Wildlife metal sculpture (1 Viewer)

Thought I'd share my current bird projects. I paint and printmake but at the moment I'm doing a fair bit of small scale metal sculpture. I make them almost entirely from recycled metals and "found objects" so the metals tend to be copper and brass, which colour well when heated. It's a bit like doing watercolour - you aren't necessarily in control of the end result and the most exciting things happen just when you least expect them.

The sculptures are not directly representational and I aim to capture the impression of the birds rather than going for a text book illustration.

After years of doing pictures of one sort or another I'm enjoying having an "object" to hold. It's a very different kind or experience.

I really like what you are doing.
I am working in clay and making representational sculptures of birds. It is very slow going. I like have the 'essence' of the bird there, so that one who knows birds will know what the bird is.
The best ones, of course, are the most obvious, Great Blue Heron, Ibis...things that have very distinct features. I am working on other birds and have been marginally successful with them.
Anyway, back to your work...are these pieces of metal fairly flat? The color variation is fantastic, whether you planned it or not. Have you ever tried multiple birds?

Best
Elizabeth

birdpotter said:

I really like what you are doing.
I am working in clay and making representational sculptures of birds. It is very slow going. I like have the 'essence' of the bird there, so that one who knows birds will know what the bird is.
The best ones, of course, are the most obvious, Great Blue Heron, Ibis...things that have very distinct features. I am working on other birds and have been marginally successful with them.
Anyway, back to your work...are these pieces of metal fairly flat? The color variation is fantastic, whether you planned it or not. Have you ever tried multiple birds?

Best
Elizabeth

Click to expand...

Thanks Elizabeth - it's great to have feedback. I've got heron on my to do list - they have a very distinctive and tempting shape. I particularly like them when they in flight - very primitive looking.

The basic shape of these ones are cut from copper or brass sheet and then bits of detail are soldered on, so they are flat but with a raised texture. For the ones in the photographs I am cutting and building them up freehand and seeing where the sculpture ends up. My partner in art and I have also been doing others which we have cut a template for so the sculpture is repeatable, but they end up different and unique because of the different mounts and the effect of the heat on them.

I haven't done multiple birds, but now you've mentioned it I will! Thanks for the steer.

Have you got any images of your work on here? I'd like to see it.

Hindolbittern said:

Thanks Elizabeth - it's great to have feedback. I've got heron on my to do list - they have a very distinctive and tempting shape. I particularly like them when they in flight - very primitive looking.

The basic shape of these ones are cut from copper or brass sheet and then bits of detail are soldered on, so they are flat but with a raised texture. For the ones in the photographs I am cutting and building them up freehand and seeing where the sculpture ends up. My partner in art and I have also been doing others which we have cut a template for so the sculpture is repeatable, but they end up different and unique because of the different mounts and the effect of the heat on them.

I haven't done multiple birds, but now you've mentioned it I will! Thanks for the steer.

Have you got any images of your work on here? I'd like to see it.

Click to expand...

Have you done any in flight? That would be very cool.

I think the beauty of metal is that you can do the same image and get a variety of results depending on the type of metal, or the oxidation that occurred on the metal or whatever.
Have you managed to sell any of these great pieces yet?
Someday I will get some images of the things that I have been doing. It has been hard, I would love to post them for feedback, but at the same time, not quite happy with what I am doing yet...which is silly, because if I just post them, I might get an idea of the direction I need to take this work in.

Anyway, good luck. If you do any with multiple birds, I would love to see them.
Best
Elizabeth

birdpotter said:

Have you done any in flight? That would be very cool.

I think the beauty of metal is that you can do the same image and get a variety of results depending on the type of metal, or the oxidation that occurred on the metal or whatever.
Have you managed to sell any of these great pieces yet?
Someday I will get some images of the things that I have been doing. It has been hard, I would love to post them for feedback, but at the same time, not quite happy with what I am doing yet...which is silly, because if I just post them, I might get an idea of the direction I need to take this work in.

