A day of breaking off more concrete, tweaking wires, a lot of looking,
sitting,
staring,
questioning,
and
repeat-
repeat -
repeat-
“the tone is set at the top - Greece in crisis” Post 14 ΟΧΙ ΚΑΡΤΕΣ -
fresh out of the humidifier
Moving him back to my studio at Glassell
Changing title- ΟΧΙ ΚΑΡΤΕΣ- no cards #13 retitled Broken when completed
This will take time to come up with the right title.
As I work on the piece, I am constantly thinking about the social situation that it is depicting. I am constantly questioning, and asking myself: What is the most important message it can convey? What is simplest way to communicate the message? What should the title be?
As I near completion of the piece, I have decide that the most important lesson that we can learn from Athens is that the tone is set at the top. When a civilization's leadership is corrupt, then its people will follow suit. I am renaming this piece:
”the tone is set at the top - Greece in crisis 2017”
Working on the piece I often consider how influential Greece was in ancient times and how if it can happen to Greece...........it can happen to any civilization.
Still thinking
ΟΧΙ ΚΑΡΤΕΣ - post #10 retitled Broken when completed
9/27/2017
30 lbs. of concrete added to back of the head, neck, hand, jacket cuff and foot. I added a little hay to the back of head and neck.
Foot and left forearm.
back of head and neck.
ΟΧΙ ΚΑΡΤΕΣ- no cards #12 retitled Broken when completed
10/2
burning out the paper with a small torch
Thinking about what I can use to fill his chest
The corrupt owl.
ΟΧΙ ΚΑΡΤΕΣ- no cards # 11 retitled Broken when completed
Video taken 9/28
ΟΧΙ ΚΑΡΤΕΣ - post #9 retitled Broken when completed
I added 30 more lbs. to the forearm , cup and foot.
Arts Brookfield exhibition
@arts Brookfield "Known and Unknown"Opening receptionThursday11-1:00Two Allen Center 2nd floor#abstractart #abstractsculpture#labradorretriever #labrador #artexhibition #houstonartist #texaartist #houstonexhibitin #cindeeklementart
"THAT BALL IS NOT GOING TO THROW IT'S SELF"
39" X 33" X 56"
and
"Fetch" 50" X 60"
Concert master
Last spring I experimented with an image inspired by a photograph of my cousin Andrew Irvin. Andrew is the concert Master for the Arkansas Symphony. This fall I am starting a life size sculpture from the drawing. Actually they are monotypes. I will redrew them so that the violinist will not be a lefty.
The left handed concert master I
Water color monotype
30" X 22"
The left handed concert master II
30" X 22"
water color monotype
Presently the sculpture I am planning will be out of white concrete, rebar and wire holding pieces of this found object violin. The first step is to paint the violin white.
Painting the violin
Painting in process.
Fall exhibitions
Coming Fall exhibitions
Nos Caves Vin, solo exhibition
by appointment only.
Arts Brookfield - Two Allen Center,
"known and under known",
September 18th - November 17th
reception Thursday, September 28th 11:00-1:00
from left -
CONDENSATION AND CRANES
60" X 50" charcoal, ink, and pastel 2015
DANCE OF THE CRANES
50" X 77" collage, ink, charcoal, and pastel 2015
THE ROAD TRIPTYCH-
77" X 38.5" lenticular print
JANUARY 21, 2017
wire cloth, plaster and LED spot light
50" X 27" X 16"
ΟΧΙ ΚΑΡΤΕΣ - post #8 retitled Broken when completed
He is growing on me.
ΟΧΙ ΚΑΡΤΕΣ - post #7 retitled Broken when completed
Today I poured and applied 30 lbs. of concrete to the figures left hip and shoulder. I also added recycled wire cloth to the owls wings and eyes.
In my humidifying box.
The Owl is sitting heavily on the back of the figure. See newly added recycled wire cloth around his eyes.
Owl eyes and horns
Owl chest and profile of his face.
The head and shoulders of the front of the figure and the owl's chest. The body is stuffed temporarily with newspaper.
This application of concrete will hydrate for 5 days.
Detail of wing texture
tail feathers and wing detail
ΟΧΙ ΚΑΡΤΕΣ - post #6 retitled Broken when completed
After five days of hydrating-
Once the piece is hydrated I need time to study the piece.
Detail of the texture of his back.
The questions I ask myself-
Do I like the texture, and lines added with a broken pieces of bailing wire? Do I like the exposed lath that shows through the concrete? Do these marks in addition to his posture convey that the figures is beaten down, exhausted and discouraged?
