I haven't got around to photographing the whole piece from top to bottom in one photo yet, so here's a bunch of close ups of my recently finished 'Tree Frogs on a Vine' bronze sculpture, in an edition limited to 250.
You can't beat shooting bronze in the dying embers of the sun's as it bids goodnight over the horizon.
I imagine I will post the whole piece this weekend, shot more traditionally indoors...
I tried out a couple of different patinas (or to be more precise, Mike Masse did).
He always does a stellar job.
Can't quite make my mind up which one I like best.
I'll probably go with the one that matches the Froggyballs.
Slow moving snail shoehorn - a work in progress (it's not cast yet)
What do you do when you're wrestling with wax that always wants to return to its original shape?
I was working on my tree frog shoe horn. I had a mold made on my original wax shoe horn design and got some other waxes of it to mess about with.
Instead of the usual bendable wax poured into molds, this was injection wax, which behaves (or rather mis-behaves) differently.
Anyway it didn't hang on the wall just the way I wanted it to.
I tried bending it this way and that, and in the process broke the one I had my frog on. Before it broke it always wanted to slowly return to its original shape after bending.
Quite frustrating.
Eventually Lee suggested I try letting it soak in very hot water before bending it (I'd already tried this, but it would return to its old shape when it cooled). But Lee also suggested quickly cooling it back down in cold water. So I gave it a try, using a tray of iced water, and voila!
After getting another wax just how I wanted it, I broke off the top of the one with the frog on, so I could remove and transfer the frog to the newly shaped wax.
Left with a broken, now shorter shoe horn, I liked the way it sat sideways on the table and decided to take advantage of it.
So I tidied it up and now it's got a snail on it.
I happened to have some snail shells kicking around for just such an occasion.
I heated small quantities of wax in a spoon over an alcohol lamp from Artisan (the art store), and poured the hot liquid into the shell making it less fragile, and easier to attach wax based clay to.
After a quick google image search for snails (and likewise on YouTube) I had all the reference I needed for the slimy parts.
Oh, here's a handy tip for doing the tentacles...
Copper wire, even really thin copper wire inside the clay tentacles, is a bit stiff to bend just right. So heat it up in a flame (gas cooker stove tops work fine) to red hot, and let it cool back down. Then it will be nice and bendy. Just be sure to hold it in pliers (not your fingers) while heating!
Or I s'pose you could just use very thin aluminum wire.
Call it a sculpture you can put your shoes on with, or call it a shoe horn that looks great on the mantel piece!
I like how it looks, and I can't wait to get it cast. It's at Lee's getting its very own mold right now...
So I guess I'll have two uniquely individual shoe horns when I'm done.
His 'n' hers?
Spookily shot wax and clay snail shoehorn
On another topic...
I remember when I picked up what looked like nastily colored fruit pastels at Mike Masse's studio a year or so back.
But they were squashy. And waxy.
And ear plugs, as Mike was quick to point out.
But recently when I was there Mike was keen to show me what he called the best ear plugs he's ever tried.
He was very excited about them, as you can see...
Mike Masse sporting this season's must-have ear accessories.
A perfect gift for the power tool enthusiast in your life.
Radnor reusable earplugs. Mike swears by 'em.
If I ever start snoring I'll know just what to get Meridee for her birthday.
By the way, she's put up some pics online, with more coming soon (and presumably regularly thereafter), at MerideeMandio.blogspot.com
Click HERE to have a look.
Originally I wanted to make bronze turtles swimming through glass that was cast around them.
But I asked a glass blower and learned that it would crack and break up as it cooled around the hard metal, so I explored other options, deciding to give a urethane resin a try.
I was advised to wear rubber gloves and eye protection, and avoid getting the uncured resin on my skin, as some people have an allergy to it and can develop a poison oak type of reaction.
And if you aren't allergic to it, you can become sensitive to it, so best avoid the situation and cover up.
Once it's cured it's completely harmless, clear, and hard as nails.
