Visit my website at: http://www.sculpturebymichael.com

was part of the Midtown Nights Artwalk on July 29..a very interesting  mix of people and merchants.  Jane Kenoyer and Shari Havelka shared my space & I urge you to check out the creative work of both.

with Deep Diver and Flair....my favorite pink pieces.

Next up is the Open Studios reception on August 6 and the Open Studios Tour weekend September 10-12.  I need to get to work!!

dressing Neptune

I/ve been playing dressmaker, covering Neptune with a clay ...skirt? apron? tunic?  what does a water god wear anyway?  Plates of clay are not as easy as one might think: I have used needle & thread, lightweight screen, clay and roller...and am really happy with the look.

disaster!

you are never prepared for failure....even though it happens routinely in the studio...

i had loaded the increasingly heavy clay on an inadequate armature....it simply was too weak to hold the weight. I arrived at the studio and found the old water god toppled like a drunken sprite.





Visit my website at: http://www.sculpturebymichael.com/

I had a good start on Neptune and was slapping on the clay happily.....

satisfaction!

I am happy with the result: now Big Blue stands ready for the bronze work which is planned. I will be modeling in clay, making the molds and finding a foundry. This project is definitely a Five Year Plan.

680 hours later (continued)

A combination of hand tools, diamond blades and hand polishing blocks were needed to bring out the shape and color of this dolphin.



One small chip bounced off my chisel and shattered the glass in a patio door (my wife added that to my deficit column) and the area was littered with shards, chips, and dust enough to leave me looking like a snow creature.

680 hours later

this 1 ton block of blue granite was a gift

The project has been 10 years in the making & only the stone portion of the planned piece is complete. In 1999 it sat waiting for me to finish construction projects; in 2002 it was wrestled into place for carving and received the first shaping; then I went off to China for 3 years. So it was 2007 before I picked up the tools again and started working in earnest. In 2008 it was put on hold again as another construction project hauled me to Las Vegas.