the difference was having excellent company along...Thanks Dan. Thanks for sharing an amazing spot for marble - and thanks for the excellent discussions. I look forward to the next trip; and I'm absolutely inspired to work like a fiend now that I'm back at the shop. It is possibly the most inspired I've been in a few years...

14 minutes...is it Art?

2010-07-05

I crafted this stone sculpture from a piece of alabaster that I donated to the tool table at last years WCSA stone symposium. Some might recognize it as they tried various different air tools on the raw stone.

I have been debating the idea of 'Art'. If there is little effort or craft in its execution is there a direct relationship between its value and its form? Since I created this stone sculpture in 14 minutes is it worth less than one that I spent 14 hours creating? Is it worth 60X less? What is it worth? If it hadn't been revealed that it only took 14 minutes to carve, and maybe another 30 to polish and seal, does that make a $1000 price tag seem resonable?

You cannot unknow information. It makes pricing of art seem very tenuous at best - and totally optimistic at the least.

Is it Art? Yes...Is it worth much - Nope. Its time to start to scrutinize what stone sculpture is being created and what its being priced at...

Picasso on Sculpture that's just sculpture.

2010-07-03

One persons opinion is just that - a single position on a topic. In a discussion with Raymond Mason Picasso stated, "Sculpture that's just sculpture gives me the shits!"

I now completely understand what this means. To see another piece that, for all intent and purpose, is an exercise in using tools, same, boring, and derivative, might give anyone the shits. As artists we should be purpose driven to explore the extent of our media. Picasso was exposed to firing pottery and decided to create almost 1300 pieces in his first year casting clay. Of the seven different media he explored, it would be tough to argue that he mastered all; but no one could say he didn't put 110% into the effort. I see little of this today. Passion that dives deep into subject matter.

Way too much stone sculpture looks like someone shined up a pretty stone. Hmmm...

Today felt like the first day of summer...

2010-06-23

The temperature in my shop today climbed as the sun lowered later this afternoon. Roast leg of lamb, fresh summer veg, and a pint of Race Rocks. Hmmm... Sometimes happiness is working hard with your hands to create something, and dusty productive day and watching the sun go down from the deck chairs.

Our addiction to oil is dreadful...

2010-06-21

Blaming BP is too easy. Accidents happen as man made items fail. It is our fate.

Where are the protestors and public outcry at lack of non-petroleum based transport solutions? Where are the congressmen firing furious questions at THEMSELVES for continuing to support a supply system that cannot sustain itself? How many of those elected officials drove big fat SUV's to their 'spanish inquisition'???

The entire equation is warped, and the loss of wildlife is epic, and unbearable.

Its got to be someone's fault - so long as no one ever faces any reality about our petroleum dependance. I urge everyone to start researching just how many everyday items are a petroleum derived product in their lives - be prepared for a shock.

What do dead totems look like?

2010-06-07

In an attempt to save the last vestiges of their culture. Elders, parks service, local gov't, and Fed. gov't all got together to create The Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan, Alaska, USA. I may be alone in this view; but I really saw a depth of sadness that I hadn't counted on when I saw these totems lying down. I had a feeling that these symbols had been denied the opportunity to die as intended.

Where are the new totems carved and erected in the traditional sites to reinforce a culture, and continue a tradition? I think there are times when preservation equates to loss. All the right motives can sometimes produce an unexpected consequence.

Yugash the Carver...

2010-06-06

I find myself honored to share a common art form with the man in this photo. He lived in Wrangell Alaska in 1898 and his name was Yugash. He was photographed by A.L.Pillsbury. I would have loved to have heard his thoughts on carving. This photo merely glimpses the depth in this mans portrait.

Skagway, AK, is fantastic...

2010-06-05

Sunshine, mountain goats...and a railway ride to the Yukon over the gold rush trail.

No stone sculpture of any significance...somewhat of a welcome respite. A perfect holiday for a stone sculptor.

A proud people of the past.

2010-06-04

I see a great deal of pride in this face. An identity. A people. I see something else now.

The grandest of landscapes...

2010-06-03

My last trip to Alaska was in 2006. I realize now that in twenty trips I couldn't see it all. I've been alot of places in Alaska, and there's a wonderful number to go. The grandest of landscape. A scale that cannot be described, no photo can do justice to, words seem inadequate. I think everyone should travel to Alaska and Northern B.C. to feel what being 'small' on a global scale, is really about.

Where service still lives and thrives...

2010-06-02

I didn't think that a huge ship cruising to Alaska would float my figurative boat - but alas...it did, and then some.

The personal service is brilliant. My cabin steward delivered fresh baked croissants and magnificent strong coffee served on china with silver service. Amazing. Watch the gigantic epic landscape pass by. Bliss.

All the potential of art...

2010-05-25

The ability to express oneself through art is a uniquely human attribute that we should not discount. It is likely the reason that we have a plethora of artists as the search to express ourselves drives within all of us.

The glimpse into my drawer of art supplies is a huge warm hug of potential expression. Art creation as a reflection of ourselves. What creative expression might be the next? No one knows but it feels as necessary as the next breathe.

More thoughts...on art, by Muriel Barbery

2010-05-10

"We are filled with the energy of constantly wanting that which we cannot have, we are abandoned at dawn on a field littered with corpses, we are transported until our death by projects that are no sooner completed then they must be renewed. Yet how exhausting it is to be constantly desiring...We soon aspire to pleasure without the quest, to a blissful state without beginning or end, where beauty would no longer be an aim or a project but the very proof of our nature. And that state is Art."

Japanese Influence...

2010-05-05

Noguchi and Nagare have done all that can be done with standing up a stone, polishing it, and making it brilliant. I know all art is derivative from other work, but we've seen all that we're going to see with another monolith, stood up, and one side polished.
Interesting thoughts on Noguchi from Richard Serra, " At best, they are studio made - and site adjusted. They are displaced homeless, overblown objects that say, 'we represent modern art'". This is why he feels the public works had failed - nothing to do with the context in which they were placed.
This resonates with me. Way to much public art is out of context, self indulgent, and down right boring and lazy. Pathetic budgets and limited time frames are leading us down a historical path that doesn't reflect the affluence of our time.

Arts organizations for Artists?

2010-04-12

Regarding the future, yes I think it is bright, if artists will only begin to define themselves as professionals and adopt some level of awareness. In other words, not everyone of the 26900 artists in B.C. should be considered to be working at the same level. We as artists, have fallen victim to inclusiveness – everyone gets the blue participation ribbon for just showing up…and the pool of qualified associations to turn to for public art is watered down to the level of dabbling hobbyist. Municipalities and cities are left to their own ridiculous method to select what our legacy will be. If we can’t define ourselves; why should anyone respect our associations? Making us voiceless.

I have decided to work towards liberating artists to work outside the current limitations and guidelines and begin to define what mastery really is, and who should be included – and subsequently who shouldn’t. I’ve accepted that it cannot be achieved within the current framework of ‘associations’ as they function primarily as a social group with a bit of education thrown in. It must be artist driven. It might start out as an intellectual experiment but history has taught us that this is how change can be achieved. If we stay on the treadmill of: adjudicated shows, Arts council patronage, closed door municipal public art, and week long social visit/Associations,…we will stay as we are….sucking hind tit – happy for a bit of scrap budget to fall our way. No great movement of artists has spawned from that quagmire.
Without change - none will.

Exhibit on View Street, Victoria.

2010-04-09

Thanks to all for the wonderful response and support from having my work displayed in the view street space at St. Andrews Square. My deepest thanks to Mr. McColl for providing the opportunity and thanks to Colin for facilitating and executing the display and take down with me. Very very much appreciated.
A wonderful venue that reminds us that the purpose of art is to have it seen by the public. I hope all who saw it - enjoyed it.

Drop Saw .....

2010-04-08

This is one of two water fed drop saws that I am setting up in my shop. I am looking forward to some interesting lamination/creations; I like the idea that the saws can be running while I work on something else. I'm not sure I need two but the price was right, and they fit on the table I'm having fabricated - funny that.

Salmon season begins in May....can't wait.

2010-04-07

Nothing like west coast sashimi, fresh from the salt chuck.
Another season of fishing is upon us...it could be great. The forecast from the DFO is that the mature Springs will be running this year...We shall see.

World's greatest cinnamon bun and americano

2010-04-06

Half a block from my studio.
Sanctuary on a cold day.
Thanks Mo. Little slice of heaven.

Zanzibar - favorite restaurant in Brentwood!!!

2010-04-05

Corner of Stelly's Cross Rd and West Saanich road in my little town of Brentwood Bay just outside of Victoria.
Mohammed is originally from Algeria, trained in Italian and European cuisine, and posesses an excellent pedigree having worked as a chef in London, England.
Brilliant flavors, excellent palate, very reasonable prices. I couldn't possibly recommend it more. Best Eggs Benny's, Amazing breakfasts, best lunch soups in the whole world, and short ribs, seafoods, and north African dishes are utterly fantastic....

Ahhh - whimsy...

2010-04-03

Why does pop art satisfy? Because it tickles the old 'whimsy' in the back of our minds that makes us smile and feel a little childlike. This large cow, affectionately named 'The Moonerlisa' sits in our back yard. She makes me laugh everytime I see her - and it reminds my why sometimes 'art' is in the eye of the beholder. Lest we become too 'hoity-toity'

Looking forward...what to do now...

