Torso Girl

Torso Girl
Metal.....  15'x30"

This is the last sculpture I've been working on.  It's an epic piece in that it has hundreds of nuts and bolts all arranged and welded together to create this torso.  This sculpture has taken me considerable time to get to this stage. 

I still have some tweaking to do on this.  The back needs re-enforcing welding in strategic places so it won't break. I need to create some sort of bracket so it can be mounted on the wall.  Other than that she is done.

Now here is my question, especially for artists out there working on large pieces.  When doing a piece of artwork that takes an enormous amount of time it prevents you from completing several smaller pieces.  Sometimes selling several smaller pieces is easier than selling a major piece. 

What and how do you deal with this scenario?

Conducting an Art Show

The Last Art Show

The last art show that I participated in was at the Home and Garden Show in my home town. I belong to the local art guild and we were able to set up our art work in the lobby entrance. As people walked in to go the the arena part where the home and garden show was they would pass by our art work.

There were eight of us including myself, and I'm the only one that sold a piece of artwork. I also got some really good contacts and leads for workshops, and also other sales based on what some people saw. I seem to be outselling my art colleagues at the art shows and I wonder why this is so. At this show I had a good chance to see why this is so. 

Whenever someone seemed to be looking at my work I would engage with them, telling them about the piece, what inspired me, how I made it and I'd talk about myself as an artist. Then I'd make sure the person would get a card so they could check out my work further at home if they wanted to. 

Just on this point I noticed a difference. Some of the other artists were quite happy to sit among themselves having a conversation, even while people were looking at their artwork. One of the other artists was involved in promoting our summer Art in the Park. Another two members had their work hung but did not involve themselves with being an active participant in the show. The way I figure it is if you want to sell your work then you should be there doing that.  ART DOES NOT SELL ITSELF typically.  Now having just said that, the piece I sold was by one of the participants of the Home Show that saw my Kokopelli while she was entering the building going to her booth. She took my card and gave me a call telling me that she wanted to buy the sculpture. This does not happen very often. 

What I have to realize is that each of these eight people have a different agenda when it comes to being an artist. Some of us are just poking at it with a stick, just a hobby on weekends, they like the friendships of the other members, it's an outing and many such reasons. Not high on the list of wanting to be a professional art business (such as myself). So I learned that all I need to do is to continue to focus on what I want to do and let everyone else do what they want to do. 

African Queen

A New Series: African Masks

Just a short while ago I purchased a book on African Masks because that's just another thing that I have a fascination for. The reason I bought the book was for inspiration so I could make masks myself out of metal. 

Today I made the first one.  I started out by cutting the shape out of a sheet of 1/8" in sheet metal.  After that I used my blacksmiths forge to shape the head just the way I wanted it.

Next I cut out the eyes and the mouth which was followed by welding on a nose.  I needed hair and I remembered that I had this neat brush made of horse hair.  I was able to fabricate that to the back of the mask.  The next thing I did was to add a bunch of grinding in just the right places.  The only thing left was to add some colour and some triple glaze shine.  Add a hook to the back and I'm done.

This mask is grotesque.  It sure won't be everyone's cup of tea, in fact it wasn't Laura's that's for sure.  Matter of fact, she said that it will not hang on the fence where I have some of my other sculptures.  Well, that's ok... because not every one of my works can be loved.

Now I'm inspired to create a whole series of masks.  Tonight I'll get down to the books and research masks. 

What do you think of this?  Please leave a comment..

The Making of "Sailor's Dream"

Sailor's Dream

Recently I began working on an installation piece that I've titled "Sailor's Dream". Now here's the rub.  I can't show the finished piece because I believe it's too controversial. 

With all that's happening right now in the world in regards to how men relate to, have related to women leaves me no choice but to be very careful on how this installation is presented to the public. 

I had coffee with a good friend the other day and showed him my progress on the piece and told him the story behind the piece, and he says with the story the installation is alright. In and of itself may not be alright.

I challenged my social media followers to write a poem or story based on the elements of the installation. At this point two people have responded with great poems and another person refereed a song that he remembered. 

Here are the items that I listed to write the story.

1. a single metal frame bed from a coastal ship

2. a sailor

3. a beautiful woman

4. rope

5. a footlocker

6. a dream

7. pinup pictures

The Sailor

Shawn Van Wagner

Tired, with muscles like rope
From hauling lines
Rises at dawn from his metal cot
Aboard the ship
In the harbour.

He descends the plank,
Footlocker hoisted...
And she is light upon his shoulder
His dream girl.
She lives inside his coffer
and she lives in Hollywood...

