Wednesday 25 January 2012

Flock of Cedar Waxwings

As I work on new bedposts to renovate the girls' bunk beds, I hear the light squeaking of cedar waxwings.  Immediately I wonder how my little flock is enjoying the view at the Henderson's house.  This sculpture was installed shortly before Christmas, just outside their front door.  I'm pleased to know J & J enjoy it each time they enter their house.  I just realized that the waxwings really influenced my most recent piece, "Forgotten Fruit," currently in the gallery.

Wednesday 18 January 2012

Deep Freeze

I am so glad I finished this piece before this weather started, it was -20 this morning, and with wind chill -32.  I would have frozen my fruits off in my almost-outdoor studio.  I am pleased to see this hanging in the gallery.  It's in a safe place (comes away from the wall about 20 inches) and won't take any eyes out.  Friday is the opening, and my girls are all looking forward to seeing the show.

Monday 16 January 2012

Forgotten Fruit

The sculpture for "75" was finished barely in time for delivery this morning.  At 5pm I knew that it was accepted by the jury, thanks to the spying abilities of my curator-wife. The idea of five forgotten apples on a winter branch has been floating around in my mind for a while.  I've thought a lot about Salmon Arm's apple orchard history... the forgotten orchards.  Still producing old varieties of apples that no one wants.  Have we forgotten our heritage? This area was famous for the non-irrigated apple, but I see little evidence of this important industry, except a few old trees on the edges of hay fields.

Thursday 12 January 2012

Rain Dance

I put the hard push on to get this piece done, worked all day on it.  Needed muriatic acid for the rusting, so ran down to Samson Soaps for their "Big Red" toilet bowl cleaner.  Works like stink.  Would love to have some rain now to get some nice patterns, but I don't think that's in the forecast.

Monday 9 January 2012

Tangent

The wind is blowing, so instead of working on the piece I plan to submit to the "75" exhibition at the gallery, I started making a wind chime.  Procrastination at its finest.  I thought I could quickly whip some pieces together, but next thing you know, two or three hours have passed.  One more little piece, one more rusty part...  I'm so far down this road I may as well finish it.  So many people have given me these bits and pieces, the energy must have called to me.  A swag lamp chain is particularly inspiring and useful.  Swag lamp?

Thursday 5 January 2012

Triple Whammy


Finished my commission today, just two hours before the purchaser was scheduled to arrive to pick it up.  It combined three of my signature small works - nests, birds and windchimes - into one splendid piece.  I was really happy with it.  So was the purchaser.  Now hopefully the wind blows hard enough to move metal.

Wednesday 4 January 2012

Lost

My good friend Peter called me up to go xc skiing with him today, which was a convenient excuse to not work on commissions.  Tomorrow I can finish up the nest/chime/bird item.  As in art-making, the ski day was an exercise in chasing darkness.  We went to North Hub, Cec's Cabin but then got lost when we bypassed Sky Trail, went the wrong way on Ermine Frolic, landed in the parking lot late in the day.  I looked at the map when I got home, have no idea what happened.  But we got home.  Such as it is with art, too.

Out of the Gate

After years of watching my wife post on blogs, facebook and twitter, I am ready to jump in.  This is to document my artmaking process, farming discoveries and parenting experiences.  All three of those art forms consume my life.