Looser or more refined

I would typically say that my sculpting and painting has been a celebration of loose, colorful, or sketchy, even. For my latest sculpture, "Seated", I am exploring how refined I can actually make a sculpture, and then, whether I actually feel its fit to show.  

This first photo is pretty close to the beginning. I won't actually Showa sculpture sooner than this level of completion anymore...they can change too radically;

This next photo was around the 50% stage for the face. Rockin' the dreads, but still needing some finihing;

This last photo, the face is close, the figure maybe 40%, but you may see the change, already;

Next time i post this sculpture will be right before I make the moulds for the bronze. 

Now this is progress...

 I've been digging in the yard and moving rocks for ta little while now, and it's a beautiful thing. Not only am I still semi upright, but I'm making real actual progress...

I had started reworking the pavers in the yard several years ago, trying to move towards having actual outdoor studio and chillout spaces back there, so I could sculpt while I had the grill goin'. I also started an organic garden project in the yard almost two years ago, with containers. There are pavers under the grill and stuff in the back.

Seemed like a good idea at the time... Did I mention that the yard is land locked, and I've got to bring everything down the long side of house? Bags of dirt, sand, gravel...great workout. As of today, I've got the pavers done, grill together, and I'm just trying to figure out yard furniture, while waiting for a contractor to run some power for the outdoor studio. Here's what we have to deal with:

Not too long before I can weld and sculpt in that yard...by the way, anyone want some plastic furniture?

The cycle of art

The last month has found me trying to finish up the yard, for my outdoor studio, as well as starting numerous other projects. Several paintings and sculptures, which I'll tease here:

APR sunset progress 06212013 

Female figure progress: 

I do have a lot of sketches right now, and these are rough as well.

More soon

053113

Had the privilege of hangin' out with one of my oldest homies the other day. We went to eat, then I took him to the show at the AMA Museum. If I keep this up, I have made up stories for all the pieces I don't know anything about. We came back an hung out in my studio/living room and talked for a while. I was playing with wax while we talked,, and a small kneeling figure came out of it. Had a great ime with my dude, and had no idea why I made that figure.

The next day, I'm looking at it. It had a pious ET kinda vide, so I just started with that, refining it, making the proportions better. Spent a lot of time doing stuff that adds little to the vibe of the piece  ...just because. The Muse said so.

Memorial Day. Today, I woke up and went through the usual morning stuff, after sleeping in, then sleeping some more. I slept till 8:00 am...After breakfast, on my second cup of coffee, I found myself working on the figure some more. Long story short, this piece came out of it.

SoliloquyII

Baby steps...that's how it always feels at this stage. I've spent most of the last two weeks polishing, wire brushing, grinding down tool marks, getting rid of those last areas of extra metal. This is the result, not a whole lot different than last post:

I've also been looking for  base for this piece. The last one was a third smaller, and would work on a tall wood base.

This one, not so much. I'm leaning towards a flat limestone block where she would rest asymmetrically, or 'sculpturally', I hope...

I've also been working on patinas, as I mentioned in the last post. Ric and I agree, that much needs to be the same between the two pieces, so it looks like shiny bronze boots are in this year...

Stay tuned.

Soliloquy II patinas

Been cranking away on the sculpture. She has most of the metal growths removed, just some minor surgery remaining. Then a sand and buff episode, followed by patinas. The first piece was dark shiny skin, with the dress darkened, but damned if I remember how I got there...I have Brass darkening solution here at the home studio, and the other night in class I tried out several jars, including the mysterious "?" jar... I even tried Magnesium oil that my doc gave me for pain...hey, it's a chemical...

First, the progress:

Yup...Shiny...

Here's the detail on the original, please forgive the pixillation, that's the tech:

Most of the patinas didn't do a whole lot; the bare bronze is on the left, with darkening solution on the right. Kinda muddy messy lookin' deal, to me; remind me to use it on my next abstract...

Magnesium oil makes a natural green, except messier; I can get there better with hot sauce or something...

Finally, The "?"on the left, versus the darkening solution on the right. So far, the darkening solution is winning, tho if it were a game, I'd have asked for a refund on my ticket...

I also started trying to figure out bases. This new sculpture is half again as large, so a wood base just doesn't have enough weight to it; we've pretty much agreed that it needs stone. I don't know how to carve stone, so that's another class...

Peace

AMA museum, to be continued

This is going to be a short one. I just wanted to show the first images from my Motorcycle museum show. I delivered these two on Friday, and I'm in the process of framing the rest of them, and I'll post better images soon.

On another note, I check out the Nutrition doc the other day; she's gonna be a badass for old hippy artist dude...I already feel better from the recommendations she's made, and expect to see more improvement after I give her some blood to test...why does this stuff always need my blood?

The artin' continues...