2010-03-28

I've tried to ask a great deal of questions to begin to analyze the economic landscape for an artist in tough economic times. The numbers are quite damning once a basic analysis is done of the financial realities. If your intent is to create art - and are fortunate enough to not have to consider any market forces in the creation of your work - consider yourself amazingly fortunate.
So, what would I tell someone intent on becoming a full time artist. First, I would say that it is obscenely competitive - and if you are carving stone you are competing with many other forms of artistic media that are financially a better choice than stone. If you intend to pay mortgage, rent, credit cards from your art - its highly unlikely. You have to have some other form of income or a spouse that supports your work financially. Public art..is incredibly underfunded and you compete with as many as 20 other artists. Budgets are small, timeframes are short, and competition is high. Subsequently stone carvers do not fit into current public art policy on Vancouver island. So, if epic, is your intent...public art won't make it happen. Your passion for creating your work had better be fulfillment enough because your art likely won't support you financially. 26900 artists in B.C. can't be wrong...you'll have to butter your bread elsewhere.

Wee bit of a dilemma..

2010-03-26

Well, the initial design had these two marble rings seperated but now that I am farther into the process I really like the idea of keeping the rings connected. It allows me to carve an interesting design element into the transition between the two rings. It will also allow me to reduce the mass of the rings to emphasize the transclucent qualities. Now the fun part - convince the client.

Golden Marble

2010-03-25

This yellow marble was acquired from Neolithic stone in 2007. It hid in the corner of my shop waiting for a perfect commission.

The piece is composed of two seperate rings. This is the roughed out form after a day pulling the form out of the 124lb shape.

This stone has amazing properties it has a photoluminscence where light is emitted whenever a crystaline structure is broken - such as when you hit it with a hammer, or chisel. By placing a carbide bushing chisel on the end of a big pneumatic hammer you can see the orange glowing in the sparks. Quite amazing. Also a good reminder to stone carvers that there are some unseen properties of stone that can affect you - always wear your protective gear!

Planning on retiring as a stone sculptor?

2010-02-23

Let's say a small sculpture is usually sold for between $500 - $1000. A medium stone sculpture is around 100-200lbs and is sold for $1200 - $3500. Large sculpture is anything over 300lbs and is worth from $4000 - $15000 depending on the artists perceived pedigree.

The retirement conundrum is that income is dependant upon producing large sculptural works in stone - and that the physical ability to continue to create these pieces is diminishing as time passes.

I think that as an artist, you had best insure that you are fluent in several different medium so that you are not dependant upon stone as you age, and your strength begins to diminish. Bronze editions are a logical progression. Exploration of different 3D modelling tools might allow an artist to create originals in an alternate medium, and have it rendered via computer in stone. Just a thought. Now if you're bread is buttered by another means - maybe it doesn't matter if work slows down or even stops. If the motivation for producing sculpture is passion not cash...this concern might be irrelevant for the stone sculptor in retirement.

Life's lemons = Lemonade!

2010-02-22

Being on a doctor forced sabbatical from carving has allowed my mind to explore many interesting topics. One of the topics that has intrigued me is the fact that artists cannot make a reliable living off of their art. Contrary to any hopeless rationalization this is a numerical fact borne out by C.R.A. statistics. Thousands of artists in B.C. make less than 12 000 dollars per year off of their work. If this is the case then the logical response to this ecomonic fact is that 'a living' must be derived from another source. If you, as an artist, think that you can find some magical combination of work that will elevate you to some fantastic financial gain and fame - not likely. In fact, the rarified air that a small handful of artists in the world breathe - is in the neighborhood of 1 out of 10 000 artists. Odds are, you, me, and everyone else we know is in the 9999.

What this means is that art - for all economic yardsticks - is a hobby. It is not financially viable. No wonder there aren't any professional associations that artists aspire to belong to. We, as artists, in the broad strokes - aren't professional in an economic sense. That is a reality.
How to make lemonade with this Lemon? Stop trying to make 'art' economically viable. Its a waste of time. Take the price tag off of your art and define your success by how your work is viewed - never by how it is sold because it is a recipe for failure. Turns out that those who produce their 'art' as a hobby - while seeking financial success elsewhere - have figured out what us so called, "artists", still are in denial about - that success by any yardstick has to be sought from outside the creative realm of art. Lemonade can be liberating.

Museum of Bad Art.org

2010-02-05

I highly suggest that if you want a good laugh head over to the museumofbadart.org. Moba provides a glimpse into some really really bad art.
This dog/mountain work is epic.

Stunning new brucite from Neolithic Stone!

2010-02-04

This amazing Brucite is the result of Randy's last trip to Japan. This photo does not begin to do it justice. It is bursting with cool blues, pops with stunning greens, and is marbled by black's and quartz-like white veins. I am really looking forward to getting into a very large piece of this, sometime this spring.

It is a good price point, and if your looking to create some pretty abstracts with good marketability - I'd highly recommend this stone. If you need to get in touch with Randy you can find Neolithic listed on my links page beside other excellent and highly recommended vendors.

Amazing Technology...

2010-02-03

I spent last week sitting like this, in the dark, listening to music and audio books because I have had my vision laser corrected.

Currently my world is still a little blurry. My distance vision is absolutely amazing though. It is going to take a bit of time for the epithelial cells that used to inhabit the tops of my eyes to grow back.

I have been banished from the dusty world of work though. I have to admit, I have enjoyed the time to sit and think. Very enlightening.

Why Abstract art is overpriced.

2010-01-20

Why is abstract art overpriced? Because it is merely decorative.

As it is decorative, it is competing with vases, pots, lamps, candlesticks and knick knacks. Shiny pretty stones win over deep design.

The buyer doesn't get the 'deep meaning'. Joe Public doesn't care. The only one who cares about the deep meaning that inspired the creation of the piece - is the artist who did the work. Period. As an artist - my definition of 'deep meaning' has no correlated monetary significance.

Abstract art is overpriced because we, as artists, continue to blur the boundary between Art and decoration. Until we resolve this, we will remain awash in pedestrian, overpriced shiny stones. If the meaning of a piece is not obvious to all who see it, price it like its decorative. If a piece has obvious meaning - price it like a piece of Art. Price it like you deserve to be paid for it...and don't compromise.

When you're famous - you can price abstracts to punish Joe Public for not understanding your work. This will insure that the secret world of 'deep meaning' remains hidden and is only accessible in the minds of 'true artists' Sort of sounds like the crap that it is, doesn't it? - perpetuating this mystery is how artists are choosing to distinguish themselves as professionals. Hmmm... its not working. Maybe its because there is so much focus on banding together, and being 'inclusive'...that there is no definition of 'professionalism' amongst artists.

Who's getting paid?

2010-01-19

A recent art show had less than 12% of its works in a 3 Dimensional format. The artists that created the bulk of the show were composed of painters, and photographers. If we were to examine potential income we would be faced with the following rough estimations:
2D works can be produced at varying rates. From rapid works produced at a rate of one every few days or faster to one per month or more. The important note is that the potential exists to produce up to 50 works per year. I personally know a painter that could comfortably outproduce that by double. The works produced sell rapidly at a reasonable price under $1000 each. What this means is that this artist can comfortably, without difficulty attain a six figure income per year. Production costs. Stretched Canvas, paints.

Now lets look at the stone sculptor. A reasonably priced stone will cost around $1/pound. Italian Carrera marble will cost around $2.50 - $3.00/pd. This means a raw cost of from $200 - $600 for a 200lb stone that will translate into a reasonable sized sculpture. Reasonable sized sculptures in the 200lb range can take anywhere from 10 days to two weeks to create if life or your part time gig doesn't get in the way. Toss in the wear and tear of diamonds, abrasives, shop costs and a portion of tool costs.
Work your ass off as a stone sculptor, with no time off, and if you can pull $2000 per piece, you could gross $50G before expenses which stone costs alone will be between $7500 - $15000, and if you carve at that rate you'll spend a minimum of $1500 - $2000 on abrasives, diamonds, and blades.

So why do we see so many pieces sold at low prices? Bloody good question. 2D artists have the potential to kick our butts. Why is stone sculpture, and I don't know many sculptors that produce numbers like the above, priced so low? Why do stone sculptors insist on competing with a completely different medium? I'm surprised more stone sculptors aren't trading in their chisels for brushes.

Are we in a rut?

2010-01-18

I was once working in a repetitious job and was somewhat oblivious to the fact that it was keeping me from moving towards something more productive. A good friend just sat me down and told me, "you're in a rut". I was - I quit and moved on. Thanks Shaggy.

Who tells artists that they are in a rut? If a little financial success has followed a particular line of artistic exploration; then it appears we become even less inclined to delve into difficult unknown endeavors. If you look at the last six items you've created and they look just like the six before that - you're in a rut. You're not challenging yourself because you've rationalized a reason to just keep treading the same artistic water. You think you're hitting the bullseye everytime. You're repeating what you think is successful...but it doesn't matter. Repetitive themes only fly if you are still creating other works that move in a different artistic direction. There is no risk of failure if artists don't try to move in a new direction...and subsequently absolutely no reward. Boring art is the result. We end up awash in repetitive agonizingly boring 'bears', 'whales', 'mobius', and merely decorative shiny abstracts. Ho-hum.
I hope you'll consider taking on this challenge -I know that there is some fantastic stone sculpture that hasn't been created yet. Break the mold - and do what's hard instead of easy...

Time to ask some hard questions...

2010-01-17

I recently, after several attempts, managed to see the body world exhibit. I was absolutely stunned with the internal architecture of the human body. It made me realize that as a stone sculptor I am overly focussed on the 'outside' of things. I've started to focus on some 'inside' questions. Questions like:
If artists are paid less than half the annual average wage in Canada - is calling oneself an 'artist' a legitimate career? If virtually none of the 26900 artists in B.C. can survive off of their work without additional jobs, or working spouses...what does it say about the future? How much rhetoric and rationalization is keeping the reality from sinking in? Are these economic realities creating a waste land of boring art? Is this why artists are willing to sell work for little, to nothing, or a loss...just to be able to keep the title of 'artist' on their tax return?
There seems to be alot of denial going on. If you think there's too much focus on money - well, that's a rationalizion. What benchmark do you want to use? If you are an artist, do you think you are adequately compensated? Do you consider yourself successful if you make less than the average Canadian? Can you pay your rent, your mortgage, can your spouse/partner stop working and rely on funds from the sale of your art?

