fuctional sculpture

[chris 71]

yellow birch crotch section, real nice dence pretty wood. still a little more work and oiling to finish

[KatyL]

I like it. Looks like a scorpion. What is happening with the checking?

[Robson Valley]

That really did come up nicely. Ditto KatyL, it has a "buggy" appeal.
What are the approx dimensions of the glass top?

[The Forge]

What did you do with a perfectly good log?

[chris 71]

thanks guys. KatyL, this is the first time i have made a table so im not sure about the drying. i just know that it is supposed to be pretty stable wood.
i just just had a good friend who is a high end custom furniture maker. stop over to have a look at it. he has helped me out with lots of wood concerns over the past years with my carving. he also dables in very creative artistic wood working. he had a close look and he thinks it should hold up very well i guess time will tell.

robson the glass top is about 4 feet by 2 feet

forge that reminds me of one time i inquired at a sawmill about how much a nice piece of wood was. [think it was 4 inches thick 7 feet long by like 12 inches wide kiln dry walnut slab} asked the guy how much it was he asked what are you gonna do with it? when i told him i was going to carve it he almost had a fit saying, im not selling you that nice piece of wood for you too hack up with your chisels lol

[Nelson]

Hi Chris,

I hear if a sculpture has function,then is no longer sculpture, go figure that`s what...
Anyhow, its`an interesting craft. My concern is (as happened once), that as the wood dries, it`ll crack some at the turnning areas where carving, cutting has been done at about 90 degrees angle from the wood grain plane. It`s natural, let`s hope your wood belong to exceptional types. At those referred areas the piece of wood becomes rather britle, so by no means would you want to knock it at all.

[chris 71]

oiled and finished

[Robson Valley]

Nelson: where and when did you hear that functional pieces are no longer sculpture? Do we have to argue about the sunset on art?
I want to go after the ant-brained weasel who was responsible for such a naive blurting. I am in awe of works which can span the gap between concept and practicality. Same if they don't hit the practical buzzer.
In wood carving, of any genre, Chris has come up with a design concept the likes of which I have never seen. And, I do look around..... A lot. When I got right down to looking at his remaining tool marks, I am pleased.

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by Robson Valley

Nelson: where and when did you hear that functional pieces are no longer sculpture? Do we have to argue about the sunset on art?
I want to go after the ant-brained weasel who was responsible for such a naive blurting. I am in awe of works which can span the gap between concept and practicality. Same if they don't hit the practical buzzer.
In wood carving, of any genre, Chris has come up with a design concept the likes of which I have never seen. And, I do look around..... A lot. When I got right down to looking at his remaining tool marks, I am pleased.

Hi Robson,

We don`t have to argue, just exchange ideas if we may. Personally, I`m currently doing decorative art, but used to do sculpture, and I still place mayor relevance on the latter given the freedom of expression and total engagement with the inner self one can experience sculpting a SCULPTURE (not to say folks cannot experience equal joy doing craft work). Nonetheless, there`s a major advantage in the former regarding marketing of one`s effort. Needless to say crafts, and decorative/functional art brings more money in. Like with anything else there are distinct traits that differenciate arts and crafts, sculpture and other means of expression... this has been addressed way too much already, but there`s also gradients where the line becomes subtle, or blurry in ocasions. In this case, is crystal clear though. Should you take that scorpion carving and say lean it against a wall, you have a sculpture. Put a glass on it as a table, and it`s just that a crafted, custom if you will, beautifull if you wish, but after all it`s a functional piece, a table, but never a sculpture, though it was actually sculpted. Don`t asume one is less or more than the other, it`s just different matter. If I could see some subjectivity defying functionality here, it would definitely in my view make this piece a sculpture.

Nelson Lasaosa V.

[chris 71]

yes there have been endless conversation on here about art and craft and what is what and all that.
robson, thanks for the nice comments im glad you like it.
its funny for me and maybe others on hear when you say
"ant-brained weasel who was responsible for such a naive blurting" made me lol because one of our art philosiphers here evaldart, has many times referred to commen folk meaning non art types as ants.
he certainly is not an ant-brain lol. and is a firm asserter of the lines that must be drawin between art and craft. and i would have to say i too would have to agree there is art and there is craft [work] this table was done as a commission for a women so it was indeed a job but.. i was forced to work is such a way that i hadnt yet.
i learned a lot because of this, things i might have learned slower if i was not hired to do this.
it made me use the saw and tools in some ways more advanced, then i would have if i wasnt given this helpful and thankful little push. when someone said oh i like all your carvings but could you do a table ... hmm i guess i could try.
to top it off she came by the other day to have a look she changed her mind said it woulndt fit in with her decor. i told her it was ok if she didnt take it. and that i was actually very thankful she got me too do it as i now know i can and the possibilities our endless plus i think i can sell it for more now then what we agreed on.
by crafting this table i am growing and advancing my art "sculpture"
its all good

[Robson Valley]

This is great, you, Nelson and Evaldart are going to great lengths to fill in my gaps in my understanding of what I see done and what I think I like to do.
I know it's a side-bar but thank you all.
I am comfortable in knowing that I like to do some of each.
If all goes well, I'll try to organize some pix for next week. Blizzard this AM.
Mountains. Oh Well.

[Dries]

I love it Chris to me it looks like an upside down lizard or chameleon.

[Nelson]

.. i was forced to work is such a way that i hadnt yet.

Never would I question you worked hard, and probably even harder trying to adapt the art idea or concept to a functional element commissioned to you. And I`m glad you`ve learned on the process, excellent! Hope you don`t get spoiled by the money lol, and forget what brought you into matters: sculpture, as I think you`re good at it, and original.

by crafting this table i am growing and advancing my art "sculpture"

Sure, doing sculpture and craft can be a professional synergy. New concepts, techniques, feelings, and markets are discovered. You`ll realize we agree on most points you`ve made, just some sublte differences perhaps over a few concepts. I`m sure E could be more illustrative and expand on all this.

My comment was base on your tittle “Functional Sculpture”.
These are facts to me, but I`m willing to consider changing my views…

- all forms of sculpture are art , but not all forms of art are sculpture
- there are artistic functional elements, and some provided there`s LEVEL, could be considered art; nonetheless, even so wouldn`t make it as a SCULPTURE, but it could be an sculptural work (meaningful subltleties)
- I`m doing mostly artistic deco work presently, which I enjoy so much, work my butt off, and brings good money in, hey I could not care less about feeling meaningless for not putting my effort into soul/mind rewarding processes, like real sculpting.
- I wish there was enough sculpture commissions instead, so I could make the same money, because it`d be perfect! Soul , mind and pocket, all happy. lol
- My premise: regardless of effort, beauty, composition and so many art traits present or not in an artifact, so long as I see no subjectivity that defies and better yet, defeats functionality, the piece could be a craft, a piece of art, but never a sculpture.

[chris 71]

oops wasnt intentionally trying too start a ruckus with the title
guess im a little rusty on my art theology lol
i miss the old days around here when there were a ruckus aplenty though lol

[underfoot]

Nice piece Chris...love it
don't get knotted knickers about where you fit in the great "art v craft " debate.. just continue 'making'..and let the more qualified argue the BIG questions...I'm sure they'll inform you when they work it out

Originally Posted by chris 71

ruckus aplenty

..A new thread perhaps?

[chris 71]

ha! just sold the table right of the front yard
thanks dries
hi underfoot! thanks

[KatyL]

I kind of miss the ruckuses too. Nostalgia.

[fused]

Nice table. I really like the carved surface showing off your process
in the finished piece. Excellent work.