He doesn't know
She is depleted...
With drink, with drugs
He only dreams...

He dreams of her
As he sails
Over the shiny metal rails
Of the CN line
Through prairie grass
To home.

A plain beautiful woman
Sits across from him
Watching
He doesn't see her.

The Sailor

Kimberley Guilmette

he felt like he was drowning

in the soil beneath his feet,

like heavy ropes were tugging at the sinew of his calves

tearing deeper and deeper into  his hard and well-worn muscles,

into his very chest wall and strangling his heart

he was fatigued and unable to fight back

he had to abandon her, he could not live on this land that she adored

he needed the ocean beneath his feet...

to survive

he made the choice

he loved her with all his soul, but his heart belonged to the sea...

it was calling him home...

to the peace found upon his cot

to be rocked into a sleep deeper than death

by the swelling waves that embraced his soul

that were as welcoming as a return to the womb

only to wake with dried salty tears upon his face

reminding him of a choice long ago made

and to her fading face looking down upon him

he reaches a hand to touch what might have been

but

he made the choice

Someone else commented that the selected items reminded him of a song, "Southern Cross", by Crosby, Stills and Nash.

If you want to see this installation you must write a poem or story using the selected items above. I've rewarded each participant with photos of the installation and invited them to the studio to see the art piece.  

Write a poem or story and you too can see the Sailor's Dream

Foundry Press

"What is it?"

I was able to get this fabulous steampunk sort of tool from the old Imbleau Foundry in Renfrew, which made manhole covers. 

I usually don't like to pay for items but this was too good to not have.  I have some other rather unusual items such as this that I'm going to use as a personal sculpture at my studio if only for the reason that these unusual things give me great pleasure. 

As the weather improves I'll be putting this masterpiece together.

Building a new forge

I bought this small forge several years ago, and I never used it so I decided to sell it. The blower works good but the fire pot is starting to rust out and the legs are in rough shape too. I posted this on several "For Sale" sites including the one for Blacksmiths For Beginners. 

I was asking $550 dollars for this, not because of the value of the fire pot but because of the value in the blower. I had one fellow comment that he bought one similar to this for $25 and indicated that I was asking too much. There is always someone who gets a great deal. 

I had it up for awhile and got no responses so I decided to rebuild the forge. I found a piece of sheet metal approximately 32"x22"x3/16" thick.  Perfect. I was going to reuse the blower on this new forge but after cutting the hole in the plate steel for where the air comes in I realized that I should have had the hole a little closer to the side. The blower was not really going to work.  I decided at that point to use electric air, as I call it. 

This was a really neat project. I was able to get all the parts I needed although I was hoping for some sort of blower/fan but could not find one anywhere in town. I decided to use a hair dryer as so many people have used before. I did a test and the forge worked really good. 

I thought that I would sell this one for $350, because I could always make another. As a matter of fact, when this sells I'm going to do just that.  I already have another brake drum ready to go. I'll go to the metal shop and buy the material to make it. 

I could do this. Make forges. There are many people who want to get into forging but don't have the welding facilities to make their own.

Do you want a forge?   Contact me....

My Life As A Modern Day Hunter-Gatherer

I’ve made claims that my life now is more likened to a modern day hunter-gatherer than that of a farmer-herder. I see a farmer or a herder as one who stays in one place garnering all that they need in life from one source – a job or career, whereas the hunter-gatherer goes out daily and collects from many sources. One day perhaps he manages to shoot a mastodon and it feeds him for many days and weeks, or perhaps nothing much is found so all he comes home with is a basket full of berries. A successful hunter-gatherer does not let this worry him though, for he knows that tomorrow bigger and better things will be there for him.

That’s how it is for me. I’ve worked in the construction industry for forty-seven years. That life is like being a farmer or herder; always relying on one source for ones needs. For the past several years though I’ve moved away from farming and herding to hunting and gathering, and I must say I’m enjoying this much more. The modern day term for this is "diversification" or metaphorically speaking, "not putting all your eggs in one basket".

I still do construction work but very little now. Several years ago I took a course in welding and oxy-acetylene cutting and began my career in creating abstract metal art. Now this has proven to be very fruitful, not only making and selling art, but conducting workshops at my studio as well. 
Also I make cremation containers for a local funeral home. 
I provide a service where I do dump runs, and I find that what people don’t need or want I sometimes turn this around and make money on that. For example, I may get a piece of furniture that I can re-sell or perhaps there is metal in the dump run that I can use for my artwork, and if not, I can sell it at the scrap yard for cash. 
Also, as a minimalist, I’ve been selling that which I don’t need or want anymore. 
What’s really new for me is recently I’ve been asked to conduct a speaking engagement or workshop on journaling which I will get paid for, so I can add professional speaker to my hunting and gathering skills. Oh yes, I’ve reached the age of retirement and now get my retirement pension checks from the government.