Does the Size of the owl weigh down the figure or should he be heavier? Does the owl look corrupt? Can an owl look corrupt?
Do the owls eyes need more feathers, should they be closed? Should the owls body be more rounded? I need time to absorb and digest how things are shaping up. I keep asking myself are the shapes, lines and textures proposing the right questions, or making the right statements?
ΟΧΙ ΚΑΡΤΕΣ - post #5 retitled Broken when completed
Covering the back of the figure in concrete.
First I am stuffing the cavity of his body with paper to create a surface to stop the concrete from going completely through the mesh.
the cavity to be filled with paper.
stuffing the crevices.
filled with paper.
view from the back - you can see the newspaper stuffed in the cavity through the lath.
I am now ready to add the concrete to the back.
When working in concrete you start from the top down. In this piece I started with the owl. Concrete is constantly falling and you don't want to have any fall on a surface you have finished. On each section I work from the bottom up, placing the first handfuls on the lath where it meets a surface that can support the weight of the concrete. In the below case I started on the hips and built the concrete up his back to the shoulders.
30 lbs- covered his back.
now it hydrates for 5days.
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A peak at the progress. The first layer of concrete on the owl has cured for five days. How does he look?
I love his cra' cra' eyes.
I think I will fluff up his face with wire cloth and concrete.
The left side of the piece.
In my garage shop.
Detail of owls surface. I think the exposed lath makes a fabulous feather pattern.
Right side of owl. He is turning away from the figure.
View from his front right.
ΟΧΙ ΚΑΡΤΕΣ - post #3 retitled Broken when completed
After Harvey
We were among those whose home did not take on water, however, our hearts are broken for those not so fortunate. I have decided to commit to walking the dogs of the families staying at the GRB with pets every morning at the crack of dawn so the families can sleep in. That way I get my exercise in and help out with the disaster relief and then I can work on my sculpture.
they have a few extra kennels in the family's with pets dormitory at the GRB.
They make a super cool sculpture, hmmm....... ideas.
I pored 30 lbs. of concrete today.
Pouring concrete is a lot like baking. You mix all the dry ingredients together, make a hole and then add the wet ingredients.
The wet ingredients poured into a hole of the dry ingredients.
30 lbs. ready to go
I put the armature in a 8'X 8' frame made from pvc covered in a plastic jacket that Christine Medina made for me. Concrete liquifies when moved so I work on it in this space so I can seal it up turn on a humidifier and zip it up. It has to stay moist for 5 days or if will crack.
The 30 lbs. is enough for a thin coat on the owl.
I love the way the metal lath mimics feathers. I want to be careful and not completely cover the mesh.
The little humidifier ran ran out of water to fast so I punched a hole in the bottom and set the whole thing in a giant bin.that way I only have to refill it twice a day.
Everything is zipoed up tight.
peaking in to see if the humidity is building up- yep-
"Saturday, January 21, 2017 - the woman's March on Washington"
The art Car museum is open today.
Artcycle exhibit at The art car museum.
I delivered my piece "January 21, 2917- the woman's march" Friday the 25th.
such a cool building
Opens to night
See this piece tonight at the Art Car Museum opening tonight.
"January 21, 2017-Woman's March on Washington"
wire cloth, plaster and LED spot light
50" X 27" X 16"
photo by Will Michels
January 21, 2017 will go down in history as the date of the Women's March on Washington; when scores of protestors marched in major cities across the US demanding change: Protection of our rights, safety, health, and our families. I finished this female figure the day after the march. I turned my Led flood light on her and her crisp shadow marched off the wall. Her poise, strength and confidence represents today's woman and the changes demanded on January 21,2017.
Solo exhibition- Nos Caves Vin
My first solo show. I was contacted in the spring by a curator, art appraiser and art consultant Elise Arnoult Miller, to have a solo show at the Nos Caves Vin in Wroxton. Elise picked the work this summer. I took twenty-one works on paper to Paul's place for framing. The installation was set up before Hurricane Harvey hit on Friday September 1st. I reached out to Paul on Wednesday. His retail shop is in mid town but his work shop is in Houston's new Chinatown which is near several of the areas that were badly flooded. Paul finally called me late Thursday. He and his wife were fine, their house did not flood and all my framed pieces were ready to be picked up.
Elise had the whole show up and running in a couple of hours with the help of several art installers.
