Once the basic form has been established I then continue carving. I improved the wave on the right making it more delicate and carving up under the wave. The left side then had to be balanced making the form swing towards the front and a smaller wave lifting at the left side from underneath. the central double spiral then needed opening up and defining. This is where the plastercine model comes into its own as the edges of the spiral at the front need to match up with the edges at the back correctly to form a Mobius strip (it is really easy to get them wrong and form a figure of eight). I increased the concave curve of the inner surfaces to emphasise the sharpness and clarity of the edges as they pass through the centre.
This process takes me a number of days to allow time for the carving and to take time to stop and think about the form. To bring a fresh eye to it and check the balance and flow, and to check the spirals are even smooth curves. At this point the form is nearly complete but has not been smoothed.
Once the excess wood has been removed form outside the areas marked as the outline it is time to define the actual shape of the carving. I started by drilling a hole to pierce the piece, and then carved the double spiral that will become the inner surface of the Mobius strip. This opens up the hole, although at this stage I do not carve the Mobius Strip edges accurately. I also carved the wave form at the right hand side and the lead into the wave on the right. I try to keep much of the base uncarved and flat, and some areas of the sides so the work can be held in a vice.
At this stage I always think that my work looks heavy and ungainly. The proportions and shape are not right yet. Experience dictates these will improve as the carving progresses.
Today I drew around the templates onto a piece of kiln dried lime so that the outer edge of the sculpture from the top, bottom and both sides were outlined. Then I removed the wood that was outside the outline quickly with a number 5 16mm gouge and my trusty mallet. Getting rid of the surplus wood leaves a rather unattractive shape, but it is ready for refining and the actual sculpture being carved from it.
Before I start to carve I often make templates from my maquette and scale them to fit the wood that I am going to carve. For this carving I drew around the base of the maquette and drew the outline from the side. The maquette needed scaling up by x1.8 so I used my printer to make a 180% copy the drawing. Then I cut the outlines out to make the templates.
The templates allow me to transfer the outline shape accurately onto the wood. Then I can quickly carve the outline shape and redraw it on if I carve away the outline.
They look a little weird, but allow me to remove surplus wood quickly and efficiently.
So after a nights sleep I have modified the maquette, I think it is a bit better now. The left hand side seems to lead into the wave and there is a greater sense of balance as the piece starts, builds up and breaks over the top.
So I’ll sleep on it and then start carving if I am still happy.
I have been thinking about the forms I want to use in this wave sculpture for a while now. I really like the sea and the work of Barbara Hepworth.
I often develop my initial ideas in plastercine. It allows me to keep developing ideas as I go along, even once carving has started. This is a scale model of what I am going to carve, about half the final size. The Mobius strip is fine and I like the rolling nature of the wave form. I am less sure about the left hand side (it reminds me of a slug on this model), to I may play around with that over the next day or two. It is important to get this right as it will affect the initial cutting of the outline of the shape in wood and once this is done I will be committed to a certain shape.
I like the Mobius strip as a form, its sense of flow, the way it creates light and shade within a sculpture and the symbolism relating to love and infinity. Creating a wave from the edge if the strip works well and gives a sense of energy and the power of the sea. I nice combination of ideas.
So now its time to get serious. Thinking about what to carve is a combination of the ideas I have in my head that have been mulling around and developing for a while. Today the one which is surfacing is a development of a wave form combined with a Mobius strip. This type of form enhances the wood with lovely areas of light and shade and a sense of swirling movement. I am thinking about whether to carve it in lime and paint some of the faces to create contrast, or to do it in spalted wood and let the grain come through.
I will have a look at some of the pieces of wood from my wood store!!
Then I can start to develop my initial concept in a more real way………
My workbench is back in my workshop and my chisels are sharpened ready for a new year of carving. I am so excited. I always take a break over Christmas and New Year and come back with loads of new ideas for things to carve. The next few posts will be short and look at the process of carving from start to finish.
Exhibiting my work is an exciting part of producing and selling it. It gives me the chance to chat to people who are genuinely interested in art and sculpture about what inspires my work and how it is produced.
The first stage is to choose the type of event and the location that will be most suitable to showcase your work introduce not to the public. This can be anything from craft fairs, arts fairs, open studio tours, exhibitions, online events or art shops. This decision matters. Different people will visit each of these venues and they will have different expectations of the type of work they wish to see and perhaps buy. I have found open studio tours and art fairs to suit my work better than craft fairs. I also like showing my work in shops and at exhibitions. Generally I enjoy events where I can meet and chat to the public.
Once the decision is made and events identified I try to get onto the mailing list so that I am notified when the event is inviting applications. This is often months in before the event. Application forms vary greatly, but generally ask for photographs of work, dimensions, prices and information about the artist and their work. I am nearly always developing and making new pieces and try to have new work available for exhibition so that people always have something they have not seen before.
If accepted I always spend sometime updating my website with event information, new works and images. My next exhibition is with the Tate Aisle Gallery at Birkenhead Park Visitors Center 6th-20th August 2022.
As the event approaches it will advertise itself, but I always share information on Facebook, distribute flyers and let as many people as I can know about the event. The events I attend are usually exhibiting the work of a number of artists, so it benefits everyone if it is well publicised.
During the last couple of days before the event I check that all my work is ready to exhibit, labelled, priced and packed ready to go. I then deliver it and either set up or oversee the display of my work. If there is an event launch I make every effort to attend because it is fun, a chance to chat to other artists and to the public.
At some events you need to be present throughout, at others you may be asked to be there a couple of times to greet and chat to visitors. Sometimes there is an opportunity to run a workshop or give a presentation. These a great opportunities as people love to have a go and love to see how work is produced. This can lead to commissions and to people asking for tuition in my workshop at a later date.
At the end of course unsold work needs to be collected and safely taken home. Generally I find the experience very positive and really enjoy being involved as fully as possible.
Wirral Open Studio Tour is on 11-12th June 10am-5pm this year. Artists from across the Wirral will open their studios to anyone who is interested and wants to drop in and chat about how they make their art, some artists may be at work in their studios so that you can watch them work. Their work will be on display so that you can view it and get an insider explanation of what the work means to the artist. Many artists will have works for sale, and whilst there is no pressure to buy it is an opportunity if you are after a special and unique piece of art.
I have carved two new pieces especially for Wirral Open Studio Tour which are ready for their first viewing along with other recent pieces.
‘Wisdom of the Sea’ is a whale tail carved in lime and mounted on slate. The whale traditionally symbolises wisdom, knowledge and strength. It has been a lovely piece to carve and I have experimented with introducing colour, something I will continue with in the future.
I have just completed carving ‘Ocean’s Embrace’ in lime wood. It is a variation on a Mobius strip which symbolises eternity and love. It is carved as a wave form and I imagined it hugging a wild swimmer or a surfer. Light and shade flow through the pierced areas giving it a sense of rhythm. Another piece about the sea and its sense of freedom!