Just like what I wanted glass for, so I gave it a go.
turtles on the window sill while the 'water' cures
paraphernalia
You have to be really precise in mixing the A and B volumes. That's what the syringes are for.
The straws are for stirring them together.
And once mixed you have a limited working time before it starts to 'go off'.
And you have to keep it quite warm (ideally 140ºF) while it sets, or it will never cure completely.
So the window sill and a lamp took care of that.
The bronze was too hot to touch all afternoon.
Well I really like the effect, especially with a greeny colored patina under it, to contrast with the turtles.
It's got me interested in coming up with other things to do with it!
Mike finished the metalwork on my tree frogs on a vine and did a very nice job on the patina (of course!).
I'm undecided as yet about which base I prefer. I'm having the round metal one all tarted up so I can compare them side by side. I like its minimal profile, but I also like the reflectiveness of the granite.
We'll see...
Mike Masse doing his thing on my tree frogs on a vine
unfinished metal base
Barkin' Ball came along unexpectedly quickly this year. I almost didn't get my mice in on time!
Yee-haw! It's Barkin' Ball 2010.
These critters found a great home...
But I'm glad to say they found a great home at the end of the silent auction to benefit the humane society's animal shelter here in Santa Fe.
The Mouse Project cover and page layouts are coming along nicely, I'm using Lulu.com, so I'll have to post a few pics of them next time around. I haven't done the wordy bits yet. But soon I will have done, then as soon as the last pics come in I should be just about able to drop 'em in and be all done!
Step 1: Find a local pizza establishment with a reputation for harboring exhibitionist flies with questionable moral conduct...
Step 2: Order your pizza, and while it's cooking track down your stars, who will no doubt be fiercely copulating in a flagrantly public place, such as on the edge of a stack of paper plates...
Step 3: Whip out your camera, stick it in the best thing to macro mode you can find, and snap away!
Step 4: Don't forget of course to break into your best London accent while shouting encouragement to your super-fly stars, such as 'Lovely darlin', now look back at me over your shoulder would you, that's pucker, yes more of that sweetie, you doin' awright back there stud, keep it up, terrific, how about a smile, that's wonderful!' while snapping pics all the while.
That's it.
Thankfully they taught me in the boy scouts to always 'be prepared' so I had my camera handy when opportunity struck.
.....................................................................................
Something sculpture related...
I got some tree frogs on vines back from the foundry the other day. They're going to need a bit of metalworking, so I'll need Lee to pull me a new wax from the mold so Mike can accurately reproduce in metal the bits that need welding up and shaping with his sophisticated metal shapey tools. I'm pretty sure they're all air powered (there's often a large compressor generating industrious chugging sounds in the corner to power all manner of things).
The holes are cut into it for important reasons. My piece is being cast mostly hollow. It's right on the cusp of whether making it solid or hollow would work best.
When the wax version of the piece is dipped into the slurry that hardens into the investment mold (into which the bronze is poured) it has to coat the inside and the outside. When it fills up it gets heavy and could break the wax without holes to let the slurry drain out. Also, the air needs to get inside to dry the slurry before it gets dipped again for the next coat.
If the investment didn't dry out properly things could end up very messy.
I'm going to see if there's any ways the waxes can be chopped up for future castings to avoid holes and sprues going directly into the frogs, since it would be quicker and easier to work on the vine than the frogs in metal.
I got some bases made too. Shiny black granite with specially chipped edges.
I'm looking forward to seeing this one come together...
............................................................................................... This is a drag, but here's a quick update (just the facts) on my trying to get paid by that guy for my bronzes he sold over six months ago (and still owes me for) out of his gallery. The collection people say he will pay them in installments. So far they've sent me my share of $250 (they deduct a chunk of that). I'm not sure if he's paid them more than that one installment, but I hope so.
I only managed to get one installment from him when he set it up that way with me, I hope they do better at getting installments than I did!
You're looking at a house, cunningly disguised as part of a rocky outcrop.
Artist and mold maker Fran Nicholson lives in the Flintstone house.