Anyway, good luck. If you do any with multiple birds, I would love to see them.
Best
Elizabeth

Click to expand...

No herons in flight yet but it's only a matter of time - I can feel one in the offing!

The metal also continues to change over time which is great. One of the ideas simmering on the burner is to do outdoor works i.e. for the garden or wherever so that they age naturally as they are exposed to the weather.

The bird on the right below has started to pick up a hint of verdigris on the base after a few weeks, which looks very pretty against the reds of the copper. Very clever and absolutely nothing to do with me!

We recently had the annual Open Studios here in Norfolk and that was the first time I released them on the unsuspecting public! They went down really well and I sold 10 sculptures, including 5 bitterns, which I was thrilled with. We (my metalwork art partner/technical director and I) have also picked up a couple of (non bird) commisions, including an outdoor one, and have been asked to take part in a specifically birding exhibition later in the year, so I have high hopes. I'm currently trying to work out how to take it all forward now and build on the buzz.

We are looking into getting a website built, which should be going ahead soon, but I don't know if we will be able to sell from there easily. I think people often like to actually see the art they buy in the flesh as it were.

The trouble with galleries is that they take around 40% + (including VAT) commision so that either means making them a lot more expensive to buy or taking quite a hit financially, and they do take quite a long time to make. Although I do realise that the gallery needs to make enough profit to keep going too. At least making them from recycled materials is good economically as well as environmentally!

It's all a challenge...

Go on, post your sculptures, what's the worst thing that could happen? I'd like to see them.

Here's another one that I just finished. No heron in flight yet!

Edit Hmm... don't seem to be able to get the ful bird to load properly, it won't give me view enlarged. I'll try doing it again.

Hopefully the full thing...


Edit: |:|| No, oh well. And I was quite pleased with this one as a better photo too!

This is a nice one, nonetheless.
I guess i have to figure out how to download a couple of mine.
Most of the ones I am really pleased with are still in the unfinished stages. I have some earlier ones I might post.
It sounds like you are doing very well. Found your niche and everything. Very impressed. I hope you continue being successful. And most definitely, do large out doors sculptures, people eat that up!
I think the toughest thing to do is find a venue to sell your work, or even a venue where people can actually appreciate it. I haven't found that yet. I got one piece into the George Ohr museum last year, and since then nothing.

Well, I am going to try to attach a couple of pictures. One is of the normal pottery that I do...all bird oriented. The other is a grouping of birds that had not been fired and maybe only one(the ugliest) is still surviving. Some get broken through transportation, others in the firing and others by my son or dogs.
Maybe I just need to find a better place to work!
Best
Elizabeth

Elizabeth – they are gorgeous!! When you entice people to show you their work there is always the risk that it’ll be a nightmare and you’ll be stuck for anything to say but I’m really glad you showed me these, they are right up my street!

The mugs are really lovely, and I would imagine would sell brilliantly. I’d buy one if I saw one for sale. I particularly like the crow – great stance. I love ceramics and have always collected in a small way. My saved searches on ebay are almost all to do with studio pottery, British stuff like the Leach family, Mick Casson and Cardew – most of it is way too expensive for me. I did use to collect 30s ceramics before it was fashionable, so one day I may trade a Clarice Cliff for something really good from one of them.

I don’t know if any of these names would be as well known in the States, so I may be talking bewildering gibberish from your perspective!

The sculptures are amazing – I really like them as they are, all simple and stark and white. It’s very ethereal seeing them all grouped together like that. Their elongated plinths echo the sinuous forms of the birds beautifully.

They are really haunting. I like. A lot.

They look very vulnerable for firing though. And I shudder to think of them getting broken by the son and the dogs. Ban them immediately. I think you should value the work more than you seem to.

Well, partly as a result of your feedback, I braved a gallery today and just took the three bird sculptures and some greetings cards which show a fair range of my painting and printmaking. And she loved them! The three birds are all now there, each with a very confident price tag , she took loads of my cards and wants pictures from me for an exhibition in August. It’s a really good contemporary gallery on the coast and it’s going to be brilliant to be able to say I show there.

