Copper Tie for Formal Night

I am headed on a cruise, and thought that it would be fun to wear a copper tie on formal night.

 

Two Shows

This month I am going to be in two shows! This picture is from the show at the Museum of Art in Fort Collins, "A Celebration of Colorado, a Juried Exhibition of Northern Colorado Artists." There were 780 images submitted, with about 100 accepted. My piece, Utah, juxtaposing ancient rock art with oil and gas development, was one of the 100 accepted. The other show will be at the Center for Creativity at 200 Mathews in Fort Collins, the old Carnegie library. The opening for that show will be 6 PM to 9 PM on Friday July 3rd. If you want to see my work, Friday the 3rd would be the best time, the Museum of Art is free on first Fridays, and we will be at the opening at the Center. I would note that I will not be participating in Open Studios this year, due to a scheduling conflict. I have made plenty of copper flowers, which were very popular at Open Studios in 2025, and those will be at the Center for Creativity.

 

Sunflower as yard art

 I am working on flowers, getting ready for open studios.  This sunflower is on a steel rod, to be pushed into the ground, as a kind of yard art.

Yard Flowers

 I am working on yard flowers.  I have a show coming up, and wanted to have some pieces for the show, and to sell.   These conveniently assemble and disassemble without tools.

Making Flowers

 I have been making flowers lately.   This is a new one, a water lily.

Open Studios

 I participated in Fort Collins Open Studios this past weekend.  About 70 people came through my studio.  I enjoyed talking to people.  I sold some pieces, mostly copper flowers.   I considered it a successful show.

One gentleman bought a copper tie; he was going on a cruise on the QE2, and planned to wear it with his tux on formal night!

The photo shows a temporary wall that I built to display some of my wall mounted pieces.

Installed Large Mobius in Salt Lake City

 I just got back from Salt Lake City, where I installed my largest Mobius to date in the client's front yard. He had purchased it a couple of years ago, but had been out of the country.

 

 

 

Working on Flowers

 I am getting ready for Open Studios in Fort Collins, so I am working on flowers.    

March 2025 Update

I am overdue on reporting on my sculpture activities; this post should catch up my reporting a bit.

I have made and sold four of the small copper Mobius in the last couple of months. Three went to the college in California who use them as awards. One went to an individual, for use as a retirement gift. His comment was “Amazing.” The college buys some every year.

I took a class on titanium anodizing. The cuff/bracelet I made in the class. The cool thing about this process is the opportunity to create different colors on different parts of the piece, by adjusting the voltage.

I make Christmas ornaments each year, generally using different techniques each year. This year I tried sawing the ornament, making a design in the negative space. I do not saw much, probably could use more practice.

2023 Christmas Ornament

 This is my 2023 Christmas Ornament.   It is enamel (glass) over copper.

Digital Foundry Class

September, I took a two week class at Anderson Ranch entitled "Digital Foundry".  In this class, we designed pieces on the computer, printed them with a 3D printer, and then cast them in metal.  We were using Rhino to do the computer design.   We printed the pieces on a Prusa 3D printer, then attached wax sprues and vents to prepare for casting.   After that, we coated the pieces with ceramic, using a slurry and ceramic sand.   Then we burned out the PLA plastic, like one would burn out wax in the lost wax process. Finally, we poured liquid bronze or aluminum into the ceramic forms.   The lost wax process is thousands of years old, and is still used today. 

This class was a stretch class for me, as I had not done any casting before, nor had I done much computer design.  I learned a lot.   I will be taking time to decide how I am going to use this going forward.  

The results are below.  

 

Christmas Ornament

 Each year I make Christmas ornaments as gifts.  This one is etched and then buffed.

My Mobius installed as part of public art program

We went to Carbondale Colorado to install one of my Mobius sculptures in their public art program, Art aRound Town. I was amused and pleased that the employees looked for the seam in the Mobius, and could not find it.

 

Pyramid

 I have had at the back of my mind the idea to make a pyramid.  I just finished the piece.   This pyramid has a square base, about 8 inches on a side, and uses the proportions of the pyramid of Cheops in Egypt.  

 

My Mobius accepted into public art program in Carbondale Colorado

 I was happy to be accepted to the public art program in Carbondale Colorado.  My large Mobius sculpture will be on display for a year, starting June 2nd.  Their public art program, Art Around Town, pays an honorarium to the artist; if they sell it they get a commission.  

 Always good to get good news.

Remake of Log Cabin Quilt Block

 A few years ago, I made a log cabin quilt block, but I was unhappy with it.  I decided to remake it and add a frame.   

 

My Christmas Ornament for 2021

This is etched copper

 

Candelabras

 These are two candelabras that I made for a client. These are of steel, with very light construction, using 1/2 inch candles. The client provided photos, which I used as the basis for these two pieces. These are approximately 3 feet long.

 

End Table

 I was asked to make an end table, using pine with pine beetle stains, coated with spar varnish.   The legs and frame are steel.   

Utah Quilt Block

This is part of my quilt block series, in this case a nine patch quilt.   I am juxtaposing the ancient and the modern, the petroglyph with the pictograph.   The copper panels are deeply etched, like a petroglyph carved into stone.  The frame is beetle killed pine.   The center panel represents the famous Supernova petroglyph from Chaco Canyon.

Utah is a place where petroglyphs, jeeps and oil development come together.  This is about as close to a political piece as I do.