Friday, August 20, 2010

Homage is finished, mounted and waxed and photographed.
Next sculpture is started -- a very tough walnut, 9"x9" x 2". My friend Allen cut a 6" diameter hole for me and I am off on a voyage of discovery working from sketch ideas but (as usual) letting the piece tell me how it should look. Sculptures only work if they look good from every angle. At this stage I have some good views and some "Nahhh!"
I was asked how many pet portraits I had completed so I counted them. 28 dogs, 2 cats and a horse. Plus 9 people and 48 house portraits.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Just finished my pencil drawing "Pipes". Been fascinated by the complicated water pipes to be seen outside every Florida development. They all have great colors -- red, blue, orange, mauve, yellow. Don't know the reason why the different colors. Is this to mark the engineering function or does it depend upon the whim of the installation engineer or is it just what paint they had in hand that day? If anyone knows, let me know. I had to produce a color version, too. That is now on display in Florida West Arts together with the color pencil Island Cafe.
We spent a few hours, early in the morning to avoid the hottest sun, at Naples Zoo. Snapped some good drawing material, not only animals and birds but some of the amazing trees there.
The lemurs and the leopard will be good for my style and so will the 5 or 6 giraffes now installed in their new home.
My latest butternut sculpture is finished and mounted on its base and is to be called "Homage".
Why? Because the tall piece curves forward in deference to the lower, flatter piece. But I have a problem. The low piece has holes and I have a carved ball which fits one of the holes. I can't complete Homage until I decide whether it should have the ball of be without it. I wake up in the early hours worrying about it. That's when I have my most creative ideas. But I'm not yet decided.
Don't worry, you will be the first to know!
I just finished two dog portraits. I love meeting and photographing my subjects because I can then understand their personality and choose the look that reflects it. But one of my subjects died last year so I worked from the owner's snapshots. The owners are happy with the result but I am always a little sad for them and sorry that I didn't meet their lovely pet.
Next drawing, an anhinga. A request from a friend. Has to be with his wings spread out to dry in the sun. In case you don't know, anhingas have no oil in their feathers as most water birds do, so after swimming and catching their breakfast they have to spread their wings to dry their feathers. I see anhingas doing this all the time. But because I wanted to photograph one I never saw one for weeks. I finally located one a few days ago so I'.m good to go