A New Year - and I'm making some big changes...

2010-01-12

I've made a few observations for the new decade...and I've decided to share them with you in the coming year. Topics will include: Why abstract art is overpriced (opinion of most buyers) Why competition is so high on the west coast (highest per capita number of artists) and how to compete. Why full time artists are the most endangered species in this vast wasteland - you are going to have another job - that's just fact. Why content has become so repetitious and boring (ie 'Not another Bear or mobius'. And some really interesting blogs and video on why I think arts groups fail to promote professional artists.

The photo is the first week of my Movember Moustache - thanks to all who contributed - with your help and support I was pleased to raise over $600 for Prostate Cancer research.

I'm also in the process of adding a video element to my website. This will include as many educational segments on carving stone that I can muster; some critical analysis, and some video tool reviews where you can see them in action - and a lot of honest conversation.

I promise it won't be a boring new decade.

Torso's from Persian Travertine

2009-11-14

I'm exploring some Torso's that have been roughed out of an Iranian Travertine. It has some stunning coral colors for a marble. Very workable. Stable.
I'm going to take this form much deeper. I can't see myself doing a traditional torso of a size "0" . Not much for the playboy torso. So my desire to express a torso, as a stone sculptor, might be quite different from the classical version.

Vancouvers GARBAGE!!!

2009-11-12

I visited Vancouver's garbage as I drove down the #1 Highway past Spences Bridge. When you approach Cache Creek you begin to see dozens and dozens of 'chip' trucks heading north from Vancouver. The trucks aren't carrying chips, they're carrying Vancouvers garbage. Its all being dumped and bulldozed into the side of a mountain in Cache Creek. I think Vancouver should stick their garbage in a big bulldozer dump in Stanley Park or Cypress Mountain. The incredibly 'green' and quasi-sanctimonious attitude of many west coasters is completely dwarfed and usurped by the reality that they not only don't litter any less than anyone elso on the globe - but they hide it hundreds of miles from their fine city. Seems cowardly and fictitious, and unsustainable. Maybe we don't actually deserve to be on this planet.

Cool sinkhole!

2009-11-07

Stunning natural beauty is getting tougher and tougher to find. Mostly the Caribou has been inundated with cattle guards. Every south facing slope has been filled with cows. The 'wilderness' is honestly gone. I don't think I will be returning there for years. Toss the devastation of the Mountain Pine Beetle into the mix and residents of B.C. should be very worried. I'm quite concerned about the lack of CO2 scrubbing that won't be occurring because so many of the trees are wiped out.

Crossing the Fraser River...

2009-11-05

This is one of the last ferry's left in B.C. There used to be over 70 of them working in the province. There's about two or three left. Pretty interesting design as the current crabs the ferry sideways. The cables align the ferry and the current does all the work. We actually found a wee bit of honest wilderness on the other side. Mostly the entire Cariboo has been marginalized by cattle. The rest has been driven to death by ATV. Its pretty grim.

Man this is a big country...

2009-11-04

My annual adventure to the interior was supremely successful. Joel is scanning the Fraser valley. Another fabulous lunch spot. Evenings were spent at the old cabin at the lake. Good Grub. Deep thoughts and discussions.

Longbow in the Cariboo

2009-11-03

I've always been attracted to the idea of being honest with where my meat comes from. The fact that my strength and skill is required to fill my freezer is important to me. This fall, we made the mistake of going to the cariboo region of B.C. The deer have been marginalized by the massive fragmentation of cattle. I'm renaming it to the "COWIBOO". I won't be back with my longbow for a very very long time.

End of Salmon at the Ocean Discovery Centre

2009-10-26

I could not be more pleased to see this piece sitting in front of some amazing Chinook Salmon. We installed the 700lb sculpture at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre this morning in Sidney, B.C..

I would like to offer my deepest thanks to Angus Matthews, Director of the Centre, and to Lorne Underwood the driving force behind getting this piece on display in the perfect setting. A big thanks to Colin for helping take the stress out of negotiating 800lbs of marble and rolling plinth accross the sidewalks and the lobby in Sidney during the install.

I'm a very happy artist when the message hits the perfect venue! Very happy indeed! May the discussions begin and the controversy continue!

Text at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

2009-10-25

The text for the display reads:
"I carved this marble sculpture to remind all of us about the importance of stewardship when looking to our oceans. We use the concept of ‘mother nature’ to symbolize our natural systems working in harmony. What would ‘mother nature’ look like when we fail to preserve the natural balance of our ecosystems? What if we lost something as precious and amazing as our wild salmon stocks?

It is my hope as an artist that this sculpture might continue the discussion about why our Salmon stocks are struggling; and be a reminder of why it should be important for all of us. If we fail to understand and preserve a timeless natural cycle of salmon that has been so important to our culture, our identity, and to the growth and continued strength of our province; how do we save ourselves… from ourselves?"

Mindfulness...

2009-10-17

What does it mean to be mindful? To be aware of this very moment, and what we do in it?

What would I create with my chisels if I knew that at the end of weeks of labour it would be dropped into the depths of the ocean like the mandala? How much would I dedicate to its creation? Would it be great?

I suspect that we go through our lives oblivious. Desensitized. I fear that this leads to lazy art. This is my greatest fear as an artist. The creation of mindless, empty, lazy art.

Question the pace of our lives...

2009-10-16

The sand is placed in these metal tubes. The surface of the tube is milled like a file, and another metal object is moved back and forth over the tube to vibrate the sand out the tip, almost a grain at a time.

This sacred work takes the monks weeks to execute and is then, deconsecrated in a ceremony, and poured into the ocean.

Hundreds of hours of work and beauty is swept into a pile and poured back into the pulse of the sand at the sea.

A reminder of our time on this planet; as just a grain of sand. Here for an insignificant amount of time.

The monks move through the work without hesitation. Mistakes are corrected without consternation or concern...they just fix them. They just 'are' in this time, working within their sacredness to create it. While we rush for the instant - the immediate.

Tibetan Monks teach me about patience...

2009-10-15

These Tibetan monks are building the largest sand mandala that has ever been built in N. America. I've had the pleasure of spending hours watching, sitting through their amazing morning chants, and getting an amazing sense of their work on this sacred creation.

As a stone sculptor, I'm faced with many aspects of completing a stone sculpture that are very laborious and time consuming. These monks have taught me that the difficult moments that I experience as an artist are merely grains of sand in the scale of eternal time. I've discovered an entirely new level of patience and a depth of understanding of my work that I will be forever grateful for.

The loss of a great sculptor

2009-10-11

Vasily Fedorouk passed away this summer while trying to save his dog from drowning.

Many fellow sculptors within the NWSSA have fond memories of this incredibly talented and charismatic artist. I invite you to check out his work on his website - his lifes work.

He will be missed. As a fellow artist it deeply saddens me to know that he is no longer with us creating his amazing work.

Adjudicated Art....

2009-10-10

I think that there are some definate advantages to participating in art shows that are adjudicated but I have recently experienced an interesting rejection of my work.

The Adjudicators for the Sidney Fine Art show decided that the marble piece, "Mother Nature / The End of Salmon" was not suitable for their art show.

Obviously, at the outset, I was dissappointed by this decision but I now feel more dissappointment at the sterile, safe, world that adjudication is heading towards. If the only art that we are exposed to is flowery, safe, and sanitized - we will be denied the challenge that political, sexual, death related topics will give us.

I also grow weary at endlessly seeing sculptural works adjudicated by painters and graphic artists and would welcome being adjudicated by other sculptors - a refreshing change.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-10-09

'Tis the time for Pumpkin Pie!

A great time to think about having gratitude. As a stone sculptor I am so grateful to be an artist in this time; even though many are swamped in negativity with cuts to arts organizations. Obviously I deeply support the arts - but I have to question why this is a great surprise in the midst of these difficult economic times.

I am going to seize difficult times as a reason to work even harder - and continue to grow as a stone sculptor - and I'm incredibly grateful to have that opportunity.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Thoughts from some of my favorite artists!

2009-10-06

Francis Bacon
"The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery."

Alberto Giacometti
"All the sculptures of today, like those of the past, will end one day in pieces.. So it is important to fashion ones work carefully in its smallest recess and charge every particle of matter with life."

Jacques Lipchitz
“All my life as an artist I have asked myself: What pushes me continually to make sculpture? I have found the answer. art is an action against death. It is a denial of death.”

Roughed out Alabaster bowl

2009-10-03

A beautiful piece of stone. I haven't carved a bowl - now granted you're not going to stuff it full of cheerios - but a fruit type bowl...and I've rather enjoyed the process. I am definately going to create a few more of these. Maybe some really way out ones, that won't even hold fruit!

Why cheap goggles SUCK!

2009-10-01

Take a look at this...don't mind the hat hair.

The respirator is working great as you can see from the outline - but take a look around my eyes! That is a hell of alot of stinging alabaster dust blasted into my eyes! Sometimes it amazes me why, we as sculptors, try to save a buck or two on eye protection! The ones I used today just don't work! They may have cost $5 but I paid a much higher price! and cried for it too!

Symposium was Fantastic!

2009-09-20

A fantastic group of artists gathered for the 15th annual West Coast Sculpture Association stone carving symposium.
A great meeting of minds and passionate people. It reaffirmed why I love this group of artists and the week of carving. Thanks to all who participated - it was fun, educational, and simply wonderful. Congratulations to our new President Dan Cline - I'm honored to turn over the position to a man that I respect and have enjoyed working with for the past year on the executive. The WCSA is in great hands! Exciting times!