For the average person this type of lifestyle would be too stressful. I don’t find it to be so because my whole life I always wondered if there would be work tomorrow. I’ve learned to trust.

There is a story in the Bible where the Israelites were in transition from Egypt to the Promised Land and wandered in the desert for forty years. They were in need of food so the Lord provided ‘manna from heaven’. Every morning there was a white substance that could be gathered off the ground that fed them for the day. There was only enough for one day though, and the people had to trust that tomorrow there would be food provided again for them again. This went on for the remainder of their journey and once they arrived there was plenty of other types of food for them.

So, for me I’ve been wandering in the desert for the past forty-seven years, always trusting that there would be food tomorrow, and so far I have not been let down. I wake up each morning and look for my preverbal manna.

What are your thoughts on this? Are you a hunter-gatherer? If so, how is it working for you?

x

Are Readymades art?

Do You Think “Readymades” is considered art?

Marcel Duchamp was the first artist to present an ordinary object and deemed it art. This caused quite a stir in the art world at the time.

"Readymades" were found objects which Duchamp chose and presented as art. In 1913, Duchamp installed a Bicycle Wheel in his studio. However, the idea of Readymades did not fully develop until 1915. The idea was to question the very notion of Art, and the adoration of art, which Duchamp found "unnecessary".

My idea was to choose an object that wouldn't attract me, either by its beauty or by its ugliness. To find a point of indifference in my looking at it, you see.

Bottle Rack (1914), a bottle drying rack signed by Duchamp, is considered to be the first "pure" readymade. Prelude to a Broken Arm (1915), a snow shovel, also called In Advance of the Broken Arm, followed soon after. His Fountain, a urinal signed with the pseudonym "R. Mutt", shocked the art world in 1917. Fountain was selected in 2004 as "the most influential artwork of the 20th century" by 500 renowned artists and historians.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Duchamp

"Portal", as seen in the garden

I can appreciate readymades as art.  There, I said it.  At my Walden Three Studio I look at the hundreds of metal objects lying on my tables and I sometimes stare at wonder at the beauty of the shape. 

Perhaps it’s the colour, or maybe the shape, or perhaps I think of what the item could be combined with to create something else, such as Picasso’s “Bulls Head”. Maybe it’s just the history of the item I’m looking at that it deserves to be honoured again.

Perhaps if I re-present the piece it would look good in some one’s home, or perhaps their garden. That’s why I like readymades. Such is the case with this sculpture I call, “The Portal”. 

This is a tool that was used in a foundry to hold the container of molten metal that would be poured into a mold. When this piece is put into the ground it has a certain beauty in its rough shape. It looks good in the garden with flowers growing around it.

So…. Does readymades appeal to you?  Do you think this is art?  Please comment.

What to do....

An upside down terminally ill trailer

The jury has deliberated and for sure; my utility trailer is terminally ill. Late last fall the bearing went in one of the wheels and the wheel was certain to come off while driving. 

I've had people tell me that the best thing I should do is to drive it to the scrapyard and just leave it there. I'd probably get a $100 if I was lucky.  They say, and I'm really considering this, "Get a new trailer Jack, and while you're at it, make sure it's a dump trailer". I've researched trailers and it's going to cost me $6,000 to get a new one. Now, first of all, I don't have $6,000 for a new trailer, so I'd have to borrow the money to do this.  I use the trailer for my art business, some construction work I still do periodically, dump runs that I do, and often I just need a trailer. 

At this point I can't haul anything, so therefore I can't even advertise doing dump runs.  Doing dump runs generates income and creates activity. I decided to do some surgery on the old gal, and I realized that the bearing assembly was too far gone, so I'd have to replace the entire axle.  I checked Princess Auto and they were on sale. 

So, the long and short of it is, I installed the axle and now I have a functioning trailer again.  Once I start to generate some dump run activity, I may get the dump trailer.  So..... if you are in need of a dump run, I'm your man.