So a big thankyou :flowers: for your important part in me having the nerve to walk through her doors!

So, what’s your next move?

To replace the one that was perched on my window...

Hindolbittern said:

Elizabeth – they are gorgeous!! When you entice people to show you their work there is always the risk that it’ll be a nightmare and you’ll be stuck for anything to say but I’m really glad you showed me these, they are right up my street!

The mugs are really lovely, and I would imagine would sell brilliantly. I’d buy one if I saw one for sale. I particularly like the crow – great stance. I love ceramics and have always collected in a small way. My saved searches on ebay are almost all to do with studio pottery, British stuff like the Leach family, Mick Casson and Cardew – most of it is way too expensive for me. I did use to collect 30s ceramics before it was fashionable, so one day I may trade a Clarice Cliff for something really good from one of them.

I don’t know if any of these names would be as well known in the States, so I may be talking bewildering gibberish from your perspective!

The sculptures are amazing – I really like them as they are, all simple and stark and white. It’s very ethereal seeing them all grouped together like that. Their elongated plinths echo the sinuous forms of the birds beautifully.

They are really haunting. I like. A lot.

They look very vulnerable for firing though. And I shudder to think of them getting broken by the son and the dogs. Ban them immediately. I think you should value the work more than you seem to.

Well, partly as a result of your feedback, I braved a gallery today and just took the three bird sculptures and some greetings cards which show a fair range of my painting and printmaking. And she loved them! The three birds are all now there, each with a very confident price tag , she took loads of my cards and wants pictures from me for an exhibition in August. It’s a really good contemporary gallery on the coast and it’s going to be brilliant to be able to say I show there.

So a big thankyou :flowers: for your important part in me having the nerve to walk through her doors!

So, what’s your next move?

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Wow, you don't know how good you have made me feel about my work. I have a renewed hope for it!
As for what next, I am moving to larger sculptures right now. Part of the problem with these breaking is that they are small-less than 2 feet-so those long bills and skinny stands are very fragile. I like the idea of doing them life size or at least very close. The whole thing would become more sturdy, with thicker walls and lending itself to less fragile pieces. Of course, the smaller birds would still be a challenge, but one I could handle.
I also have a problem with finishing them. That is, you said you liked the stark white of the pieces, and so do I. That particular clay body, when fired, is actually a lovely buff color with dark 'speckles' through it. But it isn't right for the birds. I am working with a dark red sculpture clay body which has no variation, but takes certain glazes and changes their color and depth to my liking. Do I want that on a sculpture? I have no idea. My biggest problem is getting something I am satisfied with not only looks, but being comfortable selling with confidence that it won't fall to pieces with the slightest bump.
I am going to check out a couple of galleries via you being my inspiration.
I am so glad that you took your work to a gallery and they accepted it and want more! Fantastic!
Oh and yes, I have heard of the ceramic artists you mentioned. Especially Leach! I read just recently that David Leach passed. What legends he and his father have become. The only name I did not recognize was Clarice Cliff. So it is time for a google!
Thank you very much for the words, I am going to save them to a file, so I can read them when I am not feeling confident about my work.
:flowers: back at cha.
And I like your latest piece. I love metal. There is something about it...I love the almost filigree(is that the right spelling?) quality of the details. Lovely. What are you using for the bases? Just curious.
Well, as soon as I can get something completely finished, I will send more pictures. I have two crows in the studio right now, bisqued fired. I love them, but don't want to mess them up, so am thinking real hard on it.

Oh and the mugs are usually my most popular pieces. I enjoy the monotony of throwing the same form, but then I get to make each an orginal with whatever bird I choose to put on it.

Thank you again for the inspiring words,
Elizabeth

A bit of mutual support can really tilt the world on its axis can’t it? I’m very grateful for yours.

Let me know how the gallery visits go.