Mother Nature & The End of Salmon update

2009-09-04

This work is quite intense in its subject. The concept that our metaphor for stewardship is the image of "mother nature" and that when we fail in protecting that image - that she suffers the fate that all humans can relate to - death.

The piece is getting better and better as I near completion. I'm very pleased with it. I think it has a powerful message that people will remember.

"End of Salmon" update....

2009-08-27

Work is progressing nicely. I have roughed out the bulk of the form.
The bones of the hand are starting to come out of the rotten salmon. I'm still very pleased with the design. It has to get much darker before I'm truly pleased with it.
I've already forgiven myself if I don't get it done in time to enter in the Sidney Fine Art show. Its too important to me to cut any corners regardless - plus I can always enter it next year.

The new rock wagon arrived!!!

2009-08-12

The last truck was brilliant and worked valiantly right up until the very day that I sold it.
But this one - WOW! Big hydraulics are seriously awesome. I look forward to the search for 'epic' sized stone that I can now lift, pack home in the truck, and place on my carving stand.

There otter be an otter there.

2009-07-20

This sea otter let me approach really close. Karen spotted it, and it was just so close I was surprised that I almost walked past it.

Way too much fun.

Gotta love the left coast

2009-07-19

The amazing color of the black stones and the withered kelp - just keeps bringing me back. This feeling of being beside the ocean just continues to recharge the batteries - and the best part is that it is right by home.

work continues on the Green Beaster!

2009-07-15

Ah yes...the new crane truck.
This is before the new brakes. My signage is on the doors and we're putting her back together again. Its been a long haul.
I think this truck will serve me well. I'm looking forward to the massive increase in lifting capacity and load hauling. This Hiab can stuff some serious tons of stone straight into my shop onto my rotating carving stand. I can't wait.

Mmmm free picnic...

2009-07-05

Karen won this delicious picnic from a local catering company. It was quite a treat.

I'm always interested to see what people think is for two people - an unbelievable amount of food.

starting to rough out the mother nature....

2009-07-02

This piece is quite divergent. I'm excited about the change in direction that I'm going with this piece.
Political maybe...slightly disturbing - I hope so. This might be the beginning of something much bigger. A change in my work looking forward. Seriously exciting.

Early work on the Red Marble...

2009-06-23

I was surprised when I saw this photo to realize that this is what I look like for the bulk of the day in my shop.

I recall looking at the armor that knights wore in medieval times and thinking that it was preposterous to put all that kit on and expect to do anything.

Now I pile mountains of stuff on my head and work for hours like it isn't even there.

The early form of this piece has been decided. The Trow & Holden 1" long stroke air hammer makes the early removal of stone about 10 times faster than with the smaller Cuturi. Progress!

Me and Dad..

2009-06-21

Another great fathers day. This is my Dad and I. He wasn't stopping for photos. The Chinese cuisine was superb. I hope everyone enjoyed the day as much as I did.

'THE' blade for fine grained marble.

2009-06-15

These brazed segmented blades go through fine grained marble's like poop through a goose! So many turbo style blades just spin in place when attempting to cut fine grained marbles like Turkish or Carrera...The combination of the brazing of the diamond, and the segment make these tough to beat. If you watch your blade temps these last really well. Also available from Randy at Neolithic. From 4.5" to 9" and possibly bigger. I haven't used anything that cuts fine grained marble faster - ever.

Cool new tools for sculptors!!

2009-06-12

These are like the biggest diamond burrs on steroids that you'll ever grind into marble. The burrs thread straight onto an ANGLE GRINDER!! Absolutely awesome. So many tools that we use tend to migrate to stone and sculpture work from other industries. These tools were specifically designed by sculptors for sculptors and are available at Neolithic Stone in Vancouver.

This is why dogs are therapeutic...

2009-06-10

Even when the world is flying past - you can always count on a good dog to center you in the present. Their simple needs, endless dedication, love of routine, and unconditional love..and they taste like chicken in several central asian countries.

color detail of the red marble

2009-06-08

I particularily like the stunning blue veins that run through this red marble from Australia. I think the final figure will be quite powerful. AS for the aesthetic, I'm thinking of stretching out in a new direction. This red marble is the perfect medium for this change in direction.

the face at the very beginning...

2009-06-07

I've focussed my attention on the brucite for awhile and I've finally started to pick out the form for 1000lb red marble piece.
There are still some thoughts jousting for position in my mind on this piece. I've been drawing and redrawing. The best kind of mental process.

Cool summer textures

2009-06-05

Some spectacular textures appear in summer. This variegated grass is one of my favorites. Vivid, bold, and so soft to the touch its almost unbelievable.
Working in Marble, granite, basalt, and other softer stone it is easy to think in terms of hard graphic edges. Its almost a natural progression. The difficult part is trying to incorporate the sensual idea of a texture like this grass, into a stone sculpture. This would be a perfect example for copying hair onto a figurative piece.
Just a thought.

Roughed out some Brucite!

2009-06-02

This stone is stunning! Browns, yellow, blues, light grays and it is absolutely amazing.
It's soft, works quickly and easily and it is simply a fun stone to work.

I've just started to rough it out and I'm already excited to see the finished sculpture. I think I've got a ways to go. I'll post a few more pics.

This carbide "stone buster" is well named!

2009-06-01

I think the methods that we tend to use as stone sculptors tend to become habit quite quickly. I also think that as some of our stone tools become "favorite" that we tend to continue to use them rather then bother trying to find a different way forward.

Although I'd never seen this tool in use; or used to fret any stone - whether granite or marble. I saw it for sale at Trow & Holden, and realized that it could be struck with another hammer...and let me tell you! THIS MOVES STONE!!
Its sitting against the 1000lb red marble from Australia. Its awesome! Highly recommended for any stone sculptor.

Inspiration from nature is endless...

2009-05-25

This amazing carving is courtesy of mother nature and my good friends Bill & Myra who are travelling the globe. Bill took this picture of the water carved stone on the Urumbamba river while heading into Agua Calientes by bus, in Chile.

What a fantastic texture. You can expect to see me incorporate this into some of my work. In fact, I might have already started that process on a piece of brucite that I just roughed out. Maybe all we do as artists is to mimic nature? The ultimate flattery. Maybe that begins the discussion on beauty?

Its great when a photograph has such defined graphic elements that it transcends location and simply stuns us with its beauty. Thanks Bill.

Australian Red Marble heads into the shop...

2009-05-10

This piece is a bell ringer from Australian that I got from Randy at Neolithic.

1/2 ton of potential.

I love the beginning when anything is possible. This piece, maybe more than many, has me questioning whether I want to deviate towards something a little more epic, and a little more political. I'm still struggling with these questions. I think doing the install on "Nocturne" was a good distraction while this marble waits in the shop. The truck has been a good distraction also. It would be nice to believe that I have endless amounts of time to mental wrestle with these artistic dilemma's but truthfully, I've landed two more commissions I don't have enough time to blink.
Whatever happened to artists hanging around wearing beret's and smoking french cigarette's while expousing grand ideas over copious amounts of alcohol?
O.K., maybe those were all painters....heh heh!

First glimpse of my new stone hauler.

2009-05-06

This is the new, to me, 5 ton with the honkin' big Hiab.

I will have it rollin' down the road by the end of this month. Cannot wait.

The Big Green will be able to stuff a couple tons of stone straight into the shop, and onto my carving stand.

Happy Day's indeed.

Cultured Stone....its CONCRETE!!!

2009-04-27

The world is a sea of Concrete. We drive on it, it surrounds us, it is the glue that binds our construction together.
Why would anyone, awash in this infinite amount of concrete want to have decorative art pieces made out of the stuff.
It doesn't matter what fancy name you stick on it...the name is just 'pearls on a pig'.
Its gravel with glue. It's purpose is to hold up our world NOT decorate it.
If anything...we need to see more dimensional building stone resurrected; not see concretions expand into the artworld.
Snobbish stone carver...
Yes. Probably.
I think Concrete art sucks.

Are we a product of our tools?

2009-04-20

Do nifty tools inspire? As we add pieces of equipment to our repetoire we tend to see these new abilities manifest themselves into the form of our work.
I have started to believe that these initial designs that betray the possession of new tools, need to make way until the mystery of skill and craft once again obscures the choice of tool.

So when we see work that looks very obviously like the product of a specific tool, or tools...just imagine what wonderful work will eventually hide early technique.

Careful what you wish for...

2009-04-05

We taught her to "speak"...
works really good.

Dog as weather vane...

2009-03-05

O.K...I'm ready for some nicer weather. Pointers are really good at knowing when its a good idea to go outside, and when its best to be wrapped up on the couch. I'm hoping that March is the end of the miserable weather.

New amazing fine grained Canadian marble

2009-02-20

This is a recent shipment in from the wilds of the Canadian Rockies. It is a stunningly beautiful fine grained dark marble. If you need a piece, call Randy at Neolithic. The contact info is in the links section of my website.

The conte crayons provide an idea of the color tone.

I'm looking forward to working this local B.C. stone.

Most Artists....

2009-02-02

Recently, I've spent a great deal of time examining what makes some artists successful and what makes history forget others.

I've decided that most artist live their lives like icebergs. They spend their time trying to stay attached to the pack, but when they do strike out on their own - they seem resigned that their destiny is determined by lifes currents and that they have no control over what happens to them.

Many melt into nothingness...reabsorbed into the world.

...and some of those that do make the long trip only show the world the smallest portion of their creativity.. with the best parts remaining hidden below the surface.

I don't intend to be an iceberg.

Last week was really really cold...