A Cold Day at the Studio

Yesterday I wanted to create something at the studio, but the outside temperature was a balmy minus 18 degrees C.  The video I post is basically a walk around in my slice of winter wonderland, and to the average person it would seem that it would be impossible to get anything done in these conditions.  But, I've set myself up so I can work in cold conditions.  Recently I purchased a propane heater and with my wood stove going I can get my "in between space" a lot warmer, not t-shirt conditions, but tolerable. After a couple of hours I had the temperature up to plus 10 degrees C.  A difference of 28 degrees. 

So at the end of the day yesterday I was able to get two chorus girls almost completed.  One is welded together just needing the base and the other is set to weld.  I also worked on a fiddle sculpture that I want to make, much the same as my guitars I do.  

Today I'll go out to the studio and continue with the three pieces I started yesterday.  Next post will show some forge work, and the progress on the chorus girls.  

Art Show at Gallery 1313, Queen Street, Toronto, ON

Jan 31-Feb 11, 2018

Selfie in front of my work

This past Tuesday I left Renfrew at 5:00 AM and drove to Toronto to set up for my art show with Art Tour Collective.  I arrived at the gallery at 10:30, the longest part of the drive was the slow going traffic on the Don Valley Parkway. After speaking with the curator and the gallery owner I was given my wall space and I started hanging my work.  I brought four pieces for this show; "Family Portrait", "Tenor Guitar", "Heavy Guitar", and "Big Mouth".  After my work was hung I helped to hang some of the other art works in the show.  

The opening vernisage was on Thursday evening so I had some time to kill, which I did by staying at my son and his family in Burlington. I had an enjoyable time with the family.  

On Thursday I arrived at the gallery three hours before the opening, but that's ok, because now I had a parking spot.  Spent some time checking out the shops on Queen Street before going to the opening.

The opening was great.  Lots of people attended and I had a chance to meet many new people.  It's great to be able to talk about art to a like-minded audience. After the show I drove back to Renfrew, which is about a four hour drive.  Needless to say, I was exhausted from the last couple of days so Friday was more of a down day.  

Now, I await for an email from someone who would like to have one of my sculptures in their own home.

Sailboats.... an update

Today I got all the sailboats constructed and put together.  I'm at an impasse now as I'm not sure if I want to add sails like I first wanted to, or leave the piece just as it is now, like a line drawing.  I've created an extra sail to work on. If I put sails on the piece I still have to decide if I'll put on canvas fabric or metal, perhaps copper. I'll leave the sculpture up and sleep on it for awhile.

This video shows the finished piece as it sits on the wall.  I address some of the issues I have with completing the piece.

Be a Dreamer

Be a dreamer.... this is what I learned from my experience of trying to make a go of a multi-level marketing program.  The program promised riches beyond measure, and for many people it worked.  This post is not about the good, the bad and the ugly of these types of programs, but rather, for me, what I learned from it all.  For me it was the positive thinking that we were taught. Much of it was from books, and the books that I depict are still, in my estimation, great books to read.

I learned such things as, "As a man thinketh; so is he"  What you think about regularly is what you will become. 

I've also learned much from philosophers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.  I believe everyone should read Emerson's essay, "Self Reliance" One passage that I read in 1967 profoundly changed my life.

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Out upon your guarded lips! Sew them up with packthread, do. Else, if you would be a man, speak what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon balls, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. Ah, then, exclaim the aged ladies, you shall be sure to be misunderstood. Misunderstood! It is a right fool's word. Is it so bad then to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood."

During this time of my life I was searching for my identity.  I knew I was a bit different, or as Thoureau would say, I marched to the beat of my own drummer. 

I recommend that you go to your local bookstore and pick up these books and give it a go.  Still terrific reading. 

A Journey

Where I am is a result of where I've been....

As I look at my life as an artist now I look back at what events brought me to this place. What ports has my ship landed in to get me here, and what ports must I go to to get to where I'm going. In this post I'll mention a few ports and elaborate on one. I'll elaborate on the others on subsequent posts.

1. What I learned while trying to get ahead with a multi-level marketing business.

2. What I learned from my father in regards to a work ethic.

3. Early beginnings in my art career.

4. Toastmasters: what this organization has done for me.

5. Walden Three Studio: where I am right now.

In this post I would like to focus on what Toastmasters has done for me and in particular how it has propelled my business to new heights.  When I first joined Toastmasters several years ago I was very afraid to speak in front of large groups. I had no problem with small informal gatherings, but large formal gatherings scared me.  I knew I wanted to be able to promote my art business in a positive manner so I had to learn to speak in front of large groups.  I said that to the president of our local group and she took my request quite literally and had me chair a contest two weeks after joining. Luckily I had a template to work from.  

