Promise

Besides making the trip to Roanoke, I've been working on a new functional (seating) sculpture called "Promise.

I designed this sculpture to fit into the half-circle shaped scrap that was cut from the Roanoke bench "Caring". (see posting below).

I removed large amounts of material with a 10" diamond blade. Then, I roughed in the shapes with a 4" diamond blade. First one side, then the other.

This was the progress on side A, before my trip to Virginia.

This was the progress on the other side at the end of last week.

This is how that side looks at the end of this week.

...and the other side...

Up at the studio, the locusts are blossoming, and everything is greening up.

Meg moves snakes out of the road, so that they won't get run over. But, this Racer had a serious attitude problem.

No good deed goes unpunished.

I had success making homemade Sassafras soda. I bought powdered sassafras root bark, sugar and live yeast from the local Mennonite store (Kountry Korner 270-547-2021). I brought the sassafras powder and sugar up to a boil, and then let it cool to room temperature. 1 tablespoon of sassafras and 1 cup sugar per 2 liter bottle. I added 1/8 teaspoon live yeast per 2 liter bottle, started in warm water (baby bottle temperature) for 5 minutes. I bottled it into 2 liter bottles for 7 days at room temperature (no direct sunlight) and 1 day in the frigerator. The yeast creates natural carbonation (Don't serve over ice). IT'S GREAT!!!

Roanoke Benches Installed

After months of delay because of bad weather, the Roanoke Benches were successfully installed in Highland Park on Monday April 19. Susan Jennings, the Arts and Culture Coordinator for the City of Roanoke, took the photos for most of this posting.

Sunday, I made the 10 hour drive with the sculptures, from the studio in Stephensport, Kentucky to the home of Frank and Primrose Eastburn in Roanoke. The Eastburn's graciously invited me to stay at their home, as we had a mutual friend in the late Don Lanham, a stone sculptor from Louisville. As fate would have it, the installation was scheduled on Don's birthday.

Frank rode over to the park with me, and helped me get set up for the installation. Holes were drilled into the pre-installed concrete footers for the stainless steel sculpture pins.

The City donated the use of their crane, which was operated by Robert. Wayne (in yellow), another City employee, was immensely helpful during the process. We set the bases first.

We rigged up the 3,000 lb. "Strength", so that it could be lifted by the crane.

It went right into place - no problem.

"Caring" in the air (and truck in the air).

The epoxy is mixed...

...and the sculpture set in place.

This is "Strength" in its new home.

The installation is complete with "Caring". I'm very pleased to have these pieces become part of the permanent public art collection of the City of Roanoke!

St. Theresa bases and 2 heads (better than 1)

I spent the last 2 weeks working on the stone sculpture bases for 2 antique Italian marble sculptures that will be replaced in St. Theresa Catholic Church's cemetery.

I laid out the recurve pattern onto the block with a compass, square and china marker.

I beveled the bottoms before standing them upright.

I used the 10" diamond blade to make cuts for taking off the main area of waste stone.

I used a diamond wheel on a 4" grinder to shape the recurved shoulders - first one side, then the other. The final forming was done with a sander using 36 grit paper.

The entire surface was polished using a sanding schedule of 36, 80, 120, 220 and finally 400 grit - 5 separate passes. Then, I repeated the process for the 2nd base.

I finished this week out with 2 head studies. They were designed to lay in a garden looking up at the sky, but they can be stood upright, and could be pinned and mortared into an architectural facade. They are featured on my new blog http:stonesculpturesforsale.blogspot.com.

This sculpture is entitled "Watcher of the Sky", measures 28" long x 9" wide x 8" thick and weighs approx. 50 lbs. It sells for $250.00, which includes packing by a UPS store, UPS ground and insurance.

This sculpture is entitled "Minerva", and it shows her in a helmet with the stylized beak and eyes of a bird of prey. It is carved from IN Limestone, measures 16" high x 10" wide x 8" thick and weighs approx. 25 lbs. It sells for $250.00, which includes packing by a UPS store, UPS ground and insurance.

The mysterious rock stackings of the Breckinridge Co. Blair Witch.

It's official - It's Spring!

...and about time, too.

I finished this sculpture, made a base and moved it out of the studio this week.

It is called "Nexus" and I've been working on this piece (sporadically) for over a year (but always in freezing weather).

It measures 73" high by 36" wide by 36" deep and weighs approximately 3,000 lbs. It is carved from Indiana Limestone, using a spiralling chisel texture on the intertwining forms and polished surfaces on the base and geometric elements in the sculpture.

It represents the like-minded interest of a community (such as a group of artists or friends - same thing, in my case) and the energy that brings and holds them together.

The Daffodills are the first flowers on the scene. This one managed to muzzle itself. (photo Meg White)

The tender new growth of Rose, as it pushes through last years briars, has a lot of sculptural interest. (photo Meg White)

Bloodroot emerges....

...and makes its move!

Lost in the Fog

This week involved 2 big road trips.

There was an all-day fog on Monday when I went to the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art. It was also foggy on Friday's trip. (photo Meg White)

Friday, I went to Victor Oolitic Limestone Company near Bloomington, Indiana. This is how they cut quarry blocks into slabs. It's called a Belt Saw, and it moves down a geared track to get into position for a new cut.

This is a vacuum lift for moving individual slabs.

The 2 blocks on the left are for St. Theresa Cemetery, which is the main reason for the trip. I rounded out the load with the 2 eight inch slabs, that weigh about 4,000 lb. apiece. I only use my old truck (shown) for handling stuff around the studio. I rented a flat bed truck from Penske for hauling the load.

It's rained constantly for the rest of the week. Meg snapped this photo of water backing up from the flooded Ohio River, in the swamp below our house.

Meg snapped these photos during the freezing fog on Monday. ( ...send dead flowers every morning...)

(...send dead flowers by the mail...)

(....send dead flowers to my wedding...)

A New Decade

The temperature hasn't been above the freezing mark, ever since the decade began.

Thursday, we got about 2 inches of snow. (photo Meg White)

I was glad that I had indoor work to do. Meg needed an armature for her Terre Haute commission. Steve McMillen helped us out with the welding and fabrication.

We used steel pipe to make the armature, which was cut to length with a chop saw.

The armature had lots of complex angles. We constantly checked our progress against the scale clay maquette. Besides taking all the photos on this post, Meg transposed all the measurements from the scale model to the full scale armature and directed our progress. See her blog for more details.

The sculpture consists of a family group of 4 figures rendered 2/3 life-size. The first armature to be made was for the woman.

After making the armature for the man, we began to fasten everything to a steel base plate. We added metal props under the 'seats' of the Man and Woman, for strength and stability.

Once we had the armatures for the Man and Woman in proper relationship, we fabricated and added the Boy.

Then, we added the Girl.

After adjusting all 4 figures to their final position, we cut and welded braces to strengthen the assemblage. Meg will add at least 200 lbs. of clay to create the sculpture. The armature must support that and the weight of the mold.

Steve finished up the welding, and the armature is now ready for Meg to add foam.

...and now, for something completely different.... bird tracks in snow. (photo Meg White)