Her friend lived in it before her.
She has an easter bonnet and egg making party each year, which I've been to once before at her old place.
This time Meridee and I were in for even more of a treat!
It's wonderfully spacious inside, and chock full of nooks and crannies, each stuffed to the gills with all sorts of quirky bits and pieces.
Here's a pizza oven/fireplace which has a little devil hanging out inside it!
I loved it! Everywhere you looked there was something interesting, like this bronze bat key hanger...
By the time we arrived people had been busy making bonnets and egg sculptures for a couple of hours.
Here's my favorite egg sculpture. It turned out to be the winner!
People's bonnets were judged by the volume of audience applause as they came down the staircase, one by one.
Bee enthusiast and patinater (patinuer?) extraordinaire Mike Masse showed up, and was eager to show me where a bunch of bees had made a nest behind the foam exterior.
Birds called Flickers, which are a member or relative of the woodpecker family, routinely peck holes in foam, usually on flat roofs, but at this place, in the exterior walls.
I believe the house is constructed normally (with the exception of windows at jaunty angles), and then wire mesh was used to sculpt the outside rock formations, which was sprayed with some kind of foam- I imagine the sort used on flat rooftops.
Here's Fran saying 'cheese' in her bonnet complete with bunny ears, and that's Mike next to her.
It's harder to get Mike to say 'cheese', but pretty easy to catch him saying 'bees' instead.
Thanks Fran, Meridee and I just love your place!
I had a blast last night at the reception for my sculpture show. It had been written up in Western Art Collector magazine , publicized by the gallery and me, and happily we were rewarded with a great turnout of strangers, neighbors and friends who all seemed to be having as good a time as me.
I got a real kick out of being present to answer questions from buyers who were thrilled with their purchases, which made me happier than ever.
Gigi bought a mid size bumper to bumper, and wanted to know how it was made. I cheerfully explained as much as I could, but of course suggested she find out more by searching for 'bumper to bumper' on this blog, since I’ve given detailed photo enhanced ‘how to’s’ on that piece in various sizes!
She’s off home again today after enjoying a re-union with friends.
They all seemed to like my suggestion of naming each one of the turtles after the re-united buddies!
Gerry from across the street added a Nosey mouse to her collection.
Bob and Aggie, who star in this video on YouTube (perfect for very tiny tots, it will DRIVE YOU NUTS if you aren't 3!) brought along some friends.
Thanks again for letting me invade your house with my video camera!
Lee Wilson, as good a mold maker as you’ll ever find.
Frank Fritzges, without who’s casting skills I wouldn’t have made much of a start at all into the miniature end of the world of bronzes.
I was delighted to run into many others, a few of which I’ll mention here…
Peter Wright, glass artist and bronze publisher . He’s been responsible for publishing many of my larger in physical size, smaller in edition size pieces. In fact I just got news (while writing this) that someone just snapped up one of those pieces, a turtle !
Michael Tatom, a jeweler and sculptor who I first met during Sculpture In The Park, at Loveland, CO.
Vince Maggiore, who did the patinas on my first bronzes, the life sized rabbits, while he was working at Shidoni foundry.
Michelle Chrisman, who paints regularly with Meridee came all the way from Taos with Phil (and then had to drive all the way back again to let the dogs out!).
Juanita who works at Nedra Matteucci’s gallery, and turned a blind eye over the release of my turtle who modeled for me, into the splendid pond they have in their sculpture garden. He’s doing very well, by the way, and is getting quite large now (but not nearly as big as the other turtles there).
Elizabeth who knew Meridee in a former existence, and Kent . They are a pair of authors who've had some very notable successes.
Lots more folks besides, I really appreciate your coming.
Thanks to everyone at Manitou , and of course an extra big thanks to Meridee.
I’ve bent her ears more than most people could ever stand to hear about all things clay and bronze!
One small step for a tree frog,
One giant leap for tree frog-kind.
(I've not actually had any real tree frogs confirm that last part)
Anyhow, I've got my first two tree frog sculptures finished.