I liken the Toastmaster experience to learning a musical instrument. In order to be proficient one must practice on a regular basis. That's just what I did. Over the next few years I gained much confidence and have since been on television, radio, delivered compelling articles to newspapers and presented talks to local organizations, as well as being able to promote my art business.  

This past week I've been asked to present a workshop on journalling to an organization, who was aware that I journalled on a regular basis and asked if I'd come present what I know to the group.  I agreed to this challenge.  I've never presented a workshop before; at my Toastmaster club our speeches generally run from five to seven minutes.  I'm quite excited about this challenge

How does this apply to my art career at Walden Three Studio?  Well I believe that it takes many experiences to complete oneself.  It's more than just taking a course in welding and then Voila, I'm a successful artist. No, it takes many experiences to make the whole.  The ship must land in many ports. 

Sailboats in the Water

I've embarked on a brand new sculpture in my studio this past week and I must say I'm pretty excited about it. This sculpture is based on this image that I have.  What I wanted to do was to create a line drawing and then shape 1/2"x3/16" flat bar to make all the shapes.  What I find most fascinating about this is that a photograph or a painting is only two dimensional whereas a metal sculpture is three dimensional.  That's what I love about my work.  I began by having the jpeg image put onto an overhead projector sheet, then project the image onto a sheet of plywood to the size of the finished sculpture.

This video shows part of the process in making this sculpture. I show how I use a sheet of paper to make the shape that I need and then transpose that shape onto my welding table.  After that I show how I bend the piece of flat bar using my mig welder, oxygen acetylene torches and grinders.

This sculpture will be six feet wide by twenty inches high. I'm considering using a well weathered sheet of copper, which has a gorgeous patena for the sails, and some sheet metal for the background trees in the background

This sculpture will appeal to the sailing enthusiast.

The Secret

I posted this photo in Facebook today along with this text

Top Five Reasons to Make This

1. No matter what the conditions, just make something.
2. Creativity does not need to wait for inspiration.
3. I'm an artist, therefore I create art.
4. Someone may like this, but it does not matter... I do.
5. Beats sitting on the couch all day.

I call this piece, "Garden Guard". Approximately 15"x30". There is a great story behind this piece. If you want to know, just ask.

The great story is really quite simple.  Just like Nike's catch phrase, "Just Do It", it's a great way to accomplish that what you set out to do. When I went out to my studio this morning I really had no plan in mind, except i knew that I wanted to create something.

The main body of this piece was resting close by for the past few months and I knew that one day I was going to make something out of it. Well, today was the day. 

I started out by making a fire in my wood stove, cleared my table and began. It all came together just as I had imagined many times before. By late afternoon this is what I came up with. For me it's a reminder that I can create. All I have to do is just "do it". 

You may think this is all so anti climatic. You were hoping for some great fabulous story, but all you got was this.  Let me tell you.  This is all you need.  Re-read the top five reasons to make this.  You can do it too.

Shovel Head Bird Feeders

This video features the latest of my shovel head bird feeder sculptures.  Last year as I was getting set up for my show at Kiwi Gardens Laura said, "Why don't you bring your bird feeder?".

I replied, "This is my feeder... I've been feeding the birds for the past two years, and I've never really considered selling it."

She said, "I'm sure many people would like it."

She was right. I sold the feeder the first hour of the show, took commissions for two others, and later in the summer, took a commission to make another one. Had I have brought five, I would have sold all five.  Having said that, I now have five bird feeders to go to the next show.

Over the past week or so as I was building some new feeders I was blessed with many birds coming to the feeder.

Such a simple concept. Take some shovels, weld them to a post, and voila, you have a feeder. It's more than that though. Not only are these functional, they have artistic merit.

I think of a farmers wife saying to her husband, "John... could you make me some kind of bird feeder?"

Instead of going to town and buying some fancy smancy feeder he goes to the shop and notices five or six broken shovels lying there in the corner. He thinks to himself, if I only weld these to a post then I have a feeder. So that's precisely what he does. He brings this up to the house and says to his wife, with a big grin on his face, "there you go darlin', your new bird feeder."

That's my story on how I came upon making these feeders. Sometimes you have a need and then you come up with a way to that meet that which you need.

Functional Art

I'm Back....again

Enjoying a tea

I'm Back

Well after another hiatus I've decided to offer content on this blog on a regular basis. I've not always been as diligent in doing this, so I hope to keep it up this time.

I intend to begin by offering posts on working in the studio during the cold winter months. What keeps me motivated. Where do I get my inspiration. Challenges working in a cold environment.

Let me know that you are there... It keeps me pumped.