2009-01-25

I took this photograph at 2:30pm in the afternoon, when the streetlights turned on because the fog was so thick, it seemed like the day was over.
Man was it cold working in the studio...
I am really ready for more sunshine and some double digit temperatures.

Drill the holes first...

2009-01-24

It seems pretty rudimentary. But, when faced with some obvious structural cracks running through the marble (and they all have it someplace or another) it makes sense to go ahead and drill the mounting holes before carving proceeds.
There is nothing worse than painstakingly working a piece to conclusion only to have to drill a hole to mount it and have it break.
I think some stone sculptors feel that it limits an artists ability to follow the stone if a hole is predrilled. But, I would argue that if you have a clear direction of where you are going with the piece that you don't concede anything by pre-drilling into the marble.

Destroying racism one crayon at a time.

2009-01-08

I utilize the big Crayola crayons for marking raw stone as I carve. The wax crayon leaves no permanent residue on marble, granite, pyrophylite's, etc.

I opened up a box last fall only to find the black crayon labelled as "White"....Hmmm. Unfortunately there was no companion white crayon labelled "Black".
Some poor kid might end up in therapy for making his snowmen black.
Bizarre.

Different tools for different jobs

2009-01-06

There seems to be a certain loyalty amongst some stone sculptors to particular tools.

I am trying to do my very best to avoid that scenario. I am desperately trying to apply whatever tool that will accomplish the job at hand.

This air hammer is a long stroke Trow & Holden that I just acquired from Neolithic Stone in Vancouver. I deviated from my reliable Italian Cuturi air hammers because I needed something that hits Granite and hard stone just a wee bit harder...

Truth be told...it is pretty amazing. It absolutely eats stone. I'm still waiting to see how their carbide chisels hold up, but if the hammer is any indication it was a great buy.

The Long stroke D type air hammer is now on my most recommended list.

This is Cato....

2009-01-05

This dog is, without a doubt, the best investment of $50 I ever made. He's half Cheasapeake Retriever and his Mom was a Rottweiler.

He has become an American in order to enjoy the retirement benefits that a dog of his caliber deserves...which means he lives under the spectacular care of my sister in Washington State.

Once again, this has nothing to do with sculpture..but every once in awhile you have something in your life that is pretty singular, unique, and you just know that you're never going to see another one like it... That's Cato..and I thought that was worth sharing.

Granite is really floating my boat...

2009-01-04

Granted, the photo doesn't really do justice to the base....Both were carved from local granite. I was looking for more serene zen-like shapes. I like the idea of having sculpture create a space that is warm, and comfortable. I am becoming more dedicated to the idea that the base should be integral to the overall design of the sculpture. Not a static block of stone that usually appears boring, and rarely complimentary to the design. Whether carved from it, or an element of the overall design...I am pursuing the rediscovery of decent bases on sculpture, and exploring the different options.

I'm thinking that there will be a lot more granite in 2009. Recent long stroke Trow & Holden air hammers have been acquired for granite, and other hard stone....I am seriously motivated. This might be the summer of really big granite.
I like the sound of that.

Keeping my eyes open...

2009-01-03

I think that it is easy to become quite introspective within ones own genre - maybe at the expense of seeing images, shapes, color, and beauty in the everyday. Stone cannot become everything.

I have returned to photography again after a couple years off. I'm impressed with the capabilities of digital equipment at a great price point. A far cry from the first digital camera's that I purchased eight years ago for thousands.

Ah, but I digress, the point of this was to keep myself open to influences. From any and all places....and more importantly have fun doing it.

Happy New Year!!!

2009-01-01

It is amazing where the inspiration for sculpture comes from. The forms here have captured my imagination for as long as the snow lasted on the wire deer.

Tacky Christmas lights are going to turn into a very cool abstraction in 2009.

As I plan, and my excitement builds about all the potential for new works in the new year...I'm dealing with some massive changes to the aesthetic that has driven my stone sculpture design.

Beauty will remain as my goal...I'm utterly confident in all aspects of my stone carving technique, but I am going in a new direction for my spring/summer sculpture show.

Santa's reindeer replacements...

2008-12-25

Merry Christmas to All,

Here's a peek at Molly Dawg wearing her antlers for Christmas...she's so damn cute.

Best of the Season to all.

quote from "The End of Art" by Donald Kuspit

2008-12-05

"Ugliness is always more seductive than beauty, because there is more ugliness in us and in the world than beauty - until art puts beauty in both. In art ugliness becomes the fuel that powers the illusion that life can be more beautiful than it is. Thus, art puts us in a radically different emotional place than we are in everyday life...The purpose of art is to dialectically transcend ugliness by revealing its immanence through beauty. It is the deepest sense that art can make."

Equal coverage for the woof.

2008-11-30

Once again, this has pretty much nothing to do with sculpture, marble, stone carving, or anything else.
She's just a wonderful dog that fits into our world.

Photo evidence of Bigfoot

2008-11-29

nuf said.

This has absolutely nothing to do with sculpture.

Changed my direction

2008-11-27

I continued to work on this with an overwhelming feeling that I was heading towards ground that had been covered with the footprints of others.
Not where I wanted to end up.
I am much happier now that I've rediscovered my form for this piece.

Portrait drawing class is over

2008-11-26

I decided to tackle the one thing that I have always considered to be the most difficult - drawing portraits.

Luckily I managed to find an excellent artist/instructor to handle the task of teaching me.

My last class was this Wednesday. I will miss the intense concentration required. Very enjoyable.

Red Marble from Australia is stunning!!

2008-11-25

This is what 1/2 ton of beautiful looks like for a stone sculptor!

I am thrilled with the endless potential of marble, raw...waiting to be transformed.

This red piece was acquired from Neolithic, and rings like a bell indicating that the stone is solid, predictable, and fault free.

Turkish marble on the new stand

2008-11-24

This is revolutionary...and it revolves.

This stand is absolutely mandatory for sculptors. If you need to know where to get one just let me know.

Its amazing.

Luna is close to done...

2008-11-22

I have fallen in love with great Turkish marble..."Luna" was my abstract interpretation of the many phases of the moon. It is nearing the finishing stages and will be heading for final sanding and polishing in December.

Carrera marble abstract

2008-11-02

She's still rough, but man you cannot deny how really stunning this white stone is.

Its quite inspiring to work Italian marble that has dominated and inspired classical statuary work for centuries. There is an undeniable connection to a long line of stone work when you're covered in the pure white dust of Carrera marble.

My only complaint is the cost. I will reiterate that sculptors need to be able to use stone without regard to cost. Marble is the currency that we need to spend without hesitation. If we as artists find ourselves calculating how much money we spend with each piece that hits the ground; or feel the slightest bit daunted by the investment in raw stone before one cut or chisel blow - we may have erred. I see no way that some part of the creative process won't be impacted by this fiscal reality.

Two ton sculpture stand for carvers !!!

2008-10-30

I'd become weary of using a floor crane everytime I wished to move large stone sculpture. It was a time consuming laborious task that always involved a risk of damaging pieces of your work whenever you use a crane to lift and reposition a one ton piece of sculpture.

Well!! NO MORE! I've had a brilliant fabricator make me a sculpture stand that holds 2 tons of stone; spins when you want, and locks down when you don't want it to spin. It adjusts in height from 19" to about 25" and comes apart in 2 pieces that are easy enought to move. Price is around $1200.00 Delivery is around 2 weeks. Let me know if you're interested.

I'm in love with mine.

Another view of Turkish marble abstract

2008-10-26

I started roughing this abstract out at this years symposium. I feel it is easy to overthink an abstract piece and lose the original idea that drove it.
My original idea for this one was the moon.

Back to Turkish vs Carrera marble. I can get the Turkish for $.95/lb and the carrera is going to be costing $3.00/lb in 2009. Pretty easy to see where this is going.

Turkish marble abstract

2008-10-25

I've really enjoyed working with the Turkish marble. It has a slight cream color to it but actually outperforms carrera when you work it.
I'm starting to become convinced that there is a great mountain of opinion that drives sculptors to make declarations on what marble is the best...but I don't have dozens of carrera or turkish marble pieces under my belt. I'm simply working both stones simultaneously and the Turkish is nicer.

Gloves vs. Marble

2008-10-21

I cannot even guess how many pairs of gloves I destroy while carving.

I think that next symposium I will ask an informal question on who has discovered the best type of gloves for carving.

Gel pads are great for lots of air hammer work, but they are definately pricey. Moving the roughed out stone simply destroys a good pair of gloves.

Maybe I should make my own. Hmmm.

sculpture isn't always stone

2008-10-15

I began piling driftwood into a large sculptural piece while attending the 2007 symposium at camp Zajac.

I think that being at Zajac convinced me to participate in our association. I'm thrilled to be president for 2008. I look forward to making sure our symposium in 2009 is absolutely fantastic.

Return from WCSA symposium

2008-09-15

Well, the West Coast Sculpture Association annual symposium ended this past Saturday. It was truly a wonderful time up at Cowichan Lake, the original home for the symposium. Great weather, great food, good friends and some superb carving made for an unbelievable time.

The cat decided to check out the truck as soon as I got home.

I'm already excited for next year!

New Garden series

2008-07-23

I figured a change of pace is good.
This is the fourth of a series of garden pieces that I've done this summer. The granite gives it timeless, all weather outdoor service,...and the price point makes them worth a look.

Another look at the granite garden piece...

2008-07-23

I've really enjoyed working with granite. It seems to be a perfect compliment for garden sculpture. Impervious to snow, ice and rain, it stands up about as good as you can hope.
Granite is amazingly nice to work with in that you can really control tools. No soft spots. Totally predictable fracture with chisels. Works nice with diamond blades.

