Details, Details, Details

They say, "God is in the details". But, I've also heard it said, "The Devil is in the details". (Maybe a bit of both).

I have gone back to add a bit more definition to the fur on this side.

This is the claws of the cub's paw. Just needs a bit more refinement.

The back paw of the same cub - the one being cleaned.

I use 80 grit sandpaper to smooth the claws.

I use a die grinder to gently open the cub's pupil.

This is what the family looks like from above. Almost done.

Queen Annes Lace holding snow.

Daphne with ice crystals.

A cat has made it's way to shallower snow.

Otey: the smallest of the donkeys, but the boss!

fur and more fur - detailing the cubs

I am carving the claws of the cub that is being cleaned by its mother. This is a ball diamond burr with 1/4" shank.

These are some of the diamond burrs that I use for carving the bear's claws, nose, fur, etc. The ball is very effective for removing stone when I start to define an area. I start with the largest burr to begin carving the form, and then work down to smaller and narrower burrs. The two burrs on the right are used more for fur, the point for creases and to define eyes, nose, etc. When carving a form it is best to think about carving around the form instead of carving on the form. If that makes sense. I get diamond burrs from www.lopacki.com

This is the hair inside the mother's right rear leg. The interior areas of the sculpture are some of the most difficult, as I have to use a large die grinder which is slow and the area needs to be blown out periodically as the dust loads up pretty quick.

This is the intersection of the cub's foot, mother's left elbow and her rear leg. I have just begun to define it - it will need a little deeper carving to get the definition that I want.

I have carved out the area between the cub's upper arm and the mother's back foot and have applied a fur pattern. Also, I have opened the area between the cub's head and mother's back foot and I have blocked out the mother's claws.

The bears, from the right side.

This is the left side of the bears. I have recarved the mother's shoulder and have reworked the mother's fur texture on this side, but I will go back and add more depth with deeper carving. The fur needs several passes to get the look that I'm after.
Juanita was in my last post and I thought I'd show you another of my donkeys, Ed. He has had a treat and is begging for another. Can't you tell he's saying "Please?"

A Doe looks at me while her fawn eats cracked corn. We started feeding deer accidentally. The store where we buy sweet feed for the donkeys loaded up a bag of cracked corn by mistake. Corn is too rich for the donkeys to eat, so we started feeding the deer and once you start, it's hard to stop.

This is a snow flake on the car window surrounded by frost crystals .

More work on the Grizzly sculpture, into the New Year

I have been working on the cub that the mother bear is cleaning. I have applied a fur texture and opened the area around the leg.

I have also defined the mother's head and eye on this side.
I have marked on the cub's arm the areas that need further definition.
I have been working on the interior sections of the sculpture, opening the area behind this cub's head and around the mother's leg.

I have refined both faces and have cut the pupils of the eyes with a straight, round end burr, being careful not go too quickly, carving out little bits at a time. Because, if you try to go too fast, you can blow out an eye.

A view of two cubs across the sculpture.

This is Juanita, one of my donkeys, being friendly.

These are pictures of ice crystals that I took during the extreme cold...

...and these are more ice pictures.

This is a barred owl near the studio at dusk.

We spent Christmas eve at my sister's house. We were lucky, Santa stopped by to visit!

Bear work continues, snow and cold and Seasons Greetings

I open the area between the mother's paw and the cub's body with a large die-grinder.

The interior has been difficult to work in and has proven slow. I have crayoned around the nose, as it needs to be a bit smaller.

I have defined this cub's brow and eyes and have started to deepen the crease between the cub's head and the mother's leg.

I have been refining this cub's face, adding detail and softening the form.

I have work in the new Book "Bernheim" written by Sharon Receveur and Tavia Cathcart. It is a fascinating book covering Isaac Wolfe Bernheim's life, the creation of Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, the various species of plants and animals that can be encountered there, as well as the art projects and sculptures located at Bernheim. Paul Fields is well represented in the book with photos from the time he was artist in residence, creating the "Snail", as well as installing "Blossom" which is dedicated to his mother. Paul was the first sculptor in the Louisville area carving large stone and paved the way for the rest of us (Don, Al Nelson, Matt Weir, myself and many others).

There are two images in the book of my sculpture "Emerging" which was donated to Bernheim by Varley Weideman.

I was walking down by the creek and found snowflakes caught in a spiderweb.

A titmouse on the clothesline in today's snow.

Season's Greetings! Here is this year's greeting card, poem and photo (copyright Meg White 2010).

4 Grizzly Bears and 2 open houses

I have been working on the interior areas of the bear, deepening shadows and applying hair patterns.

I'm detailing the top cub. Some of the crayon marks are to show me the fur pattern, and other marks for the bridge of the nose, which needs a bit more definition.

I bounce back and forth between various areas - a little nose carving here, a bit of eye defintion there, and then there is always fur pattern to be done.

This shot shows a bit of each cub and the mother's face.

Don and I went to Charlie Oldham's open house to see what kind of fossil and crystal goodies he had for sale ... and he has lots - fossils, dinosaur teeth, crystals, jewelry...

A couple of big kids looking for pretty rocks...

Lots of crystals at Charlie's Rock Shop...

There was lots of good food and entertainment.

After Charlies Rock shop, we visited the Studio Works open house. Located at the corner of Bardstown Rd. and Eastern Parkway in Louisville, Ky., it provides an artistic outlet for people with mental disabilities. The work is fun and inventive - these are various food items - roast turkey, banana split, etc. in glazed clay.

Detailing a cub, Thanksgiving and Freezing Fog

I am finishing the cub on the belly first. I use a pointed bit to work around the edge of the eye.

I have used a flat end bit to accentuate the fur on the cub's cheeks while making the hair on the muzzle more flat.

Another view of the "Belly cub".

A side view of the cub on its mother's belly.

To define the pads of the foot, I use an air tool called a Roloc with a 120 grit sanding disk.

Thanksgiving was at my twin Sister's in-laws. Her husband, Steve, cooked the turkey.

This morning, there was a freezing fog....

which left lots of ice crystals to be found in the shadows.