In the making...

This piece has progressively been coming along over the last couple of weeks and yesterday was making day - Far out, I hope the neighbours are still all good... 'cus it was getting preety roudy with all the banging and machinery humming away!

The bones in the image below are made in stoneware clay fired to 1300* in a reduced atmosphere. These bones are going to be set into and around the outside of a steel wheel to protrude outward. The wheel is still on it's shaft and will retain movement, I have set aside an old wooden handle and bolt to weld to the wheel facing outward (verticle) for the action of spinning around.

The steel wheel welded into place, the backing disk seen is a plow disk and set with a spacer in between the two. You can see closely on the wheel the holes drilled for the bones to be set into.

Being a wall piece I had to consider methods for hanging as well as for strength, being steel it has some weight to it. A lucky find amongst my bits was a round rim perfect size and depth. Clamped down ready for welding, two holes were drilled first for the hanging.

The final touches were done today with the handle welded on and the bones set in place, all is looking good....

featured artworks

Those that are familar with my blogging will know that I am somewhat behind the eight ball with this post, but nevertheless I really felt it necessary for the simple reason to acknowledge and thank them for all their support with my work.

The last couple of weeks or so, my assemblages have featured in other blogs sites amongst other very talented artists and it is by chance that I have seen or been contacted via friends to notify me of them. (I do get so caught up in my creative process that I am unable to find headspace to keep up with it all!)

Featured...

Firstly, the above image 'Untitled' featured on fellow Sculptor Barry Smith's blog Rustnstuff for featuring on Tumblr

Secondly, 'All Things Lead to One' and 'House of the Holy : Enlightened Ones' features on Paperponderings friend and owner Fiona Dempster.

Then to my delight 'Safe House' features (with many other very talented artists, I might add) on Art Propelled post 'TOWER, TOWERS, TOWERING'

Spirit Dance

Another piece that was birthed upon distraction! 'Spirit Dance' is it's name, and came creating a whirlwind and translike state within me, as my hands assembled with a sense of total fun, frivolous in nature and with multiple swift movements. Perhaps it's the nature I am adopting with my new found cyber behaviour, of back and forth, one site to another. Who really knows, but do I really care? No! I love it....my mind was off in the ether!

"Spirit Dance"

Hardwood, Rusted; screws, barbed wire and mesh


"Spirit Dance" - Detail

a little different

It's amazing what some new finds can do, to stir the pot of inspiration! These three are from my latest finds from the recycling yard I stumbled upon last week. The second set of stump caps (ant caps) I have come across that were only a set of three, twice in a space of a couple of months.

Already transformed into assembled mini landscape scenes (within the diameter of the cap), almost finished apart from a few additions. This morning it only dawned on me that they are representational of parts of my life. This first image represents my current life; living in the country with starry nights above (although I the stars are yet to be added). City Lights are my foundations; my childhood days of living and growing up in the city still very relevant in my world as I live it and the third Sailing the Seas; sailing this grand sea of life.

'Starry Nights' detail

'Starry Nights'

' City Lights'

'Sailng the Seas'

ABC Recycling World

The other day I stumbled upon this recycling yard, in the most unlikely place but extremely accessable when on my deliveries. It's suituated on the Bribie Road on the left hand side right next to the service station. And ofcourse I just had to do a U-turn when I realised what I had just past....

Age old house stumps, nicely weathered - probably over 100 years old!

Bins full of copper (I know who will like the look of this - B)

Lengths of timber...

These are my finds - small sheets of lead so soft I can bend with my fingers (with gloves of course!), three groovy stump caps, rusty saw blades, bit of weathered mesh strips, bits & bobs...
Most inspiring, I've already got a few things on the go.

Kiln opening

This weekend I had two kilns going on the same day, my large gas and tiny electric. Firing in the large kiln my unearthed ceramics and the electric kiln a small commission and Lotus wares.

Large gas kiln - fired to 1200* unearthed ceramics

I was on excitement overload upon opening both kilns to see that it was a 100% strike rate. A kiln opening for me, can present itself like a smorgasbord full of emotion, waiting in anticipation to see if all is ok.

Top shelf - Four large Pitchers - wheel coil thrown, wheel thrown parts & spouts, assembled and handcarved. Each Pitcher can take up to 4-5 hours just to handcarve depending on design.

Bottom shelf - an assortment wheel thrown and turned, handcarved bowls.
Each bowl pictured can take up to three hours just to handcarve depending on the design.

If you would like to view the finished works visit my website