Thank you Mr. Pratt. George taught me the pleasure and methods of carving granite. Thanks for sharing. It really made a difference.

Sharing the road with trains...

2008-07-22

Its pretty cool when you are up island cruising around in the truck for stone and you end up at a bridge. Not your normal everyday bridge, but one that you share with trains.
I figured, how many trains can possibly go past here, in the middle of nowhere on Vancouver Island.
Boy was I wrong!
Not 2 minutes after I crossed this bridge a freight train roared over it.

This bridge was easy to traverse but I found one that was missing most of the timbers to support vehicle tires and I had to stradle my rear dualies on the track. I figured had I slipped off I'd still be there picking up the pieces of my crane truck.

"Every little thing... is gonna be alright..."

2008-07-21

One day you wake up older...and its alright because...
"every little thing..is gonna be alright"

I love my life.
I love sculpting stone.
and I still love Reggae.

Thanks for the card Brian....

I still love photoshop too.

perfect picture of a sundog...

2008-07-14

She's still nuts but getting better...

My new favorite granite quarry

2008-07-07

This last stone safari was superb. Excellent fine grained marble. The quality of the marble was almost surpassed by the quality of the granite that I found.

The rest of the year I will be very busy carving. O.K., well, maybe one more trip. You can never really have too much stone.

Marble, marble, everywhere!

2008-07-04

There is so much marble and limestone in B.C., they built the railgrade out of it.

Amazing.

Beats the hell out of an office with a view eh?

2008-07-03

Who else gets to enjoy a great view like this while out "working"???

Being out in the stunning beauty of nature inspires me as a sculptor. To feel insignificant while surrounded by the mass of raw materials that I work in. Immersed in beauty that I can only hope to approach during my career - and a reminder to never stop trying.

Loading marble into the truck...

2008-07-02

I think I picked the hottest day of the year to load stone off the hottest mountain in B.C.

Granted, its a lot of work to load beautiful marble into the truck. But man, its really spectacular to have slabs of beautiful marble waiting for whatever I can think of.

This work is definately a labor of love.

How did I ever manage before I had a crane truck?!!! Impossible to imagine now.

Happy Canada Day!!!

2008-07-01

This is cold Mexican Beer with lime slices sitting by a perfect campfire surrounded by snow capped peaks...with 1200#'s of marble in the truck.

A very happy Canada day indeed...

2008-06-14

Not only does this show off our new pooch...it also proves that I wasn't lying about building a new fence, and patio. Although the fence is in the previous entry.

Granted, its back to stone carving on Monday. This housework stuff is starting to get to me. I'm itching to carve.

I also sense a stone gathering adventure up island is on the horizon.

This is the "Molly dawg"

2008-06-13

The fixated stare of the pointer takes a little getting used to. She is starting to come out of her shell a little. She's cheering up a bit. Digby is the role model for calm confidence. He supplies her with love anytime she comes within range.

The newest addition to our family

2008-06-12

Karen and I have another rescue. This time a dogger. "Molly" is a four year old female pointer. She isn't quite balanced. We're teaching Molly not to be as aggressive to other dogs, and she is giving us a Phd in patience.

Win/Win anyway you look at it.

My Garden shed is done,...and now the patio

2008-06-05

I'm not on a psycho-sabatical. I'm just finishing off my home projects and awaiting the shipment of Moroccan black marble.
A sculptor requires patio space for BBQ and contemplation of life.

"Sulis, Goddess of the waters" is DONE!

2008-05-04

Granted, I haven't had it photographed for the website yet, but it is finished.

There is an interesting combination of feelings. I find I'm very excited to move on to another piece, yet there is a tangible feeling of satisfaction and contentment.

The more I work, the more I begin to feel that time is becoming less and less relevant to me as a sculptor. Time to complete a sculpture is becoming less relevant. Time drives our dollar driven world, and I'm obviously as bound by that reality as much as anyone but it is being diminished by staying focused on my work. And that, is a good feeling.

Leaf detail on 'Sulis'

2008-04-30

It took quite awhile to create the detailed pattern on the kelp-like leaves, but I feel it was well worth the effort. You can see the orientation with the thumb and forefinger on top.

Some of the smudges on the piece are some slight burns from the sanding. They sand out easily with the next grit.

The end is in sight. Its a bit of an anti-climax after spending a great deal of time focused on one particular piece. I love this part, the letting go, and the potential of the next piece.

I wish my next shipment of stone had arrived already.

Backside of 'Sulis' is just about done!

2008-04-27

Its starting to speak for itself.

Almost complete.

Progress on Sulis

2008-04-08

I love seeing this ungainly heavy piece of marble, become transformed by each sculpting process, into exactly what I wanted.

She is going to have that magical fusion between an abstract interpretation and realism. The idea that a 'goddess' can be, and do, whatever she wants. Adopt any shape. Morphing between any organic shape from the water to a human form.

My sandpaper shipment to complete 'Sulis' arrived on Friday. I've got to go pick it up.

We might need to throw a 'shin-dig' when "Sulis" is complete, and before I ship her away.

Wind Sculpture

2008-04-04

Photo compliments of the Cotter's in New Zealand.

Is this fantastic or what?

Manipulated by years and years of wind. Sculptural forms that are stunning, powerful, and still display the invisible hand of nature.

A perfect example of what I strive for in stone.
Implication of wondrous strength, power, emotion; but with an unseen hand.

I need to live to be 700 years old.

My cat just isn't what I thought a cat would be.

2008-04-03

This cat is defective.

It does nothing 'cat-like' There isn't a mean bone in his little stodgy body. He travels miles around Brentwood.

This year the fence gets finished, and Digby gets a bowser buddy.

A few tools to check out.

2008-04-02

The hole drill is pictured on the bottom. I have them in 36 and 50 grit. They are a diamond brazed product and work remarkably well for the price.

The yellow blade is a 4.5" sintered V-style tuck blade. Unbelievable material removal in marble. Not inexpensive but really great value for the dollar.

Both are available from Randy and Neolithic. See my links page for website directions.

View from my shop

2008-03-31

When I find myself bent over carving for a few too many hours its nice to pour a cup of tea out of my thermos and sit and have a look at the Malahat.

Interesting quote on art critics:
"The art critic...cannot explain the finished art piece from looking at the artist, and he cannot explain the artist by viewing the finished art piece. And so art is treated like some foreign object, analyzed from afar for its relationship to politics and culture and history and (incestuously)-authors italics- to other art movements. Or more drudgerously catalogued into successive styles, periods, and 'masterworks'.
David Bayles & Ted Orland
"Art & Fear"

Different look at

2008-03-26

I like the drama of the portfolio picture. But sometimes you just cannot beat natural light.
Sculpture needs to be viewed in person but some of these pieces of stone are just getting too big to pass around.

I've been asked numerous times which of my sculptures is my favorite. I tend to always answer the same way; that the last one I've completed is always my favorite.
This is definately true with 'dominion'.

moving a finished piece

2008-03-25

I finished "Dominion" today. I am really, really excited about this piece. I find it has fulfilled all of my intention and the marble has really surprised me with its beauty.

As a stone sculptor, the desire to gravitate towards larger and larger pieces seems like an inevitability. Yet the restraints that working with pieces that are in the hundreds of pounds are quite shocking. So I thought I would share a glimpse of what is required just to lift a 250lb marble sculpture off of my banker onto a dolly. Later it is picked up by my crane to move for photo's.

Now that I am working in the 'tons' vs the 'kilograms' size, it is amazing how simple moves for photo's become a major task.

Often, a customer will ask why the prices climb dramatically as the piece grows in size. What isn't realized is the fact that transport, number of hours, handling, and crating are all additional costs to the artist that we cannot affort to absorb.

So, that's today's little blurb. Check out 'dominion' on my portfolio. I hope you like it.

Nature as sculptor

2008-02-27

Nature chose to create this form in basalt, washed in salt during storm tides. (small front)

I chose to create Digamma in Vancouver Island white marble. The form reflects the power of the waves. Sometimes abstract representation in sculpture is more visceral when it more closely mirrors nature.

I invite everyone to make the comparisons between my work and organic/nature forms whenever possible.

I've even read that the primary step in a human mind understanding abstraction is to reference what they are seeing with readily identifiable froms in nature.

So skip back to my portfolio page and check out Digamma after seeing this photo.

Interesting...

2008-02-26

As you can see in the photo, I have pretty much isolated myself into the landscape to begin capturing what I feel and see into my sketchbook. For some unknown reason this view must be a curious sight; some dude felt compelled to walk all the way over to stick his nose into my sketchbook, and I mean right into my sketchbook to see what I was doing. Didn't even ask, or mention an obligatory, "hello" A violator of personal space.

How's this for a suggestion. Approach normally, don't storm at me. Ask in a pleasant tone, "Hello, I was wondering if you would mind if I look at what you are working on?" or some such sundry. It isn't hard.

From now on I intend to reserve a well executed drawing of an expletive for quick reference in my sketchbook. History will record this drawing as simple madness I presume.

Not drawing isn't an option...

2008-02-25

When beauty overwhelms you to the point that you have to find some way to capture it - suddenly my sketchbook becomes a defense against the possibility of missing that power, of failing to translate the landscape in a way that is meaninful to me. If I fail to capture it, I'm not sure I could handle the anguish. It is like the anguish of driving past a beautiful scene with your camera and not stopping to take a picture. It gnaws on your being for awhile. For an artist I find the sketchbook as both the mechanism that facilitates an interpretation of the landscape, and the means to avoid that anguish.

Physically cannot get enough of this place.

2008-02-24

It doesn't matter where I am on the left coast. Everything starts to infuse into the very fiber of my being.

