I bought a 10,000 lb. block of Indiana Limestone on my 59th birthday, June 15, 2020.
It was delivered to the studio, along with 35,000 lbs. of other stone.
It laid there for 3 years while I worked on other projects.
During the winter of 2023, I came up with this clay model for the block.
I had even started to cut a preform for the piece in early spring. Here's a post about this
But, I stopped - it just didn't "feel" right...
A good friend died in November of 2023. While designing his memorial, I'd briefly considered doing a full-sized motorcycle based on a 1956 Harley-Davidson hydra glide. I made a clay model and drew the design onto this block over the existing preform (because it was a perfect fit). Ultimately, I decided to go with a marble memorial. Here's the post for that
During the winter of 2024, I came up with this crude clay model for fun because motorcycles were still on my mind... I had motorcycles as a young man and still have a motorcycle license. For me, they represent freedom. It felt "natural" to use lightning bolts and thunderclouds to make up the forms.
After living with the model for a couple months, I was sure that I'd prefer a motorcycle of lightning bolts and thunderclouds over the "Flight of Fancy" idea. On August 22, 2024, a crane stood the block onto its side...
...and moved it over to the shady side of the studio.
You can still see the drawing from the original Harley.
But I wanted to do my own thing and not make something that already exists. The model was a good starting point, leaving lots of room for coming up with the details as I worked.
So, a year later, here's the finished piece. 8' long x 4' high x 2' (life-sized to a real Harley) and 4,000 lbs.
Here's the other side before carving...
...and after. I'm happy with the piece. I can't wait to get it moved out into the grass where I can get better pictures.
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