Archive for sculpture
Owl Carving | interview with Jonathan Sherwood
You know how as soon as you make a note of something new, then the chances are you’ll see it again pretty soon?
I can’t help but see owls (and pears) everywhere – writing this blog has honed my radar. So I was always going to notice a news story on the BBC website about a newly carved owl in Harrogate to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
A few months passed; I organised a trip up north to visit friends; plans were made to meet blogging sensation Kat in Valley Gardens in Harrogate – a place I knew nothing about, but which turned out to be the perfect picnic and catch-up spot.
But there’s only so long you can spend in a park with a 3YO before you start to gravitate towards the swings. Lo and behold, outside the gate to the play park stood the carved owl throne from the article I’d read back in May.
Sculptor Jonathan Sherwood was easily located once back home, courtesy of Google, and I’m really chuffed that he has agreed to talk to us this week about his work and inspiration:
First of all, I have to ask: why owls?
A stylised tawny owl was the first thing I learnt to carve so I find them easy to create. The reason for putting one on the seat was to add something to the top of the chair to make it more interesting for kids.
How did you get interested in wood carving?
My dad [Tim Burgess] is a sculptor based in Mobberley and works in the Manchester area. I started by joining him on jobs and shifting wood around, then I had a go for myself. [Readers, a talent for owl sculpture and wood carving runs in the family: read all about Tim Burgess's jubilee Oak Leaf Throne here. It also features an owl or two.]
Apart from a chainsaw, what tools did you use to create the Diamond Jubilee Sculpture?
I used two chainsaws one with a standard sprocket bar and the other was an electric one with a carving bar on it (it has a pointy tip and no sprocket in the end). I used an angle grinder with a sanding pad, a file sander, a drill, a couple of chisels, a mallet and a crowbar. And of course all the necessary safety equipment.
How long did the work take to complete, and what challenges (if any) did you face in making it?
The work took five days; however some of the days were not full days. The whole project was a huge challenge – it was the biggest sculpture I had done (by a long way). It was in a public place which means having to stop a lot to answer questions. It was the first seat I had made and I had some problems with chainsaws and lost half a day of work due to some wood chip in my eye.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from my head and real life; I am always aiming to make my work more realistic so whatever the subject is I will look at pictures of it and then decide on what I think would look good in terms of movement, attitude and composition.
Who are your favourite contemporary sculptors?
I don’t really have a favourite contemporary sculptor: I’m not very good on names of artists and so on. If I had to name a sculptor who’s work I really like it would be Bob King who is a chainsaw sculptor in the US.
What plans do you have for forthcoming works, and do any of them include owls?
I have no plans for any work – it depends on what I get comissioned to sculpt. At the moment I don’t have time to go and make what I would like to make as I have a full-time job and will be starting my part-time university study again in September.
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If you’re interested in finding out more, you can visit Jonathan’s website (and read the BBC article) by clicking on the embedded links above.
In the meantime, I can heartily recommend a trip to see the owl seat in Valley Gardens. And if any of you can suggest alternative owl sculptures then leave a comment below – as you know, I like to keep the radar honed!
The owl next door
I kid you not, this is a photo my Dad took of the garden next door…
To give you some context, he lives in a small rural village in coastal North Yorkshire. Such ardent owl appreciation is not typical.
He described it as a sort of owlish “angel of the north”. Indeed, a six-foot carved wooden owl could be forgiven for stopping the odd bit of traffic.
Here’s a close up for good measure:
Make my day: can anyone match this owl for size or placement?
Tom Hare willow pear
Hey! It’s a pear! Yup, a willow pear by sculptor Tom Hare. For anyone who has not been to RHS Wisley, you have missed a treat. Not only is it home to fabulous gardens, it also has a lovely gift shop, a fantastic cafe (very nice coffee and cheesecake, and funky wooden highchairs too) and … a giant willow sculpture of a pear. The pear itself stands 6 foot high next to a grove of fruit trees, with a mini tunnel for mini people (or hunched over adults) to play in. And it turns out there is another similar willow pear at Waterperry Gardens in Oxfordshire, which is pretty close to Bicester Village. Just saying…
Claes Oldenburg Dropped Bowl with Scattered Slices and Peels
Thanks to the lovely Sabina for this post. As ever, she is the ultimate arbiter of taste, especially when it comes to anything arty, or anything related to shoes, handbags, divine dresses and languid literature. Enough alliteration; back to Mr Oldenburg. If I ever get to Miami then I will definitely make a bee-line to see this fruity, open-air fountain / sculpture. According to the Claes Oldenburg website, this amazing installation is formed of seventeen elements (eight bowl fragments, four peels, five orange sections). Shame he didn’t think to include any pears, but never mind, I won’t hold it against him.