It drives my vision. It drives my work. I return with that magical quality - inspiration.
I awoke with a surprise. I didn't know I was heading back up to Tofino for a break. Ah...the utter bliss of having a brilliant woman in your life that completely and utterly understands me...and surprises me with a couple days in this place.

I am now Zen again...

2008-02-23

Sitting with a sketchbook. Inhaling salt air from crashing surf, feeling the power of wave's and wind. Trying to translate the strongest language of nature into a few strokes of charcoal and pencil. A task that I suspect will keep me occupied for as long as I inhabit this rock.

I am the driftwood.

Hide your eyes. Get sunglasses

2008-02-22

O.K., the cat isn't Digby. Its actually Littlefoot, and it was part of the rental cabin along with a toaster.

What a magical place. Banana's, guava's, and mango's that you can just pick and eat. Beauty that literally smacks you in the face around every turn.

I really love the idea of Kapu "forbidden" stone. I've always felt that there is a bit of "spirit" in beautiful stone.

Inspiration and Direction

2008-02-21

Need I say more.

People wonder where textures or combinations of forms come from when carving stone. A creative process begins with open eyes; and for me, it ends up...well...anywhere.

Recharging my batteries

2008-02-20

Carving marble is deeply satisfying. Being in Hawaii is also very satisfying. There are times when I feel I can carve an indefinite period of time; and there are times when I start to get tired.

A little too much time rebreathing stale air through my respirator and I feel some of the spring removed from my step.

Recently a friend (the rabbit) mentioned some stone sculptures from the Hana coast on Maui. It reminded me of my last trip and how great it felt to be there with Karen immersed in the jungle. That sounds like Karen was lost in the Jungle...not so.

Pleasant Surprise

2008-02-18

One of the favorite moments for a sculptor is when the beauty of the stone far exceeds your expectation. Many times while prospecting for beautiful pieces of limestone and marble, I can suspect its really a pretty stone, but this kind of breccia pattern inside the Limestone is a true marvel.

I carved this geometric piece to highlight the yellows at the peaks of the design, and to have it become absolutely gorgeous while sanding is the cherry on top.

Canadian Tire you say???

2008-02-17

This crappy little stand becomes an amazing shaping tool for small pieces of stone with the addition of a brazed diamond 4.5" blade.

It costs a blistering $55 and includes the grinder.
Hilarious.

Plus its warrantied for 3 years. If you've got room on the bench I highly recommend it.

More Sulis....

2008-02-15

The backside of Sulis. You can see that I've finished roughing out the hair. Representing hair in marble has been a bit of a curse for as long as sculptors have been carving.

I've got a great feeling of how this piece will conclude. I had a moment last week where I was ready to deep six it, but luckily the boat is on the hard...and the feeling passed.

I think I'm pleased because "Sulis" satisfies my sense of homage and abstraction.

"Sulis" update.

2008-01-30

I am quite tickled that all of the design elements are complete. There is still a fair bit of marble removal occurring; and I haven't been carving any new faces onto her recently.

Honestly. Its been bloody cold, and I've had a bloody cold. Ideally I would like to work in a heated shop. But, it is kind of pointless when you work in a shop with the garage door wide open, to try and heat it. On the plus side, marble dust makes interesting patterns in the top of my hot tea.

Geometric vs Organic is almost done

2008-01-20

Now that the organic elements that rise from the base of the sculpture are finished; I am quite pleased with the balance that is struck.

I am debating the level of detail that is required in the leaf pattern. I am also debating whether or not additional detail on the vine-like elements will contribute anything to the feel of the piece.

All of these decisions will have to be sorted out prior to the next order of abrasives arriving or the decision might be made for me. It is always exciting to get a new shipment of abrasives. Overwhelming desire to sand. Seriously though, I suspect that I will sand and then place the detail (if that is what I decide to do) to insure that the edges stay sharp. I will now officially stop blathering on about it.

Is this normal for a cat?

2008-01-05

I am starting to believe that our cat is defective. This is supposedly abnormal behaviour.

Those pink bits are actually ears in case you were wondering.

"Sulis" is a difficult goddess

2007-12-09

When I realized that this piece was becoming too traditional I decided to make the design a little more interpretive, and less realistic, by tying the front and rear elements together by drilling a hole through the piece.

Granted it definately ties the piece together but unfortunately it looks a little lude. Sort of like...a giant you know what...

It will not remain like this.

New Geometry in stone

2007-12-09

This piece is all about nature vs. man made. The struggle of organic female versus construct male.
It is being carved from a local piece of dark grey marble with fantastic white veining and large areas of a yellowish brucite. (At least I believe it to be brucite at this time - I'll alter that when I have a better chance to examine some samples of it)

Rear view of the new work

2007-12-09

Here's the backside at this point.

It is a very different style of piece for me. I have enjoyed working with the scale. Small design elements on a larger piece are quite difficult to work with and still insure that they are interesting.

I'm excited about how the final piece will look.

A touch of "Brazil" from Gilliam.

OOPS! I Broke it!!!

2007-12-09

I know, it sort of looks familiar. It represents a little bit of cutting and careful work...until the whole damn thing slides off.

A few ensuing curses....and then. I kind of realize that it may have done me a favor.

I quickly filled the space with another element of the sculpture and the void in the marble that I was cursing about became the new opportunity to emphasize the elements that needed a little help.

Lemons = Lemonade = mmmm.

Ha Ha Ha!

2007-12-09

It appears that Australia has decided that it is not politically correct for Santa to go HO! HO! Ho! because it might offend a Ho.

Digby doesn't really care. He is full of holiday cheer. Can't you tell? Who ever said that cat's don't like to wear hats?

The goddess is progressing

2007-12-08

Ah yes, a slow process.

I have no desire to rush this piece. That is why my marble goddess is currently looking like she has a neck brace and a homely face.

Working the face is a rather subjective area. I have met folks who have a terrible time with carving faces, and I seem to have a very enjoyable time working the features to completion. The marble may not be forgiving but the process is fantastic, slow analysis, proceed with a few changes, live with the result for a few days and decide what the next face will look like.

I have drastically changed her look a few times. My theory is that once I have attained a face that I cannot imagine erasing I'll stop.

In the meantime..we definately will proceed.

Sketch book glimpse that will be the next charcoal

2007-12-07

I am pretty sure the image on the left will become the basis for my next large charcoal and ink work.

There is just something about the pattern that cry's for a little more.

We'll see. If it never shows up on my website you'll know I was wrong.

Sketch themes keep returning

2007-12-05

This style seems to pop up in my sketch book like a reoccuring dream.

I think this is a sign that I will have to carve this shape once and for all.

Current work

2007-10-02

Karen thought I'd named this "cured pork" when she read 'current work'.

Hmm. The name is kinda catchy in a non-vegetarian way.

Sulis is progressing nicely!

2007-10-01

The upper torso is taking shape. The face of Sulis has been roughed in, but is as yet, undecided. I've left a great deal of room to move her facial features into final place.
I'm pleased with the direction.

From this point, I will have to resolve the remaining details that tie the female figure, into the theme of the piece.

Tar Steps Exmoor, England

2007-09-15

Fantastic stone construction, I believe it was constructed in the 9th century. The wear patterns from feet over the centuries is amazing. If nature dissassembles it, people just reassembled it.
With modern fabrication we tend to own, purchase, and build things that are disposable. Maybe we could turn back time a bit and draw some inspiration from ancient construction. It seems to hold up better than a great deal of things we construct today.

Not to mention the fact that it is quite beautiful.

There's a good pub at the tar steps too.

Cape Scott Sunset

2007-09-09

Ahh, another horrid day on the left coast.

Fishing net hammock...

2007-09-08

Too bad beer is too heavy to carry.

Not to shabby eh?

Picture of our campsite

2007-09-07

The lost orange float was our tide indicator. The crashing surf tossing logs on the high tide was worth keeping an eye on.

Nature's sculptural forms

2007-09-06

I can't say I have ever understood those artists, sculptors in particular, that have said that they cannot find inspiration, or don't know what to carve next. I can think of a million compositions that I would need hundreds of lifetimes to carve.

Granted, most of the ideas are probably garbage, but it would be fun to try them all out.

It usually takes me about 10 minutes in nature to clear my thoughts and start to examine form. Cape Scott is truly special. If you can handle 20km of hiking with all your food on your back, I highly recommend it. Pain does hurt though. Contrary to what the movies claim.

Cape Scott, Vancouver Island

2007-09-05

Possibly one of the most wonderful, wet, beautiful place on this earth. I thought I would share a spot where this sculptor goes for inspiration.

Sand Patterns

2007-09-03

Inspiration for sculpture can come from anywhere. Cape Scott in this case.

I saw these patterns in the sand as the tide receded. Tree like, beautiful, symmetry as only water can create.

My intention is to explore the patterns as part of a series of charcoal works on watercolor paper.

This pattern will also be incorporated into a marble sculpture. The marble came from Texada Island. I am looking for an organic composition and this pattern should make a perfect texture to compliment several forms I intent to carve into the marble.

Dolomitic marble

2007-09-02

The fortunate sculptor who lives amidst endless mountains of beautiful white marble from here on Vancouver Island. O.K., well not quite mountains of it. But, If you know where to look there are seams of almost pure white. My largest block to date is the 1000lb+ and I have a one ton block located that requires a seperate trip with the crane truck.

Isn't the similarity amazing between the shells in the previous entry and this piece of white dolomitic marble?

Ahh there is a certain joy of discovery in going out and retrieving your own pieces of marble to carve.

2000 year old shells?

2007-09-01

I dug down through about four feet of overburden only to hit a line of shells. This shell came from about three feet down into the layers of shells. Natives have been harvesting sea food and disposing of the shells on this beach for thousands of years.

