| GRATIAS MAN |
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 We just installed this guy. The photos were taken by my good friend, John Romero. I think this piece is my mature voice. Mature what? It sounds pretentious but I feel like it's a breakthrough. I've wanted to do figures (like my heroes Antony Gormley and, the late, Juan Munoz) my whole life but the cost, lack of buyers (would you want this in your backyard?) and the perpetual discouragement of my wife, Pilar, left me doing everything but.
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Thanks to Kent and Vicki Logan (gratias is Latin for thank you) for this piece not only existing but it got me another commission, Spiral Man, from Lloyd and Sharon Powell. |
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| SPIRAL MAN |
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 This wedge of granite was there when they bought the house but got nicked and gouged by workmen (not us thank goodness) and Sharon wanted us to try and fix it. Attempting a repair struck me as a lose-lose proposition. Instead, I suggested accentuating the damage by carving swirls into it and she said yes. They're having an open house in November so...I sent them a picture of Gratias Man and proposed to do a similar rusted figure frozen in the half finished act of chiseling and...bingo. She said that if I could have it done by the open house "It's a deal". Yes!
I'm going to ask 'em to do a salon for Spirit of the Senses.
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You can see where the wedge is in the back yard
in this production still from the photo shoot. |
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| WISHING WELL |
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 This is the Well component to an ambitious two figure plus pigs political tableau. We used the curved wood walls like rammed earth forms to compress the barbed wire. It took forever.
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We built it in the shop then "flew" it up and away with a crane.
The loose rock is indigenous to the area. Holding it up close in your hand it's dusty and ordinary, not very impressive, but choosing something from China or Brazil with colorful marbeling doesn't have anything to do with anything.
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The ring is being placed over the tunnel opening. The space between the stone wall and the barbed wire ring will be sand.
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The Arpaio javelina will go at the tunnel entrance.
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Now that we've got a tried and true technique and a durable outdoor medium (powdered iron, hydrocal and epoxies) that's so much less than bronze, making figures is all I want to do.
We learned to do blind mortar stone work like this way back when at Lost Canyon for Kent Heyl and Ross Smith. This is the storytelling tableau i.e. living picture enviroment where the figures will be installed. The unveiling is October 20th.
If you're curious what she-they will look like and you're over 18, you can come by the office (evenings or weekends are best) to check 'em out. We'll probably be working in the shop till the last minute. Email me to coordinate.
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