Royal doing the Twist in the Studio

Meyer Lemon in Full Bloom

Hoping for a bumper crop in the fall!

Restoring "Bask" after the October Fires in Santa Rosa/Sonoma

They lost all their possessions in the October fires. Two bronze sculptures were the only things even recognizable in the ashes. The heat of the fire melted the foot off of the sculpture "Dive" but after seeing a photo of the two pieces I thought there was a chance I could do something with "Bask". The following images will show some of the steps involved in restoration. The piece got so hot in the fire that much of the surface liquified and wrinkled upon cooling. There were areas that had melted glass embedded in the surface. I decided to leave the wrinkled surface on some of the sculpture in order to embody what it had been through, but not the skin, the wrinkled skin was too disturbing to me.

Finished restoration and ready to ship back to Randy and his wife.

As it was found in the ashes. Severely oxidized, surface wrinkles, glass meted into the bronze in several areas, and the entire piece warped and bowed from the heat.

First thing was prepare to sand blast so I could see what I had to work with.

Sandblasting with recycled fine white silica sand. The sand has been used so often it's no longer sharp so I don't risk damaging the surface.

Initial sandblasting finished, now I can see what I have to work with.

Chiseling out the embedded glass.

Tig welding damaged areas with bronze filler rod.

Welding up damage on the face.

Sanding down the preliminary weld repairs.

The form is warped from the heat. The tube & arm & leg need to be flat on the ground plane.

Getting the piece very hot and then quenching in cold water to soften the bronze before trying to flatten it out.

lifting the piece out of the water after quenching.

Building a tool to flatten the sculpture

Marking the bronze in preparation for the press.

The center of the piece is blocked up and the pressure is pushing the perimeter of the piece down.

The press along with some hammering got the perimeter of the tube down, but the arm & leg shrunk in the fire, so I'm adding bronze by TIG welding.

The face need a little work.

That's getting better.

Spraying on Birchwood Casey cold.

All black now, ready to scrub back the skin with scotchbrite pads, a brass wire brush, and steel wool.

Scrubbed back and ready for heat to set the black.

The Black is set, ready for Ferric Nitrate.

Heating and spraying Ferric Nitrate.

Still hot after applying Johnson's paste wax.

Cooled and ready to ship.

Drifting #2 off to a collector in Orinda California

#1 went to a collector in New Jersey

"Drifting" in his new home in Orinda, California.

California Fire

A couple lost their home and all possessions in the California fire. The only two things that were recognizable were Bask & Dive. Dive is a little worse for the wear. Bask may be salvageable.

New Works JRB Art Gallery opening reception Friday, Nov 3rd 6-10PM

Exhibition runs November 3 through 25 2017
JRB Art Gallery

Drifting 2017 bronze edition of 35 13" x 23 x 44

New bronze "Drifting" will be in my JRB show opening Fri. Nov 3rd, 6pm
JRB Art Gallery

"The Hare" or "I'm Too Sexy For The Garden"

"The Hare" or "I'm Too Sexy For The Garden"  bronze  1/35  12" x 13" x 10"

It will be in my show at JRB Gallery that opens November 3rd, 2017 6pm

Team Lauson

"Team Lauson"  2017  25" x 40 x 19 bronze, teak, 19th century clay bottles, Lauson engine, soap box derby wheels, mixed media, steel.

"2017 Watch This" bronze, steel, bone

"2017 Watch This" bronze, steel, bone   18" x 7 x 6. 
For my upcoming show at JRB, opens Friday, Nov 3rd.

"Through the Looking Glass" 2017

"Through the Looking Glass" bronze, steel, stainless steel, glass.  2017 12" x 11" x 11"   My OVAC 12 x 12 submission.

Helping Christie Owens Hackler with her Aspen, Colorado Commission.

Drilling a ½" hole in white marble.

Teamwork...

Continued studio work with Lynette Mathis & Christine Partigianoni.

Welcoming two new artists to the studio... 
Ceramicist Lynette Mathis, and Sculptor Christine Partigianoni.

continuing to sculpt on what Lynette & Christine started.

Sisyphus almost ready for oil clay.

"Royal" doing it's thing at Sculptfest at the Oasis, Lake Travis Austin, Texas

Sculptfest at the Oasis, Lake Travis Austin, Texas

Had a successful weekend at Sculptfest. Clint Howard of Deep in the Heart Art Foundry did an incredible job putting this show together. One of my collectors already sent photos of his installation.

Freak wind storm in OKC

Strong winds blew through at 4 in the morning. Mighty Mouse & friends continue to Party after  narrowly avoided disaster at JRB Gallery.

Getting Ready for a sculpture show in Austin

It will be at The Oasis at Lake Travis.

Enlargement back from Taylor Foam

Double life-size Sisyphus enlarged by Taylor Foam of OKlahoma City. They did a great job. Something seemed eerily familiar about this image when I saw it. I just figured out it reminds me of one of the witches monkeys in The Wizard of Oz.