My newest work started out from a 12 x 12 x 3 block of glued reclaimed redwood boards. After I started carving, the piece looked like an eruption, like a volcano inside-out. So, I named it "Eruption" and continued working on it with this dramatic picture in mind. But as soon as I started sanding, it felt the piece had "softened". When I applied the chalk paint and the Varnish Oil I knew I had to find a different name. After finishing the piece, I went for a walk and when I saw a few flowers on the trail, the name just appeared "Volcano of Flowers" - a volcano that releases layers of wooden flowers. For more details, additional photos and dimensions, please go to the sculpture page. Hope you enjoy it.
Opening Reception at Blue Line Arts Gallery
Last weekend was the opening reception at the Blue Line Arts Gallery in Roseville, CA. The show is a group exhibition and the jury selected my wall sculpture "3500 Years". The exhibition is called "Art of Ekphrasis" and each art work includes a poem, a story or other written statement. You can see my poem and the sculpture in more detail in this recent blog post. Check out the show when you have a chance, it goes until February 25, 2017.
The Big Wave on display in Mill Valley's sculpture garden - Illumigarden
Last weekend, I installed my most recent work "The Big Wave" at Illumigarden, a sculpture garden in Mill Valley. It consists of 90+ pieces of reclaimed redwood and measures 5 feet by 3.5 feet - it truly is a big wave. Check it out when you are in Marin, and visualize how it might look like at one of your walls at home. Enjoy!
Opening Reception for MARVELOUS show at Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Last night was the opening reception of MARVELOUS, the International Exhibition of Collage, Assemblage and Construction in Sebastopol. Thank you to the jury John Hundt, Sherry Parker, and Cecil Touchon for selecting my sculpture "Hundred Trees" and thank you to the team of the Sebastopol Center for the Arts for hosting a great exhibition and reception. The show goes until February 12, 2017 - hope you can check it out.
Study of a wooden torso sculpture
Several months ago, I did a quick study of a male torso sculpture. I had found a leftover piece of reclaimed redwood, actually three boards that were glued together. I looked at it and thought - let's try a torso. So, I started sketching, sawing, carving, more sketching and carving and finally finished it with lemon scented butcher block oil.
What I personally liked about this project, was the fact that the piece of wood had some carving marks from a previous test I did with a new tool. So I had to improvise and go with what I had, and that is what I enjoy when working with old reclaimed wood.
Carved by Time II on display at Healdsburg Center for the Arts
One of my newer sculptures is shown at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts starting January 7, 2017. The piece is called Carved by Time II and is made out of 4 boards of reclaimed redwood - glued, carved, sanded and more sanded and finally oiled to bring out the beautiful growth rings and imperfections of the old wood. The exhibition will also feature one of my Moai sculptures.
Hope you have a chance to see my work and enjoy the complimentary wine.
One of my sculptures selected by Blue Line Arts Gallery for "Art of Ekphrasis" show
I am very excited about a new opportunity to show my work. One of my sculptures "3500 Years" just got accepted for the "Art of Ekphrasis" show in the Blue Line Arts Gallery in Roseville. Ekphrasis from the Greek is a verbal description of a visual work of art, often as a short poem. I selected the 3500 Years wall sculpture because it has an interesting story to tell and I wrote about the story in a short poem.
Sweet Dreams - my newest wall sculpture
It's wood, but doesn't it look soft, light, and fluffy like a sweet dream? 60+ reclaimed wood boards glued/doweled and then gently carved, sanded and oiled resulted in this new piece, ready to hang on a wall and make you sleepy and dreamy.
Sitting Meditation at the Berkeley Art Center
Last Saturday was the opening reception for the HERE show at the Berkeley Art Center and one of my sculptures "Sitting Meditation" was present, sitting quietly among the hundred of guests. Thanks to the Berkeley Art Center for this opportunity to show my work.
This sculpture was in the works for 3500 years
I just finished a new sculpture, consisting of 70 end pieces from reclaimed redwood boards. Each piece shows about 50 growth rings - and that makes it a total of 3500 years (of course not sequential since most of the trees grew at the same time, but still...). The sculpture itself is a growth curve with ups and downs to illustrate how life or pretty much anything develops over time. Take a look at more pictures of the wall sculpture.
