sculpture
I am now listing carving stone on my website, www.mikemccarthysculptor.com, under the Art Work drop down. Below are two of the blocks that are currently listed on the site. I will primarily have Indiana Limestone for sale for now. However, I plan to add other stones as they become available. I will also be listing some gently used tools on this page as well so check back often.
Block 101 - aprox 46lbs. - 9" x 5" x 12" - $15
Block 102 - aprox 90lbs. - 10" x 8" x 12" - $20
"Cor Liberum" was slow to get started, but I am already working on the fourth of the five birds for the sculpture. This one is one of the smaller birds (one of the three on the tallest posts). It is split, cut to its rough outline, and now I am refining the shapes. I am still using a diamond blade at this time but will soon move to the air hammer. It then has to get flipped and the bottom side shaped. I will then switch back to a grinder with sanding disks.
I have always found the process of using Feathers and Wedges to split a stone so fascinating. I think it is the coolest thing that the force these small tools provide is enough to split stone. More importantly, the fact that you can somewhat shape the stone through the placement of the holes is even more amazing.
In this short video, you will see about 20 minutes of work condensed to a little over 1 minute. While 20 minutes may seem like a long time, it reduces this 4' x 4' x 1' block by 1/4 and shapes the end of the tail of one of my birds for "Cir Liberum"
Enjoy!
It has been a while since I have posted. This is largely due to the fact that I have been working late on getting the birds for "Cor Liberum" roughed out so I can bring them from the studio home. I prefer to carve at home when I can. I have the smallest one done. and last night, I really made progress on the largest. The wings still need to be thinned out some, but it is well on its way towards finishing out.
The largest of the "Cir Liberum" birds (upside down). The wing span is o little over 4 feet.
So when Rick called me to let me know he was on his way to the studio he asked "Did you know you were getting 2 stones?" No, I did not know I was getting two stones. I knew about the 24000 pounder. I also knew I had two 17000 pound stones that were going to come sometime next month. I asked how heavy the small stone was the second stone. I knew how much work I had in getting the first one cut 24000 pounder cut down and knew I did not have room for the 17000 pounder yet. He said, "Its a small one...its only 5000 pounds." I breathed a sigh of relief. I told him to bring it on down. I could manage that.
It was just 6 years ago that I started back carving stone and I thought 150 pounds was WAY too heavy!
My commission for the Audubon Campus of Norton Hospital really got off to a running (or should I say Lifting) start this past week. I received a 24000 pound stone that will be transformed into the birds for the sculpture experience. After a few delays, I am very excited to be under way. Now, the "heavy lifting" of carving begins. This video is a little sped up so you can actually see progress!
Its one thing to have your work make it into a magazine...quite another to have a full page photo of your work at the start of an article about the sculpture show it is part of!
I was thrilled to receive a call from a friend telling me that she had picked up a bunch of "Southern Indiana Living" magazine and was bringing them to me because it had an article about the show I had help to organize. When she told me that it had a full spread featuring my sculpture "If The Spirit Is Willing", I was over the moon. It is always an honor when you are recognized for the hard work it takes to produce your art. To have it featured so prominently is amazing!
Well, I have made it! the worst part of a sculpture is done. I really don't like doing the sanding on a sculpture. Maybe when I am famous I will hire an apprentice to do this hated task...lol! Seriously, I don't like to sand. But, the results are what they are. If you don't spend time sanding, you don't get the perfection a piece deserves. It is not fun, but it is necessary!
I will finish this piece tomorrow. I filed and sanded all of the bruises and scratches out today. It is sanded to 40 grit. That may not seem like much, given that I have to go to 400 grit paper, but the worst is over. Most of the work is done with the files and the lower grit papers. I will go to 60, 100, 220 and end with 400 grit paper. I think I will leave this one unwaxed. I like the dull finish. That has yet to be determined, but I am leaning that way. Stay tuned and I will post the final piece tomorrow!