Wildlife metal sculpture (1 Viewer)

Hindolbittern · Jul 11, 2005

birdpotter said:
Here is an unfinished piece that I am terrified is going to get split open in the firing, so had to share it before I fired.
There are a couple things that bother me about it, but all in all I thoroughly thrived while working on it.

Tell me what you think, thus far.

We'll worry about the glazing later...

Best
E

That’s great! Again!!!

At the moment I’m especially intrigued and satisfied by the leg – very subtle, and as you know I do like a bit of subtle! All those negative space curves have got a great rhythm and the balance has a lot of tension, which gives it energy.

However, it has obviously done something scary and unkind to the one on the table (bad bird!).

I know what you mean about thriving when working – it exercises a bit of the brain that is very satisfying to challenge doesn’t it? In between the hysteria of course!

It is very tough being a potter (I now realise). The thought of achieving something you are pleased with, all along knowing the potential for it to self destruct in the kiln must be trying. Very stressful. Day to day living must seem like a walk in the park for you lot!

Are potters generally optimists or pessimists?

Technical question – why is the base such a different colour to the bird? Presumably it is the same clay. Does it dry out more the more you work it or is it the density of the base retaining more moisture?

I had a new batch of scrap copper from my blacksmith friend so I did a couple more metal birds over the weekend but I haven’t had a chance to take some photos yet.

Hindolbittern · Jul 11, 2005

June Atkinson said:
I have enjoyed reading this thread very much indeed.
Here in Northumberland we have an Arts Tour......

Hi June,

Glad you have enjoyed the thread. I know that it is a really useful thing (and great fun) for me to have contact with the outside world about my work on such a regular basis.

Hopefully we can lure a few more souls in to join us.

Your Arts Tour sounds very like Norfolk Open Studios. But I think it is much more artist lead than ours. I Googled it http://www.networkartists.org.uk/the_art_tour.htm and it goes on for more weeks and has a repeat performance again in November – great for Christmas sales! That would be much better than our three weekend one. We have about 200 – 250 studios open though.

Also yours has associated “events” which ours doesn’t. Although there is a big exhibition at Salthouse Church (next village to Cley) in the summer which has great workshops and concerts.

We do get frustrated with the central organisation of ours – we give a wealth of suggestions to the Festival every year, especially learning from other Open Studios, but there is very much the feeling that they put all their real energy into their main activity, the annual music festival.

Once in a while there is talk of UDI but it is so big now it would be very daunting to take on and we don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water.

The sculptures are great. I love the geese at Sarlat – I’m ashamed to say I’ve eaten a cousin or two of theirs around that area – the Dordogne is a big favourite of mine, gorgeous countryside and steep, steep stone roofs.

I’m very interested in the Whinlatter one as well. I’ve spent quite a while looking at it – it’s right up my street. Very inspirational. That feeling of stretch is so intense.

Thanks so much for posting them.

I think one of us should start an “aspirational art” thread – pics of interesting art. I guess we ought to keep it mainly wildlife/bird-ish or we’ll get told to go start our own website!

Hindolbittern · Jul 13, 2005

Two more birds for your entertainment! The long necked one looks far more comic than I intended - he just sort of took on a morose character!

birdpotter · Jul 28, 2005

Three(or four, I suppose) more birds from this side of the pond!

I don't like how the one with the two birds came out...I meant for the color around the beak to be much more subdued, now it just has a tacky effect to it, at least that is what I think.

I think the crow is what I am going to be entering in 'the' show.

Sorry I haven't been around at all. I miss the forum. I will try to spend more time on my a** from now on.

Best
Elizabeth

Hindolbittern · Jul 31, 2005

birdpotter said:
Three(or four, I suppose) more birds from this side of the pond!

I don't like how the one with the two birds came out...I meant for the color around the beak to be much more subdued, now it just has a tacky effect to it, at least that is what I think.

I think the crow is what I am going to be entering in 'the' show.

Sorry I haven't been around at all. I miss the forum. I will try to spend more time on my a** from now on.

Best
Elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth (and anyone else out there!),

I’ve just had a long and fruitful chat with a very nice support line chap in India and my new PC is fully functioning and gorgeous! Very 21st century after my old one. So, I’m also back in proper communication.

I love the birds, but especially the crow – I think that is definitely the one for the exhibition. I love the way it is peering round and down; very characterful. It looks as if it is about to nab something interesting that has caught its eye. And the colours look wonderful. I could stare at it for hours.

In fact I really like the glazes on all of them (and as we know I’m painfully and irritatingly hard to please

!!) – although I do see what you mean about the beak on the top grackle.

I’ll attach a picture (taken by my mate Dave) of the three birds I’m sending for the show (fingers tightly crossed for us both).

The Robinhopper book arrived last week and is wonderful thanks for the top tip – I haven’t read it properly yet, just done a bit of dipping – but the photos of all the pots are fantastic.

The forum has missed you Birdpotter.

Onwards and upwards!

