Artist Support Grants Again

Thank you, thank you, thank you, North Carolina Arts Council and Haywood County Arts Council for awarding me one of the Artist Support Grants. It will expand my artistic reach to larger works. Two years ago a similar grant got me on the road to sculpture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Few Americans visit art museums or galleries, even fewer own or consider buying art. They might see photos of art, but not the “real thing”. The only art most Americans interact with is public art. My project is to create a public art sculpture. The funds will be used to purchase a multi-process welder/plasma cutter, necessary electrical power upgrades, supplies and materials.

The goal of the project is to experiment with juxtaposition. I will be exploring the contrast of balance and asymmetry, by employing contrasting surfaces, reflectiveness, and textures.

This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

North Carolina Artist Support Grant Continued

I told my sister I got a grant to do a public sculpture. She asked some questions:
“What will it be made out of?”
“How big is it?”
“Where does it go?”

All good questions. I said:
“Steel and stuff.”
“Bigger than a breadbox, smaller than an aircraft carrier.”
“To a good home.”

None of these things are really important. If it was a commission, it should fit with the environment. Since it is right now just for me and mine, I can make it anyway I want.

Oh Boy. Now what!

SOLD Odin’s Eye— Baltic plywood, stacked glass, steel—17″ x 16″ x 6″

 

Here is a piece I sold in 2019 that I may use as an inspiration. Different size, different materials, different base. You know an inspiration, not just a bigger copy.

 

 

 

This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

North Carolina Artist Support Grant

Wow!! Who would have thought? I applied for a North Carolina Artist Support Grant in September. I’ve was notified that I received the grant to make a public art sculpture. O’boy, now what do I do? Pardon my formal dress, I was at a dinner party when I heard.

This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Fusion of Wood

Latest clock. A friend was cleaning out her barn and brought me a pile of rough cut lumber. There was some walnut and oak. The oak was thin, so I had to be creative with how to use it. I used it for the layered face and highlights/inlays. The walnut for the “legs” was slightly warped. Taking a lesson from Bill Gates, it became a feature not a bug.

Nasty Woman 2

I made this several years ago, but could not get a good picture of it to save my life.  We finally moved it to out front of our house and gave her red claws.  Then we got an OK picture.  She is about 5′ x 3+’ x  2′.  She is made of steel rebar and sheet steel with some red paint.  This is my second Nasty Woman.  The first one was a 90 birthday gift for my mother.  Here is the old picture.  It show more of her, but lacks pizazz.

A Stitch in Time

This is a woven steel wall clock.  It is 14″ by 14″ by 1.5″.  It is made of baltic plywood, rusted steel roofing strips, and clock works.  I liked the Woven Steel Grandfather Clock enough that I thought a smaller version was called for.

Mixed wood quilt square

Here is the newest “quilt square”. It’s oak, walnut, cedar and pine. A friend dropped off a pile of rough cut walnut planks about 3 weeks ago. These in were the first hardwood pieces I have run through my surface planer. I have always loved walnut. I dyed the pine a bluish color for a change from natural.  I got to try out my new doweling jig.  Vey cool.

Deconstructed Steel Quilt Square

This is the fourth in the Steel Quilt Square series. Due to its construction and design, it should probably be either the first or the last in the series. Is it unassembled or disassembled? Is it Alpha or Omega? This is the sort of talk you might hear from an art critic, not the artist. Blah, blah, blah. I just thought it was interesting to see the individual elements that make up the other steel quilt squares separately but still associated to each other.