For stone sculptors, I think it is important to see the makings of the marble we search for. Calcium just waiting for millenia and pressure, and heat.

Draft Sketches for Sulis

2007-08-17

Granted, its only one of the zillion of sketches that I will do for this piece but I think it gives an indication of where the inspiration starts to evolve from.

Close up of fretted marble

2007-08-16

Currently in the process of fretting a lot of material off of this piece of marble.

The only recognizable point on her so far would be the elbow on the top left. I hope to place her arm over her head with her fingers intertwined into her hair. I want large abstract elements to create motion that tie her legs into her body and sweep around the back of the piece.

That's the theory anyhow. It sort of looks like an easter island mouth at this point...and, if it fails I can just delete this lofty entry.

"Sulis" Roman Goddess of the waters

2007-08-15

The inspiration for this new work came from our trip to England last winter. While snooping around Bath england we explored the roman baths and I saw imagery that worshiped Sulis or Sulis Minerva. Around 65 B.C. the Romans worshiped her for the healing properties of the waters. Turns out she was worshipped all the way to Germany.

Decided to start carving "Sulis" a roman goddess from a beautiful piece of white marble that I picked up with the crane truck. The piece was lying near a clear mountain creek and I thought it would be fitting to carve my version of "Sulis"

The idea is to do a 'venus' like combination of figurative and abstract interpretation to create a goddess who is both powerful, and feminine.

Not quite there yet.

Patterns

2007-08-13

I've been working on some rather large sized drawings exploring different visual textures through patterns.

I tend to work them out in my sketchbook prior to starting a large piece. I'll have to put some of them in my main portfolio. For now, they are hiding in the private galleries and you need a password and login from me to see them.

Dam the Peace

2007-08-12

Had to have a picture. Quite the saying on the plaque...in big letters it reads,

"DAM THE PEACE"

Dammit.

and here is her cub...

2007-08-09

This years little football sized cub. It was full of energy, wouldn't hold still for a photo and Karen wasn't going to get out of the truck to get a better one.

Sow Grizzly in Northern B.C.

2007-08-08

What a beauty. Defended her cub from birds that landed in the bushes nearby. I was glad we were in the FJ and not in our tent.

I suck at panning for gold

2007-08-07

Its harder than you think. Definately a skill. At one point Jerry, our miner who was teaching us to pan, asked me if, "I was making gravel in there?"
Cold Bud on a hot day in Dawson took the edge off my defeat.

Quiviat

2007-08-06

I have a hat made from the wool from this Musk Ox.

It was knitted by a local woman and blended with silk.

The sale of it from the Large Animal Research Center in Fairbanks went to the upkeep of this very fellow. I like to support any individual who works to pay his own keep, regardless of his hairdo.

Modern Alaskan Art

2007-08-05

The Inuit, Aleut, and Indian artists have embraced their past, respected it, and have embraced it to produce new work that is absolutely fantastic.

This picture shows a carved whale vertebrae, a traditional material, with a modern interpretation.

Other artists, have failed to embrace the past, and their work seems a little disembodied, hollow, and in a long term sense - empty.

I do appreciate being shown the full breadth of the work being done in Alaska. One never knows what really good 'art' is until confronted side by side by really bad art. I'll spare you any images of some of the works.

The touristy galleries are noxious. A verifiable barf fest of knock-off wannabe inuit copies. AVOID! Run for your life in fact.

Museum of the North, Fairbanks, AK., U.S.A.

2007-08-04

Absolutely magical.

A brilliant building that teaches you what an ancient place Alaska is. This museum is, without a doubt, the finest example of Aleut, Inuit, and Athabaskan Indian culture and art in the world.

We heard about this museum while in Haines Jct., and when we crossed into the U.S. I found out you could get a hat made out of Muskox wool, called Quiviat. O.K., it was the most expensive hat I've ever bought but a musk ox only produces about 60oz. of wool per year. Ah, but I digress. Back to the museum.

Inside and out, this museum is an endless inspiration for artists. There is no doubt at all that traditional art has thrived into a modern interpretation that will survive for generations more.

As always there are some artists work displayed that feels it has to ram some point down the viewers throat but for the most part, the exhibits and art are fabulous.

Alaskan holiday

2007-08-03

This summer's adventure was a four week trip to Alaska.

Scrambling up glaciers, poking through stones, and scrambling up mountains.

I would recommend all artists travel north. Being lost in the grandest of all landscapes is a humbling moment that just keeps going and going.
Scale and perspective take on a new meaning.

Karen wouldn't let me take the crane truck, but man 'o man I would have had some awesome stone.

The most beautiful sight in the world

2007-07-23

This beast replaces my snazzy dodge 1 ton. It does it with twice the capacity (2 ton chassis) and manages to get unbelievable mileage on its wonderful 4BE1 Isuzu engine. (25.5mpg empty) The best my Cummins ever did was 16mpg.

It has already carried a couple tons of marble, limestone, and granite out of the backwoods. I put some 10ply tires on it, and LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

I feel like a little kid while searching the island for stone.

Heap Big stone saw

2007-06-25

This is the new 12" Angle cutter from Makita...thanks to Andrew at Pottier, it cuts through marble like butter with the new blade. By cutting sideways and bracing the saw on my legs, it uses its own weight effortlessly and makes rapid material removal on marble very fast. The 15amp motor doesn't bog either. It appears to have good dust shielding too. I would say for the money, it is worth a sculptor's consideration. Well, maybe not just sculptors, but anyone that has an overpowering need to cut stone.

Great for cutting bases too.

Desert forms

2007-06-05

As a sculptor I try to remain open to seeing forms in nature that I can incorporate into my work. Natural elements possess a balance that is difficult to recreate while carving in stone. Nature seems to effortlessly create beauty while we are forced to toil endlessly under the sun to accomplish something even marginally close.

I loved these elements when I saw them, I even spent about an hour sitting in one of these openings amazed at how it amplified sound, cooled my body, and cleared my mind.

A desperate life of beauty

2007-06-05

A stunning example of adaptation.

As a sculptor there are so many moments when you realize that to accomplish that level of symmetry in stone would possibly represent the pinnacle of ones entire career carving.

The desert is amazing. Especially within range of an air conditioned SUV.

Tortoise in the middle of the desert

2007-06-03

When you first hear that there is a tortoise that lives in the Nevada desert you kind of scratch your head and wonder...hmm. Is this for real?
Turns out we were lucky enough to see one and photograph him for posterity.
A human can die in 4 hours without water in these areas, and this tortoise plods right through the middle of it. Stunning adaptation. Finally, wildlife I can keep up with.

The other Vegas

2007-06-03

Stunning trip to Vegas. Aside from the expected entertainments, and gallery meetings, the desert holds some stunning surprises. Valley of Fire is only 45 min. from Las Vegas and for a sculptor, the sandstone and limestone shapes are utterly captivating and endlessly fascinating.

Anasazi Pictographs

2007-06-03

Where these people went remains a mystery. I looked for them, they weren't there.

Some people see evidence of aliens in the symbols. I see evidence of people that couldn't draw for shit.

Return to a different aesthetic

2007-06-01

Part of my desire, my passion for sculpture is bound to a love for beauty. This seems like a simple statement of the obvious; but in reality it is not. Viewers of art installations in many gallery settings are overwhelmed by art that seems 'unreachable'. A simple concept that art should appeal to the viewer is lost in a barrage of secret meanings that the viewer needs to decipher in order to grasp the deep, and sometimes impossibly deep meanings that the artist is portraying. In discussions with the majority of people...the result fails with only the secret society of artists, art professionals, and galleries having access to these meanings. For most, it extends beyond the idea of 'not getting it' to a very negative assessment of the piece itself.

My desire is quite simple. I am going to chase an old, admonished aesthetic. BEAUTY.

In discussions with most folks, I have discovered that most are of the opinion that at the end of a difficult day, dealing with work, attitude, traffic, taxes, fuel prices, pets, and who knows what else...that last thing they want to see is sculpture, or any art, for that matter, that challenges them to understand concepts through rubbermaid containers and power cords, and endless video loops.

My return to a pleasant, calming, and beautiful aesthetic might be archaic, but I prefer to combine an artistic message with simple beauty. To move more 'art' into offices, and homes.

Now if I could only achieve that lofty goal every time. Hmmm.

Meet Digby

2007-04-23

I am fundamentally a dog person. For some reason this cat chose me at the pound. He is my first cat. He managed to survive his probation, and there you have it. Apparently you have 30 days to return a rescue animal for any reason? Who does this? I figured that we were stuck with this critter for the next 13 - 15 years.
Lest you think I might fail in my new task... Fear not cat lovers!, Karen is a professional cat owner, having had as many as 3 felines at a time (yikes!) so Digby is in good hands 1/2 of the time.
He is honestly, the worst dog I've ever owned.

In case you missed the last installment...

2007-04-21

Hmm...the figure on the left looks male and aggressive, the middle one appeals to my sense of proportion but this doesn't necessarily mean that it can be represented in stone. I guess I could try and then clean up its remains on the floor...and that leads one to the image on the right. The restacked pieces.
Reminds me that I have to take out the recycle.

Trying to remain open minded

2007-04-10

The idea behind these drivel filled installments is to provide a bit more depth into how a person goes from a perfectly sane career to spending all their time dust choked wielding hammers and chisels and power tools until most everything aches.
Whether I ever achieve any insight for anyone else is highly dubious. But I have paid for this private soapbox...and thus...

I will try

On some days, by the time a person unwinds, sits down and try's to quiet the mind while drawing; endless amounts of everyday items and unfinished work sneaks in. Occasionally, I manage to stay 'quiet' and let my charcoal or my pencil float through pages of my journal. Is this insightful? I doubt it. But it does give you a glimpse into the process that concludes in stone.