HB

birdpotter · Jul 31, 2005

Wow, your pieces all look absolutely gorgeous Hindolbittern!
I love seeing work photographed with that bit of professional touch that really does the pieces the justice it derserves.
The lighting is perfect for your pieces.
I could sing your praises for paragraphs, but my son just flipped his blanket onto one of my sculptures(yes, I know, I need to move the things to a safer spot) and the corner caught the beak and the sculpture came down...nothing broke and it was the grackles, so no harm done, I just have to go tie my son up by his toes in the basement...

Best
Elizabeth

Hindolbittern · Jul 31, 2005

birdpotter said:
...nothing broke and it was the grackles, so no harm done, I just have to go tie my son up by his toes in the basement...

Best
Elizabeth

Tell him that if he goes near that crow I'm going to get a plane ticket and come straight over to discuss the matter with him!

Thanks so much for the kind words...

HB

birdpotter · Aug 1, 2005

Hindolbittern said:
Tell him that if he goes near that crow I'm going to get a plane ticket and come straight over to discuss the matter with him!

Thanks so much for the kind words...

HB

You should have seen the look on his face when he did it. He just stood there waiting for me to start yelling. At least he knew he was in trouble before I even said anything.

Best

gillian · Aug 12, 2005

Well HB and Elizabeth I do feel a little as though I have introduded on a private conversation but I have enjoyed it so much I kept reading!

As one with no flare for artistic creations it is great to see others and I do appreciate both of your styles. On a trip this week with the kids to 'The dinosaur park' we went to see the metal sculture display and I wondered if you had seen it HB? I confess when I first walked in I nearly turned round and went stragiht back out but the longer I lingered the more I found myself enjoying the work.

I shall continue to 'listen in' on your conversation and wish you both well with your work. Next time you work is displayed in Norfolk do post and tell us beforehand wont you HB?

Gillian

Hindolbittern · Aug 12, 2005

Gillian,

I know what you mean about a private conversation, apologies, it’s just sort of happened that way. I think Birdpotter and I have been so happy to find kindred spirits that we’ve just rattled on. But it’s fantastic to hear from anyone else too! Artists, non-artists – whoever.

A lot of the time, doing art, you are isolated in a studio so, to remain sane, it is lovely to poke your head out of the studio door from time to time, sniff the air and have a chat with anyone passing. If they are willing to chat about the stuff buzzing round your head about the art work it’s even better. This thread is being the equivalent of that and is really valuable, so it’s great to hear from you.

I’ve been away in sunny Hants for a few days and, funnily enough, a friend I met up with down there yesterday (who actually lives in Sheffield) also mentioned the dinosaur park to me, so now I feel that perhaps a greater force is telling me to go there! Until this week I have easily gone for years with out holding a conversation with anyone about it and have never until now found a great need to go there! I do pass it en route to Norwich though, if I venture into the urban.

Is the Dinosaur Park metal sculpture display permanent or temporary do you think? I just had a look on their website and it doesn’t give any info on that. If it is likely to be there for a while, it sounds like an outing that could be usefully done the next time the junior members of my family come to stay, probably in the autumn.

I’ve got some metal birds & pictures in Big Blue Sky at Wells-next- the- Sea at the moment. BBS is on the road out of Wells towards Blakeney, the big blue 30s building just by the Wells to Walsingham light railway. If you memorise my avatar you wouldn’t have too much trouble in identifying my work! I’ll happily flag up any future outings for my stuff too if you like.

Best wishes,

HB

gillian · Aug 13, 2005

Hi HB

Looking at the dinosaur exhibition it looks set to stay to me. I founf a web site about the chap, www.knightsteel.co.uk. As for visiting the park, certainly a good idea to go with kids as they really do love it, but go when you are feeling wealthy!!!

I am determind to get to Wells to see some of your work, I'm looking forward to it.

By the way regarding yours and Elizabeth's chatter, it is a lot cheaper than therapy so good for you both

Gillian

birdpotter · Aug 18, 2005

Hindolbittern said:
Gillian,

I know what you mean about a private conversation, apologies, it’s just sort of happened that way. I think Birdpotter and I have been so happy to find kindred spirits that we’ve just rattled on. But it’s fantastic to hear from anyone else too! Artists, non-artists – whoever.

A lot of the time, doing art, you are isolated in a studio so, to remain sane, it is lovely to poke your head out of the studio door from time to time, sniff the air and have a chat with anyone passing. If they are willing to chat about the stuff buzzing round your head about the art work it’s even better. This thread is being the equivalent of that and is really valuable, so it’s great to hear from you.

HB

YOu couldn't have said it better HB. Gosh, I didn't know a conversation was going on here, otherwise I would have put in my two cents a lot sooner. I guess I need to pay attention more. I wasn't checking as regularly; every time I get on BF and make a guess at a bird id, I have been getting it wrong and so, frustrated, I log off and don't check any other threads...
Terrible of me.
Let me just add that I too really enjoy hearing from others and joining in on the conversation. Most of the artists I associate with are functional potters, who are hard to get an opinion out of. Having HB around has been great. And anyone else who can constructively criticize( or gives ooodles of praise!) is more than welcome here.