Over at Mike's secret patina cave we tried a few things. Like some greens in various hues, but ended up liking a transparent golden-ish bronze with dark blotchy rings best.
The blotchiness is very similar to the markings on my real tree frog as he might be seen in a gigantic version sitting on the earth and viewed from space.
Unfortunately a tree frog's place on our planet is a bit precarious these days.
So now I know I'll have tree frogs in my show at Manitou Galleries on Nov 6, thanks to Madd Castings turning the raw metal around so fast, Lee's speedy mold making and wax work, and Mike's splendid metal finishing and artful patina work.
I'm sure I must have had something to do with making them too, but it seems so long ago I can hardly remember!
I took a few pics of one over at Meridee's favorite garden center.
I've got more frogs up my sleeve I'm itching to get going on, but first things first.
Will I get my new turtle pieces finished in time for the show?
Oh, speaking of shows, I'm honored to have some mice and tiny bunnies in Albuquerque museum's miniatures and more show which kicks off next Saturday (Oct 24).
Not sure if Saturday is open to the public or pre-arranged somehow.
Say 'Hello' to Mike Masse. He's regarded by many as Santa Fe's patina king. But he's a lot more than that. Like crazy. About bees that is.
He's got hives full of them, and he's likely to be risking life and limb at any given moment to get his hands on swarms of more bees if they land anywhere he knows about. In fact he'd stopped off on his way into his studio to nab a bunch that had settled on Rodeo Road just before this pic was taken.That's him in the blue, by the way. We are both seeing who can hold a half dozen bees in our mouths without getting stung for the longest. You should also know I'm a compulsive liar, and scared silly of bees. I just have a goofy smile, not really a mouth full of bees.
Anyhow, Mike's place is chock full of interesting goodies, like dessicated salamanders hanging on a nail, other dead things, a box full of fossils he's found on his wanderings, skulls, bones, all sorts of sculptures he's made since he's a sculptor too, half finished work by other people he's welding together before patinating, a gazillion tools, and a sandblaster as modeled here by your's truly.Since I always make it my policy to learn from the best, I met him when I paid for his services to learn how to do some patinas after casting my first sculptures. But he's too interesting a fellow to not catch up with from time to time.
Oh, he also put up a box in a tree on Canyon Road to coax a bunch of bees out of it's hollow trunk. The bees were fairly well behaved during a wedding in the back of the gallery, if I'm not mistaken only the best man got stung on the ankle.Oh, an interesting detail I forgot to mention. Mike told me he got a couple of stings after 2 bees got inside his face-protecting netty head dress bee keeper thing, and he's allergic! He has to take Benadryl for several days straight. Doctor's orders. So maybe crazy was right after all.
Besides that, it's been another snaky week. Here's my 'pet' bullsnake in the garden on his rounds. He's 3 feet long. He acted very agitated, swinging his head about when the trash truck rumbled past setting off all kinds of scary vibrations.
And when Meridee and I popped into a garden/flower place which is all outdoors and set amidst a semi wild landscape, I rescued a garter snake from the clutches of a cat. That cat must hate me, last time I stole a lizard she was playing with. So I let her play with the string on my hat so there'd be no hard feelings. Well the snake seemed a bit sluggish, but revived as soon as he saw a chance to slip into some water when I dropped him off by a little pond.
Oh, and I'm not really a compulsive liar. Or am I?
Besides art, I like critters.
They're interesting to watch, and fun to make. So when I'm not doing anything else (like drawing storyboards) I'm usually either watching or making critters of some sort or other.
That's him in the blue, by the way. We are both seeing who can hold a half dozen bees in our mouths without getting stung for the longest.
Since I always make it my policy to learn from the best, I met him when I paid for his services to learn how to do some patinas after casting my first sculptures. But he's too interesting a fellow to not catch up with from time to time.
Oh, an interesting detail I forgot to mention. Mike told me he got a couple of stings after 2 bees got inside his face-protecting netty head dress bee keeper thing, and he's allergic!