Do you have an Open Studios scheme in New York State? The one here in Norfolk has really been invaluable for me. When I was first starting on this art thing I got a lot of inspiration from visiting other artists’ studios and I’m still friends with some I visited years ago. In the years that I have been participating I’ve found it’s great to be able to sell direct, the feedback is really helpful, you make good contacts, get to network with other artists, meet a lot of interesting people, it provides a valuable deadline (and I really need those! ) and it’s fun!!

I’d love to see the bisque fired crows as they are. Have you got a picture?
I think the birds being made large will be wonderful – you must have a fair size kiln.

I can relate to the fear of things falling apart. I’ve worked with mixed media things involving crushed crab shell (crabs being very representative of these parts) and spent hours trying to get the shell to stick without looking obviously clogged up. Spurred on by the dread of someone getting it home and it gradually snowing flakes of crabshell on their smart waxed oak floor.

The birds are all made from recyled materials, so for this latest one, its “legs” are the top of a steel coathanger. Then it is standing on a brass plumbing joint of some description (I have a friend in the village who is a plumber so he lets me raid his scrap pile) and the base is flattened copper pipe with a brass ring which I think looks like a dish in front of it. Possibly with some tasty mealworms in it.

Clarice Clifff was one of a number of women designers (such as Susie Cooper and Charlotte Rhead) who came out of the local art school and were very influential in the male dominated Staffordshire potteries in the thirties and onward. They did very extraordinary, challenging, colourful, modern designs for the mass market. I was collecting in the early eighties when their work could often be picked up from charity and junk shops and it appealed to my young punk and feminist self.

Now I think about it, I’m slightly worried that I am nowadays coveting functional brown pots made by men!

Thank goodness for your pale elegant birds…

Nice Interpretive Sculpture Hindolbittern. Keep up the great work.

Hindolbittern said:

Thought I'd share my current bird projects. I paint and printmake but at the moment I'm doing a fair bit of small scale metal sculpture. I make them almost entirely from recycled metals and "found objects" so the metals tend to be copper and brass, which colour well when heated. It's a bit like doing watercolour - you aren't necessarily in control of the end result and the most exciting things happen just when you least expect them.

The sculptures are not directly representational and I aim to capture the impression of the birds rather than going for a text book illustration.

After years of doing pictures of one sort or another I'm enjoying having an "object" to hold. It's a very different kind or experience.

Click to expand...

tealtoe said:

Nice Interpretive Sculpture Hindolbittern. Keep up the great work.

Click to expand...

I looked you up on Google and it's really wonderful to have feedback from such a prestigious artist - thanks Vic.

*warm glow*

Hindolbittern said:

A bit of mutual support can really tilt the world on its axis can’t it? I’m very grateful for yours.

Let me know how the gallery visits go.

Do you have an Open Studios scheme in New York State? The one here in Norfolk has really been invaluable for me. When I was first starting on this art thing I got a lot of inspiration from visiting other artists’ studios and I’m still friends with some I visited years ago. In the years that I have been participating I’ve found it’s great to be able to sell direct, the feedback is really helpful, you make good contacts, get to network with other artists, meet a lot of interesting people, it provides a valuable deadline (and I really need those! ) and it’s fun!!

I’d love to see the bisque fired crows as they are. Have you got a picture?
I think the birds being made large will be wonderful – you must have a fair size kiln.

I can relate to the fear of things falling apart. I’ve worked with mixed media things involving crushed crab shell (crabs being very representative of these parts) and spent hours trying to get the shell to stick without looking obviously clogged up. Spurred on by the dread of someone getting it home and it gradually snowing flakes of crabshell on their smart waxed oak floor.

The birds are all made from recyled materials, so for this latest one, its “legs” are the top of a steel coathanger. Then it is standing on a brass plumbing joint of some description (I have a friend in the village who is a plumber so he lets me raid his scrap pile) and the base is flattened copper pipe with a brass ring which I think looks like a dish in front of it. Possibly with some tasty mealworms in it.

Clarice Clifff was one of a number of women designers (such as Susie Cooper and Charlotte Rhead) who came out of the local art school and were very influential in the male dominated Staffordshire potteries in the thirties and onward. They did very extraordinary, challenging, colourful, modern designs for the mass market. I was collecting in the early eighties when their work could often be picked up from charity and junk shops and it appealed to my young punk and feminist self.

