While I've been away from the forum.......

[Claw Hama]

Hi Folks
A few of you have been asking what I have been up to so I'll open this thread and just keep adding things when I get time.
Some of these will go back almost a year and a couple may have been posted by Wheelin or others. I went from doing mostly commissioned furniture with a little bit of sculpture to now almost all sculpture. I joined the Sculptors Society who are fantastic, they have a lot of exhibitions in Sydney and are a great bunch of people. I would reccomend any of you how might be interested to join up. I have just joined the Australian Sculptors Hunter Region group who also have a lot of local exhibitions. Ok, hope you like at least some of these bits.
The first one is the Delian Diver, name is a long story. She is 2.5m high to the top of her copper fingers, the body and head are solid Huon about 250 kgs worth. Her head is waxed and the dark charcoal areas are sealed with water base Estapol just so it doesn't get over everything. The Huon was reclaimed from the Gordon River only to be burnt on the bank, the timber is quite caramelised under the blacked areas. The head was a separate piece, the arms and head lift out for transportation. She is one of my main show pieces and spent 4 weeks in Australia Square exhibition last October.
Mark Aylward - Delian Diver - Huon Pine and Copper Sheet 2.5m high 2012.jpgDelian Diver back.jpgAustralia Square 3.jpg

The next is a piece called "Listen" as in spot and listen to the bush, the world, anything sensible (no not the television) just stop and listen to some silence. Listen is 2.1m tall and the "Hardwood" timber looks very much like Gidgee although the guy that sold it to me said it would not be Gidgee to be found where it was (up the the top end of the Comboyne area) and I agree but boy it looks exactly like Gidgee. With this one I wanted to fill the voids left by I would think hundreds of years of erosion through the timber. The copper/brass is all cut and bent from flat sheet. The small flutes that look like golf tees are copper pipe cut, flared and enameled. I haven't put any treatment on the timber.
1 Mark Aylward - Listen - wood copper brass - 210cm h x 80cm w x 70cm d.jpg2 - Mark Aylward - Listen - wood copper brass - 210cm h x 80cm w x 70cm d.jpg4 Mark Aylward - Listen - wood copper brass - 210cm h x 80cm w x 70cm d.jpg

Oh just realised I haven't gone back quite far enough so here is another Huon carving called 1959, she is called that because thats the year I was born and she has that big wing look of a 59 Chevy. This is one of the best pieces I have every made I think. She sold before the show even opened.

Webpage.jpgPhoto 1.jpg1959sideon.jpg

Ok, I'll try and post some more soon

[copeau]

Alright, so... let me tell you i like your work so you'd better share some of your future work !
C'mon...

[artme]

Always knew there was a sculptor inside you waiting to fully emerge!!!

Wonderful work Claw!! I particularly like "listen".

[A Duke]

Hi Claw,
First of all welcome back. Nice work there but one question, by enamelled do you mean with enamel paint or the real deal with melted glass etc.?
Regards

[Claw Hama]

Hi Guys thank you for the comments. Yes Hugh, the real deal melted enamel, clean and heat up the copper then dip and roll them around in the enamel, repeat a few times to get the desired depth of colour and away you go.

[Robthechisel]

You've been hiding away too long Claw, some fantastic work there. As much as I love Huon pine I think I like your "listen" sculpture best, a piece of wood like that is obviously a sculptors dream & I like the theme you put to it. More Please

[A Duke]

Hi Guys thank you for the comments. Yes Hugh, the real deal melted enamel, clean and heat up the copper then dip and roll them around in the enamel, repeat a few times to get the desired depth of colour and away you go.

Hi Claw,
Thanks for the answer I knew you would know about real enamel but I was not sure you had used it there and I think there may be a few members, who might read this, who think all enamel comes in a paint tin.
Regards

[tea lady]

terrific great to see.

[Claw Hama]

Tonights addition is 5 copper and timber clad disks atop 3.5m spring steel rods. Each one has a plywood chassis, a central steel hub with an 18mm fine thread nut welded in. Some are fully clad in copper and have a copper horn (transmitter/receiver) through it. The others have copper on the top with timber segments and copper veins on the under side. They won the Peoples choice award at the recent Sculpture On The Greens at Kooindah Waters Golf Resort on the NSW Central Coast. The first shot is in position on the golf course (in the rough) The other shots were on a test set up on the beach. Called "Sway" they sway gently in the breeze on the long stems.

Sway Installation 2.jpg Sway4 Mark Aylward low.jpgUndersway.jpg

[Christos]

You have been very quiet on the forum. Good to see that you are still creating.

Are you going to be at the Working With Wood Show in July?

[Claw Hama]

I think so Christos, I can't be sure yet but as you would be aware, I'm VERY keen
I still owe you a box of pen blanks I promised you ages ago. Just hanging around here in the way.

[Christos]

.....I still owe you a box of pen blanks I promised you ages ago. .....

You could made miniature arty thingies out of them. And they might be worth a lot more then a pen.

[underfoot]

..Lovely pieces Claw ..keep em coming

[Claw Hama]

Thanks Undie. This one was a commission for a fellow in Sydney who picked up the piece of Jarrah in WA many years ago and decided he would like it turned into a sculpture. He wanted it to represent the endangered fauna and forests that are continually knocked down for all manner of reasons. The reclaimed steel flat bar represents the outside world, the little creatures are safe nestled under a frond or the mothers arm protecting the baby creature. The larger rounder curves represent a generous feel of enough food and a soft place safe from the steel tynes. The client was very good and listened when some of his ideas were not going to complement the piece we worked well together to give him a result that he was very happy with. Another happy customer

RBCcarving1.jpgRBCcarving2.jpgRBCcarving3.jpgRBCcarving4.jpgRBCcarving5.jpgRBCcarving7.jpgRBCcarving6.jpgRBCcarving8.jpgRBCcarving11.jpgRBCcarving13.jpgRBCcarving12.jpgRBCcarving14.jpgRBCcarving18.jpgRBCcarving17.jpgRBCcarving15.jpgRBCcarving20.jpgRBCcarving22.jpgRBCcarving21.jpgRBCcarving23.jpg

[3 toed sloth]

Good to see you back on the forum CH. I sometimes wonder how you are going in that big new workshop. And now we find out that after making all those hefty pieces in that tiny garage, now you've got some space and you've gone all arty farty on us

Just stirring of course. Your contributions are always a pleasure to read, whatever they are

Peter