By Product

I've been working on this for a while, but since it was a surprise for my wife, I couldn't post the process photos. I don't think she spends a lot of time checking the blog, but a surprise is a surprise.

This is the EZcast prototype for a cuff that will be cast in silver, hopefully some time this week. I'm really happy with the way this one came out, and really intrigued by this developing series of work that is driven by, and related to, the larger processes, but with their own identity and purpose.

At some point, when I've managed to bring all of these various projects to completion (end of summer?), I'm thinking I'll start an Etsy site, and see what happens.

Apparently, I Forgot To Post This Review In the Times

Been remiss in the self-promotion aspect lately. Here's a lovely review in the New York Times for the excellent Beyond Rodin Show. Thank you Bob Clyatt for putting it all together!

Good News From The Front

I am pleased to announce that I have been awarded the National Sculpture Society's Dexter Jones Award. This is my second year winning the award, and I am deeply grateful to the National Sculpture society for their generosity and support.

The Dexter Jones Award is an unrestricted prize of $5,000, which is presented annually to an emerging sculptor for an outstanding work of sculpture in bas-relief.
The award is given in memory of the late Dexter Jones (1926-1986), a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society. In addition to being an accomplished sculptor of portraits and works in the round, Jones created several outstanding bas-reliefs in his lifetime.

Also, I am pleased to note that "You Wish" was recently purchased by a private collector from the Beyond Rodin show at the Rye Art Center. I am grateful here for the hard work of both Bob Clyatt (for putting the show together) and Helen Gates (for negotiating the sale). It is unfortunate that emotional value has no corresponding purchasing power, because making money from your art feels like a million bucks.

More Homemade Tools

These were made with old bike spokes and leftover bits of dowel. Compare to the microcarving kits offered at Amazon and SAVE. Plus, they work beautifully.

Studio Innovations

Urinal

Sculptural Thinking In The Home

My baby girl asked for a waterfall...

A Full Day In Just Over A Minute

There's something weird about recording yourself in the studio. It's like having a supervisor sitting right over your shoulder. Turned out to be good for productivity - wanting to keep the camera in position meant I had to concentrate on a the visible area, which I wouldn't necessarily do. Still, I think this is an interesting record of the process. It's probably as close to the actual experience as you can get without actually spending the day in the studio - boring, but satisfying to watch the whole thing slowly come into focus.


Process from Jed Morfit on Vimeo.


Watch it on Vimeo to see it at a larger size.

New Fisher Cat

Longer, leaner, slinkier. Had to move a bunch of vines around to make it happen. Plan to spend a little time in it this morning, see if it's right. 

New Tool, Old Tool, Blank

Spent a few minutes yesterday replacing one of my favorite tools. The old one is elegant, but the new one is thicker, stronger, and better suites to pushing through plasticine.

The piece of wood they're sitting on is an off-cut from the maple tabletops we use in the sculpture studio at school. Upcycles nicely into modeling tools.

FMRI

Someone should take FRMI images of the moment during the creative process in which an element that had been fine/finished/acceptable suddenly becomes intolerable, and requires that the rest of the day be spent tearing it down and building it back up. Is it a positive, important part of the process? Or is it just a compelling cognitive illusion?

All I know is that I spent A LOT of time working on the fisher cat today. I think it's better, but it's hard to be sure.

Reference Material

 

Love this shot. May try to shoot it again on Wednesday. It almost, almost makes me wish I had done it exactly this way, with the original image inset into the new piece. Not too late, I suppose, except that it is. I just couldn't face it, and what while it makes for a seductive picture, there are all kinds of possible problems in the execution. Deep sigh and move on.

In other news, Susan Hodara has written a lovely piece in the NY Times about the Beyond Rodin show at the Rye Arts Center. The whole thing can be found here. Thanks to Bob Clyatt for putting the show together, and (I assume) for organizing the press. Really a great show.