Assemblages for the garden

©2016 Barry Smith - Bowls for the tri-bowl avian-font

I rang Nola from Entangle Living Art to see if she needed more stock for the gallery-shop. She indicated that they are developing an outside area; and she would like some outdoor 'garden things'.

So today I started making some avian-fonts and assemblages that could: be sculptural; or things one could hang plants on. It of course starts with hauling potential bits and pieces off the different stashes; and then thinking what will go with what to create a garden thing. My operating principles were: have a heavy cast iron base to keep the pieces stable; and keep the pieces simple.

©2016 Barry Smith - Stash of stuff to get me thinking

©2016 Barry Smith - Pieces selected and worked for the three pieces.

With a full day in the garage-studio I was able to complete three pieces today - though they all need a bit of tweaking and in a couple of cases maybe a coat of clear finish.

Fiona said this small triple bowl avian-font reminded her of the ashtray stands of days gone by - true - but the bowls can be used for water and feed; or the smaller bowls as chiming bowls; or all three could be used for plants.

©2016 Barry Smith - Tri-bowl avian-font - small bowls are old brass wide goblets and the bigger bowl is the base from a spirit stove

©2016 Barry Smith - Tri-bowl avian font

On the larger avian-font I was able to use a copper bowl that was given to me to cut up and has sat in my copper stash for several years so good it has now found a used.

©2016 Barry Smith - Font with tap - the stand is an rusted garbage door opener spring  over galvanised pipe

©2016 Barry Smith - Decorative tap

I love the simplicity of the fuel pump piece. I think it could just be a quirky sculptural piece in its own right or folk could hang a plant on it by threading a wire through the hole on the top of the spout.

©2016 Barry Smith - Fuel pump and cogs

I photographed the pieces later today with a back drop of our Camelias and Agapanthus to give folk an idea as to how they might look in the garden

©2016 Barry Smith - A trio of garden assemblages

Now I'm off to make one of my famous (in my view only) gourmet pizza. To be complemented by a suitable wine of course.