Standing driftwood horse sculpture underway

Now that the bike is complete I’ve been busy working on another sculpture. This one is a standing horse, comprised completely of driftwood. At first it was a real struggle. The head seemed illusive (and that’s what I build the entire piece around), but then, it was found – thankfully – I’m on a deadline… The frame came together fairly easily, but what’s been the challenge now are the ‘sides’ of the horse.  Sticks, which are what I use for the frame of the horse, are much easier to work with and find versus the full size and flat pieces which are required to give the sculpture its’ form and movement. Not only do I need a large stock of wood from which to choose, the pieces need to be the correct color and more importantly hold the needed shape to create each part of the horse…otherwise it won’t look like a horse.  Here are a few photos of the frame in the beginning…and the horse taking shape.

 

 

 

I’ll be posting more photos soon…until then – enjoy.

 

 

Deliveries

Can’t believe it. October is here! The days are getting shorter; thankfully warm sunshine still prevails, though not for long…

Since returning from my trip up North, I’ve been busy preparing more stump tables to be sold through The Summer House, located in New Canaan, CT. I’ll be delivering them down tomorrow…

Seems as though I’ve been more on the road these days than in the shop – I much prefer being in the shop…though soon, that’s where I’ll be … I have to, I have commissions to complete and new works to make for next years shows. Collect, design, build, deliver.

Delivering is a business within itself. Jenn and I have spent countless hours organizing and preparing packages (wooden crates, pallets, custom double wall boxes, etc.) for deliveries both in the US and abroad. No simple task; we’ve invested a lot of time and energy; we’ve learned…a lot.
Here’s a small box heading to NY and the wooden crate was built to go to Germany; the unglamorous side of designing art and furniture…

I also personally deliver works. A bit time consuming too – packing, loading, driving (fuel, tolls, time), unloading, unpacking, driving back (sometimes great distances). If I’m using my truck, it’s a bit less time than when I have to rent a vehicle. Renting involves driving 30 miles to pick-up the vehicle, driving back home (30 miles) to load the vehicle, then delivering either that day or the following…then, return the rental and drive home, again. Phew – I’m not complaining, it’s all part of it, I know. It’s one of those ‘invisible’ things a business such as ours requires.

Fortunately, a delivery either means I’ve made a sale or a piece is going somewhere with the hopes of being sold…It’s great when it’s sold, it’s no so fun when it hasn’t. Oh, the ups and downs of working for oneself…

Tomorrow’s delivery will be a good one. It will be wonderful to meet the shop owners, Margaret and Megan, and have my work among such incredible style and taste.

Here’s a photo of me preparing the stumps months ago

– it was late winter (hence the gloves, hat and leave less trees) and I had come across an incredible tree trunk, perfect for side tables – but it needed to be cut and then allowed to dry and cure…

the seasons have passed and the aging process is complete. They’ve been leveled, sanded, weathered and now on their way. My assistant.

Beautiful.

until the next project

September is the month to go out on a big explore and seek out new areas for wood – driftwood that is…there is much coastline here in Maine, much is unaccessible – either due to terrain or all those ‘private property’ signs…alas, there are some incredible spots I frequent and I’m appreciative of those…

Though, September takes me to the lakes – which ones, I’ll never tell – but there are lots of them in Maine. They hold a different wood, driftwood of course, but not the kind weathered by salt and sea, but by sun and minerals. The wood I look for has the tone and color of beach weathered driftwood, though its fresh water found…

It’s an entirely different experience than walking the coastline. While the beach has the wind and surf, the lakes also have their own winds and can kick up out of seemingly nowhere – it can make paddling a canoe interesting to say the least, there’s also the possibility of crossing paths with a moose and the bird life is incredibly diverse, the stillness (if light winds) – refreshing…so until my return, enjoy these pics of some coastline collected wood waiting for the next project (and projects!)…