The dinosaur park sounds frightening, yet strangely intriguing...

Best
Elizabeth

Hindolbittern · Aug 24, 2005

Big news here is that "the man who knows how" has nearly finished building a website for metal sculptures. Can't wait to release it onto the poor unsuspecting cyber world. I'll post a link as soon as it is available.

In the meantime I'd welcome any comments on the latest two birds - both of a more domestic nature.

Thanks

birdpotter · Sep 8, 2005

Absolutely lovely, Hindolbittern. I think you have made the chicken stunning by adding the pieces to the right.
And I just can't get over the great shapes and movement you use, like in the duck.

I am working on resizing a couple of my photos to fit the format here, but I am afraid I am losing intergrity the more I crop.

Best
Elizabeth

birdpotter · Sep 25, 2005

Here are a few things I just pulled out of the kiln. One, of course, is a picture of mugs, and although I have shared pictures of mugs before, I am just pleased that these all turned out so well.
The other is a platter that I made. The color is interesting; I think I like it. The outline was supposed to be black, I have no idea what happened with that, all my other blacks turned out fine, but the platters, well, they are kind of this eery blue outline.
Let me know what you think!

Best
Elizabeth

Hindolbittern · Sep 29, 2005

Hi Elizabeth,

The grey outline is really interesting isn't it? It works really well with the warm colour of the plate. Is it unrepeatable? If so it could become a collectors item in a couple of years when you are a household name and someone clever should snap it up now as an investment.

I love it when those good things happen by accident, feels like a handy intervention by a benign sprite. Just a bit annoying if the sprite doesn't leave a user-manual on how it did it!

The mugs are great too - just to be predictable my favourite is the big crow on the right.

"His wings are the stiff back of his only book,
Himself the only page - of solid ink." Ted Hughes Crowgo

Have you read any of Ted Hughes's Crow poems? I think you'd like them.

HB

birdpotter said:
Here are a few things I just pulled out of the kiln. One, of course, is a picture of mugs, and although I have shared pictures of mugs before, I am just pleased that these all turned out so well.
The other is a platter that I made. The color is interesting; I think I like it. The outline was supposed to be black, I have no idea what happened with that, all my other blacks turned out fine, but the platters, well, they are kind of this eery blue outline.
Let me know what you think!

Best
Elizabeth

birdpotter · Sep 30, 2005

Hindolbittern said:
"His wings are the stiff back of his only book,
Himself the only page - of solid ink." Ted Hughes Crowgo

Wow, if Ted Hughes can produce more imagery like this, I am looking him up and finding his poems.

I think I can repeat the happy accident. I took my pieces to a sales gallery, and they bought the one platter in the picture and another, both with the blue outline...they said they liked it better than the black. So, it would be to my benefit to be able to repeat it! I think it is just glaze thinckness.
By the way, Hindy, ol' pal, I have about ten birdfeeders in the kiln right now...I will post them here tomorrow or Sunday and you can tell me what you think. I have used a local clay body, dug from a river north of here, as a slip.
It is a luscious brown/red when high fired, but is a dark grey when wet.

Have you been busy creating lately? Things going well?

Best
Elizabeth

birdpotter · Dec 16, 2005

Well, it has been almost two weeks since my new store has opened... The Broken Mold Studio. I wanted to share what happened on the first day of our opening.
My partner, new to birding, spent the night at my house so we could be up and ready to go in the morning. I suggested taking a early morning drive to a local reservoir, just to get some relaxing time in before the big day. That morning it snowed and it was too early for the plows to have made their rounds, so we settled on breakfast at a little local diner. Across the street from the diner is a small pond/marsh area( I suspect it was once a reservoir of some sort). In the summer months it has common mergansers, a great blue heron or two, canada geese, comorants and the occasional green heron. I wasn't expecting much on this blustery morn, but to my surprise there was a tremendous flock of canadas with an equal number of snow geese. It was wonderful and a good sign.
So here are some photos of the new shop(pictures of the birds will have to come later). Let me know what you think.
I am very happy to be able to share this momentous occasion with all of you.
Best
Elizabeth

Rich Brown · Mar 3, 2008

Hello all. There's some really good stuff on here.

I'm looking at filling some of my spare time as an obs warden with making some sculptures out of thin wire. I've attached a photo of attempt number one...
any comments/suggestions?

nickderry · Mar 4, 2008

I like it! Clever use of wire to make this. I'd be tempted to try this sort of method with various materials, in conjunction with wire - old cutlery, nails, bits of wheelbarrow etc (whatever you find to hand). Very creative and hope you'll post more of these.

Wildlife metal sculpture (1 Viewer)

Wildlife artist & good egg

Wildlife artist & good egg

Wildlife artist & good egg

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