Now I think about it, I’m slightly worried that I am nowadays coveting functional brown pots made by men!

Thank goodness for your pale elegant birds…

Click to expand...

I will tell you right now that your feedback has meant the world to me. I have plenty of friends and aquaintances who although know my work very well, have entered that comfort zone of KNOWING it and fail to give me any kind of constructive feedback.
We have something like Open Studios here. The last one for potters was a weekend long thing, but only a selct few artists were chosen based on experience and how nice their studio looked. I am renting my studio space...kind of a communal area, love it though, so that was at least one of the reasons I was not invited to have an open studio. That, and not having 25 years of studio experience under my belt keeps me from getting into some of these events. It is amazing how elitist some potters can be. I am creating my own events though. I belong to the local Clay Guild, and since I joined have gone to almost every meeting or event. I am now head of a large weekend long event that will take place at the beginning of October. It is taking place at a Shaker Heritage Site, large barn, large grounds for outside firing demonstrations, etc. It is coming together nicely and I shan't turn any artist away who is willing to put their neck out!

Crushed crab shell? Wow, I shudder just thinking about how that would work--or wouldn't! Did any of those pieces ever make it out the door? I can't imagine.

And Clarice Cliff! I love her work! I think my favorite images of hers are the trees, but I haven't seen a lot of it. I think I might try to find a book of her biography and her work. Any suggestions?

here are my crows and a couple of birds that I am using for test glazing because they, for the most part, are very non-specific-or would that be specie-ific...ugh, bad joke.

Best
Elizabeth

Norfolk Open Studios is completely non-selected - you hand over your entry fee in January, which pays for admin and marketing, colour brochure etc. and in May off you go. Lasts for three weekends. This year there were about 200 studios open around the county and the studios and people working in them are incredibly varied, as you can imagine, which makes it really fun to go and visit. Very non-elitist and everything from garden sheds to beautiful barns. The local newspaper group has also really got behind it the last couple of years, which is great.

I'm feeling mildly irritated by the people who didn't select you for their open studios event - but I'll try and contain it....

The weekend event sounds great and in an amazing location. And I applaud your non-elitist stance. Its great as well for visitors to see stuff being done.

In our village all the artists/craftspeople in my village (and we've only got about 200 houses so it's a fairly creative place!) take over the village hall and "do" whatever it is we do for people to come and watch, ask questions and maybe have a go. We do it every other year (the alternate year we do a straight exhibition). Last time I stood for two days and drew vegetables (chillies, aubergine etc) in charcoal in a hyper-realistic life class style, which seemed a fairly low risk choice! It's actually terribly hard to produce something with people watching and talking to you if you aren't used to it. This year in August I guess I'll be doing metalwork if we can figure out a way to avoid endangering all comers.

Actually the worst aspect of the whole crab shell episode was the enormous box frame one of them was in - acres of unsupported glass. A nightmare to move.

Clarice Cliff is great isn't she? And the whole 30s women designers thing was a fascinating story. Over here hers is the one pottery that everyone knows is valuable from TV antique shows, so it feels a bit hackneyed to me now but I shall remember to appreciate her work more - thanks for reminding me. Because I haven't thought much about her recently I have no idea about books - but I bet there are some good ones. I'll keep my ear to the ground for you. And I expect to see orange and green birds emerging from your studio very soon.

I adore the crows, the size of the plinth is so bold. I really like the scale of the bird relative to its environment. Makes it credible somehow. I really like the way you give the essence of crow which makes the viewer have an active input, rather than just serving it all up on a plate. A lot of my 2D work is about how little information you can give and still communicate an image and I'm fascinated by the relationship between the viewer interpreting and the life s/he can inject into just a few lines on paper.

