I had the wood for this stored in my back room for many years and it became time to use it and had wood for a base also. I had collected some serpentine from the beach on a trip to Port Orford. The wood was roughed out with a mallet and gauges, then shaped with rifflers and rasps, and sanded, then oiled to protect the wood and make it shiny. It was naturally shaped to remind me of a leaf.
I finally got this one done and took it to the Manley Gallery here in Brookings, Oregon to be displayed with other general membership art. There is a special exhibit by two featured artists this month. They will be interviewed on Second Saturday Art Walk. The last featured artists interview was held outdoors using folding chairs to sit on. People have to wear face masks inside the gallery to see the art. A choice of drinks were served in small cups. This will be done the same way. But, what if it rains?
I had the burl wood for a long time so it is well seasoned. It was a concave shape as if it grew over a large rock between where the tree trunks grow upwards and where the roots found soil and grew downwards. It seemed to be an oak burl. The base is oak and is straight grained. The wood has similar coloration so it may the same kind of tree. I found the serpentine stone on the beach and improved its shape to fit into the wood. The design has three holes, like an old leaf, and the stone is on the concave side. It is as though an old leaf was blown along by the wind, and shows various changes in different views. I sanded it down to 220, oiled it, then used 0000 steel wool, then gave it three final coats of Tung Oil.
It takes some effort to get sculptures finished, but seems rewarding for me to create something beautiful that I like and other people enjoy them also.
