Rustnstuff: Metal over wood

Showing posts with label Metal over wood. Show all posts

Friday, December 13, 2024

Molten metal and wood

I'm experimenting with inlaying and mounting melted pewter in and on timber. The image above shows what happens when you pour 700 degrees heated pewter into prepared holes and grooves in an offcut of timber.

As you can see from photo below the process started with crushing and cutting up some pewter goblets; and cutting some rudimentary grooves and holes in a offcut of bunya pine.

When I was ready to do the pour I had Fiona on hand to take photos and quench the timber once I had done the pour.

As you can see below the outcome was not great but has potential. I think if I do another pour into the burnt grooves-holes and only heat the metal to 500 degrees I might have greater success in the pour. The goal is to have the melted metal contrasting with the blackened timber

I have also decided to carve textured squares into a graphite block to see what might be the outcome when iI pour metal into the form. The resulting textured squares of metal could be mounted on timber???

Given what I'm doing with inks and watercolour at the moment it would seem I'm in an experimental frame of mind. To be continued in 2025!!!!

Sunday, June 4, 2017

A five post sculpture

I have done the design work for a commissioned five post sculpture that will be installed into a longish and narrow space surrounded by high walls. The area creates an intimate gravelled courtyard. The installation is to feature snake and water motifs. It needs to be able to be viewed from three points: through a floor to ceiling windows in the back of the courtyard; a bathroom; and the entry from the outside garden area. So the motifs need to be on at least three faces of the posts.

The sketched design is in the photo below. The posts will be salvaged hardwood milled by a local contact; and be about 17cm square and range in height from 1.25m-1.75m. The motifs will be etched into aluminium using a non-acid etching process. The etched panels will be 13cm wide and 39cm long. The sketches of the motifs were done on grey-board cut to size (13cmX39cm).

I met with the owner on Friday and the designs have been signed off.Work will most likely start in late June.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

The love of rust and other matters

One is never too far from the beauty of rust and greying wood on our block. The stashes, piles and small collections or installation all readily offer eye-candy.

Sometimes the rust colour can even be found in insect form. This Dragon-fly got accidently caught inside and died - sad - but such beauty in its colours and the membranes of the wings.

A hole in a post offers a window on the mountains in the valley below.

Most of us do not need to stray from home to find fragments of beauty.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Sculpture unveiled

Yesterday the sculpture celebrating Unity Water's UN environment award 2015 for an environment water cleaning and wetlands regeneration project was unveiled. It was a wet drizzly day; but what better day to celebrate nature and water; and of course there was a planting of over 400 trees to further confirm the commitment to the environment.

The sculpture was commissioned by Unity Water and the project was coordinated by the environment group Greenhills Fund. The sculpture is made up of two pieces : a 1.7m and 300mm square timber monolith with etched aluminium panels that symbolise water and plants; and a seat with an etched panel that reflects the role of people-community (most volunteers) in carrying out the environmental project

Before the work was unveiled it looked a little like a funeral was to take place; or a magician act.

And then the magic....

Though the sculpture currently sits on a grassed area eventually it will be surrounded by a backdrop of trees that were planted on the day.

Great to see the work in place and able to give recognition to those who won the award; and give a bit of joy and rest to those who walk the Maleny Trail. The sculpture is located about 600-700 m from the RiversideCentre end of the Maleny Walking Trail

Friday, June 3, 2016

Big and small

My artwork today included: making a small mounting block for a meditation cross; and starting two large Artisan Lamps (free standing floor lamps).

The cross mountains block was for my father in law to be used this weekend as a focal point for a larger group of Christian mediators. Graham wanted it to be simple and to use some recycled materials (wood and brass).

The final product worked out well and was picked up this afternoon.

I started the two large lamps by dismantling all the unnecessary bits and gluing on a threaded brass section that will be used to bolt the lamp to its stand.

Preparation for the lamps always takes longer than one thinks - but in the end it will be worth it.

Fiona and I are off to the opening of a printmakers exhibition this evening. We don't have any work in it but a few of our friends do - always good to support artist friends.

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Metal and wood

Over the weekend the post and 'seat' sculptures were completed. Final sanding and oiling were done; and etched aluminium was attached to the timber.

The metal was both glued and screwed to the timber.

I'm pleased with the final results - strong pieces that should make a mark in a sympathetic way in the landscape.

I will do a blog post on the sculptures once they are installed; and have been officially opened to the public.

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Peaks complete

I got a good solid run on my two tabletop sculptures over the weekend. I can now say they are complete and in time ready for public outings.

Of course there was more cutting of templates and metal; sanding of bases to ensure they would stand unassisted; and final oil and polish.

Couple of views of the 7 peak sculpture (just over 1m long) - one piece with seven parts.

And a couple of the 5 peak piece - again one sculpture with 5 parts.

I must say that it is good to have another artist with a critical eye and sense of design, Fiona, to talk through set out of the elements of each sculpture - getting the angles, spacing and heights right is important. I have numbered each of the mountain forms and indicated which direction they need to be set out. I have also taken a topdown photo to show the set out.

Now I need to do paper work and packing for each of the sculptures.