carved turning

Ambrosia

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I finished this work in time to submit it to the 2022 AAW juried show, Bridging the Gap. The title refers to the ambrosia beetles that infected the silver maple wood.

The size is 8.5 H X 11 W X 10.75 D (inches). A piece like this takes a lot of patience. I started it over winter break, in December 2021. I finished it on 3/27/22.

There's a lot of fussing that went into making the details as good as I could - lots of undercuts, lots of challenges. The geometry of the shape makes it challenging as well. I'm happy with the result.

New Directions

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One of the things that has happened during this pandemic tragedy is my branching out into experimenting with glass. This adventure started before the pandemic, as I was enrolled in a beginning glass class at Ohio State University. Part of this class was an introduction to glass blowing. We had half a semester before the university had to shut down due to a stay-at-home mandate that was initiated in early March.

With the university shut down the glass studio was closed and that was the end to glass blowing for the semester. We had just started to learn about warm glass techniques (e.g., glass fusing in a kiln) right before spring break (the university switched to online following spring break). I was able to borrow a small kiln to continue my exploration at home so I started to make 4X4 inch glass tiles for a remodeling project. I enjoyed glass fusing so much that I ordered a kiln for myself, which took nearly three months to receive because all the factories were closed during the early surge of the pandemic.

Once my kiln arrived I was able to make space in my detached garage for a glass workshop. I've been doing lots of fun things in glass, including a technique called "fossil vitra." This is essentially converting organic material into glass fossils. I've been playing with leaves and inflorescences. I really like the result of these experiments. (Check out my Etsy shop for my fused glass work: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtByAndiWolfe?ref=seller-platform-mcnav).

This semester I was able to enroll in another glass class at the university. The studio was able to implement safety protocols that allowed us to get back into the hot shop for glass blowing. I had a weekly blow slot to myself, which resulted in a lot of experimenting. One of those experiments is being used for a new piece that I'm working on for an AAW exhibit next summer. The exhibit is "Elements," and I'm one of the invited artists. For this piece I am combining woodturning and some glassblowing work. I have to say that I am really, really enjoying this work. I sketched out my idea, gave a lot of thought to what I wanted to make, and it's actually happening.

Small fossil vitra dish with Japanese maple leaves.

Small fossil vitra dish with Japanese maple leaves.

Small fossil vitra dish with Penstemon.

Small fossil vitra dish with Penstemon.

Elements–work-in-progress.

Elements–work-in-progress.

Elements–work-in-progress.

Elements–work-in-progress.

Elements–work-in-progress.

Elements–work-in-progress.

Elements–work-in-progress. I’ve started to fit my glass pieces to the woodturning.

Elements–work-in-progress. I’ve started to fit my glass pieces to the woodturning.

Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Competition 2019 - Part 2

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In June I had posted about how I had entered "Beloved" into the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts competition, and had been informed that my piece had won an award. I didn't know what it was at the time because awards are first announced at the opening reception. I promised an update, but then my busy schedule made me forget to do so...

To my great surprise and delight, my piece won 2nd Best in Show for the professional division. Here are some photos from the opening reception:

The line for the opening reception on July 23, 2019.

The line for the opening reception on July 23, 2019.

The postcard for the exhibit.

The postcard for the exhibit.

Testa series

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Many of my biomorphic forms are inspired by seed coat morphology - especially of parasitic plant seeds. Castilleja seeds are interesting to me in that the outer seed coat separates from the inner, which results in a skeleton-like appearance.

testa series.jpg

I just completed this little form in time for the 2019 American Association of Woodturners symposium, which will take place in a couple of weeks. It’s made from a dogwood end grain turning, which gives the thin-walled elements a lot of strength. It’s 3.75 X 3.25 inches in size (9.53 X 8.3 cm). I will have it on display in the instant gallery at the AAW symposium, in Raleigh, NC (July 12-14).

Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Competition 2019

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Well, this is good news:

"Congratulations!

Your Artwork has been Awarded at the 2019 Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition! We cannot disclose which award you won at this time. We encourage you to attend the Opening Reception on Tuesday, July 23rd 6-8pm. Please see invitation given to you at the artist drop-off (or mailed to you) for more details. The Award Ceremony will begin at 630pm in the Rotunda."

I've no clue as to what prize it might be - probably not a major one, though. Still, I'm excited to have an award for the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Competition - there were more than 2200 entries - mostly 2D works, but a good selection of 3D as well.

I will post an update after I find out what the award is...

Here's my artist's statement:

The natural world offers many inspirations. I am a botanist by day and a woodturner/carver in whatever spare time I can glean from the week. My work has focused on the use of surface enhancements that employ botanical or other biological motifs.

Beloved originated with the loss of a maple tree at an 1800s homestead in Tennessee. The tree was on the property of a good friend whose family has lived in this home from its beginning. The maple was also an original inhabitant of the property. My friend asked artists in the woodturning community to make something from the wood of her beloved tree so that she would have a collection of photos celebrating the life of the tree. I hope my rendering of leaves from the wood of this beloved maple tree has done honor to my friend’s memories of her life-long home.

Just for context, this is from Vicki Jordan's tree. She sent out hundreds of wood blanks from her beloved tree. It took me a bit longer than I had expected to finish this piece, because of the deep curve on the rim, plus the wood was rock hard! I can't begin to tell you how many hours of work (and cussing) this piece took, but I'm glad it will have some recognition at this year's Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibit.

beloved 1.jpg
beloved 2.jpg