Marvelous - one of my sculptures selected by jury for the international exhibition of collage, assemblage and construction
Marvelous news - one of my newest sculptures "Hundred Trees" was selected by the jury of the International Exhibition of Collage, Assemblage and Construction. The exhibition is called "Marvelous!" and is hosted by the Sebastopol Center for the Arts from January 6 to February 12, 2017. The Opening Reception is on January 6, from 6pm - 7:30pm in Sebastopol and I hope to see you there.
The sculpture I submitted "Hundred Trees" was truly a work of assemblage and construction. Over the last several months I collected the cut-offs and small pieces of reclaimed redwood that were left over from my work, and started gluing them together. I just couldn't throw those pieces away, each of these pieces used to be part of a tree. After about six months I had a rough tree re-assembled, consisting of 374 pieces from probably hundred of trees. After lots of carving and sanding the tree re-emerged - take a look at the finished tree sculpture.
My sculptures at Illumigarden Gallery in Mill Valley
I am very excited about a new Gallery showing my sculptures - Illumigarden in Mill Valley. Illumigarden has a beautiful and inspirational garden with steel, wood and ceramic sculptures and wall art. So, if you are in Marin County make sure to stop by and enjoy the atmosphere of this place and discover art work from many different artists including my work (Ancient Moai, Moai Al Fresco, Flow, Three Lightning and Seven Wood Chakras)
Open Studio and Collective Consciousness Exhibition at The Compound Gallery
Last weekend, The Compound Gallery opened the "Collective" Consciousness" Exhibition and also held an Open Studio. I had the opportunity to show four of my sculptures (Easter Island 71, Carved by Time, Shockwave and Bubbles) as part of the Open Studio. One other piece (Three Perspectives) is shown until Dec. 16, 2016 as part of the "Collective Consciousness" exhibition curated by Toni Gentilli in the Studio Artist Gallery. Thanks to Matt and Lena for having me participate in this event and thanks to everyone who stopped by. It is always very gratifying to talk to people who are interested in my work and in art in general.
I am also very excited about having one other sculpture on display in the Berkeley Art Center from December 3, 2016 to January 8, 2017 as part of the BAC Artist Annual Exhibition. Stay tuned.
The making of wooden sculpture "Easter Island 71"
After having created several sculptures by glueing redwood boards vertically, I started several sculptures by stacking pieces horizontally. In fact, I cut, sanded and glued 71 wood pieces for the Moai sculpture below. Many of the cut-out layers have a simple shape that is similar to the shape of Easter Island - that's why I named the sculpture "Easter Island 71". Below are a few pictures that show the process steps of stacking, glueing, and carving.
Cutting out the board and stacking them
Glueing the boards
Carving the head
Finally, after lots and lots of sanding, I applied several coats of linseed oil to bring out the warm colors of the redwood grain and to protect the wood. Take a look at the finished Easter Island 71 sculpture.
Final carving and sanding
From old desk to a new sculpture
An old wooden oak desk was sitting outside, waiting to be hauled away. The veneer started to come off and I started to think about what to do with the nice weathered oak veneer. Oak is heavy, however, the veneer is light and flexible and when I cut the veneer in long strips I came up with the idea of making a simple yoga/meditation pose. I started with drawing a silhouete of a pose and then used the drawing to bend, glue and connect strips of veneer.
Simple drawing of pose
Glueing multiple strips of veneer and holding them in place
Mounting on base board
It is fascinating how the glue between the layers of veneer holds the shape in place. Take a look at the finished sculpture here.
New Reclaimed Wood
Whenever I get new reclaimed redwood, I am surprised by how different a medium like wood can be. Each board offers one snapshot of an amazing variety of potential colors, grain, knots, and cracks. Certain pieces of wood show right away what they "want to be" in their new life as a sculpture (e.g. the unique circled grain of the Bubbles sculpture), others are more shy about it and it takes me a while to discover what I want to do with it. Take a look at a sample of boards I got a few weeks ago.
Lazy afternoon Drawing
Several years ago, during a lazy afternoon with my kids, I drew this picture in pencil from a cover of our favorite "Calvin and Hobbes" book. The other day I found it in a stack of old artwork and I remembered why I like it so much. It inspires me to do something, and at the same time to do nothing and just relax - "because the days are just packed".