And your non specie-ific birds remind me about multiple birds (which I will do!) - when you have more than one they create a narrative and dialogue almost don't they? And a rhythm. The one at the back has definite attitude! For what it's worth I much prefer them without an eye rather than with. But feel free to ignore me it you want! And I know they are test pieces. But actually I still really like the surface of them, you can kind of see your hand in them.

Your Open Studios sounds fantastic. I wonder how hard it would be to get something like that going here. There are small pockets of artist communities throughout this area (upstate NY), but there doesn't seem to be a good venue for everyone to get their work out as 'art'. There are fairs and festivals, I suppose, but I think they can be demeaning and cater more to the public than to the artist. Not that the public isn't important, but there is a whole attitude of "Why would I pay THAT much money when I can get a mass produced object that is a third of the price?" it just makes a poor environment. I like the idea of letting people see what goes into the creation process. That is what I am planning with this particular event in October. We are having demonstrations of all kinds. It would be nice to get more types of art, but right now, I have to answer to the members of the guild...so...I will start small.

Good lord, you are going to have to give me a picture or something of these crab shell pieces. They sound like a nightmare to create, let alone move around!!

As soon as I read your bit about the eyes on the non-specie-ific pieces, I nodded my head. I realized that was a mistake as soon as I did it, but thought I would go ahead and fire them and see how it took the glaze. And my favorite of those three is the one in the back. It is based on the Common Grackle, but I think I made it a little to delicate. They are a raucous, bold bird.
Oh, and I have also been working on communicating an image(2D) with as little information as possible. I have some good images, but executing them onto clay has been a bit more difficult, i.e. colors I should use or not use, flat surface as in a plate or bowl or vase...well, the mugs I've shown you are in that direction; when I first started doing them I was more vague, but really liked making them more specific while still keeping them really base.

I am really enjoying this discourse we are having. It is keeping me going. I have to go to work. There is a small one day festival I am a part of this weekend and I still have glazing and firing to do before Saturday!! Leave it to an artist to be last minute about everything!! I will probably be pulling things out of a warm kiln on Saturday!!


Best
Elizabeth

A lot of counties in the UK have Open Studios. I think the main organisational headache is getting the info from the artists and then putting it in a brochure. Our Norfolk one had an entry fee of £74 this year but for that there is a website, posters and a free full colour brochure with a map of the county and all the 200 artists studios marked on it.

Then as much publicity as possible from the local paper and the artists themselves.

Ours a fairly big and established - definitely best to start small and fairly simple I should think.

With a strict deadlines, a supportive committee, a reasonably thick skin and someone with a head for admin to organise it, it can be done. But as you know, controlling artists is like herding cats!

For a good number of years ours has been administered by the Norwich Festival (a music festival), who have a permanent office, manpower, IT etc. It gives them a visual arts remit for applying for funding etc. It can cause problems though as they don't always fully understand or listen to us. I think most other counties are more artist led though.

Because people are coming into artist’s studios rather than a shop or a fair you I don’t really get the “How much?!!” comments. Although maybe when they leave...

Mind you it might be different for functional pottery – a painting isn’t easily translatable into high street prices!

Hope the festival went well.

Hey, I am glad to hear from you! Hope you are doing well.
I have yet to take pictures of my finished birds. I actually broke the beak off of my favorite one, the one with 'attitude'. I will glue it back on and keep it for myself!
Yes, having an Open Studios for all artists sounds like a lot of work to get started. I only know a few other artists in different medium, but that wouldn't be a problem. It would definitely be something worth looking into. Of course, I may only be living here in upstate NY for a couple more years, so I would have to get something started NOW. My husband is getting his PhD and we are going to have to go where the job is, you know? We both really love this area, so he is looking into all the colleges(he is going to be a professor) in the area...and there are a lot.

I will get some pictures for you.
Must go and entertain the small child in my life.

Best
Elizabeth

Thanks - I'm getting there.

Poor de-beaked bird! But it's nice to have an excuse to keep one. Sounds like you have exciting times ahead but I can imagine it must be a bit unsettling when you can't plan really and your fate is largely in the gift of others.

The husband sounds alarmingly brainy.