Deer Skull (Finished) & River Otters

Well I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing 3 day weekend.  I worked a lot on my deer skull, but also spent time by the pool with our local river otters, going to movies and just kicking back. I'm never able to swim by myself as friends are always here requiring a dip!

I finished up the deer skull (deer skull) and I think it turned out pretty good, being that it is really my first 3D type of sculpture.  It measures about 3ft across and 2ft high.  I'd still like to bend some of the antlers a little, but for now I'll sit back and look at it for a while.  We artist can pick apart our creations far too much.  I'm trying to be better about that self defeating act.

  

Deer Skull

This past week I've been working on a new project.  It's a little different from my delicate cutouts, but something I've always wanted to figure out how to do and that is make sculptures.  I don't have a fancy power hammer to help me mold steel ~ I just have a very old arm with three frayed ligaments in it so I can't always do what I really want to do.  So, bear with me as I try to figure out how to make this Deer Skull.

I started out with a couple of scrolls that I bent that I use for my stands when I mount some of the Shovels I make. 

See if you look at them sideways they kind of look like eyes.... right?   OK maybe it's just me.  Then I sort of angle them to get the gest of the skull.  Add a scrap piece of steel to mimic the head and old horseshoe for the long nose.

 Here's sort of what it will look like with some antlers.  I'll be using three different sizes of rebar for that.  That may be the hard part.... trying to bend those suckers! 

 

I guess you know what I'll be working on this Memorial Day!  

Stay safe my friends and please Kiss A VET!  They have sacrificed so much for us. 

Luckily I won't have to go far to accomplish that since my ARMY VET is in the next room.

 GO 101st Airborne! 

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Growing up in New Mexico and being around a very religious culture, I’ve always been drawn to the images of Saints and the retablo’s that you find throughout New Mexico.

I love the style of these images where they look old and weathered and are made in funky old frames and boxes of reused items.   

So, I decided to make my own religious item using the patron saint of Mexico, Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is also the Patron Saint of the Americas, for all favors in sickness, all evil and War.

 I took and old board cut it to size, 

painted some beautiful turquoise blue on it, 

 cut out my pattern with my handy dandy plasma cutter 

and held it there with some rust painted tacks.

A humble adobe structure The Santuario de Guadalupe is located in Santa Fe and was built by Franciscan missionaries between 1776 and 1795, this is the oldest shrine in the United States honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Mother's Day has winded down and all the kids have gone home.  Had a lovely breakfast made by all my boys, not just for me but all the Mother's in our family.  It was a crazy, hectic kitchen indeed.  I just sat back and watched.  I was very thankful I didn't have to clean up today!

Although I wasn't with my Mom she was of course in my thoughts. I painted her a picture of a little corner window at her house, flanked by the biggest old apricot tree I have ever seen. 

Mom, I love you and I hope your day was as beautiful as you are!

Here's a little walk down memory lane

 

Wow, Mom don't you wish we had these days back!

 

Blue Heron ~ Osprey ~ No Fish

We headed up to Willow Springs Lake this weekend ~ finally getting the fishing boat out of the garage.  What a beautiful day it was.   No Chores, No Phones, No Crowds just soft breezes, brisk air and sparkling water and the promise of catching some fish.

 Spotted this lovely Great Blue Heron ~ I think he had better luck fishing then we did.

 Then the Osprey ~ scouting for when we actually caught something he could swoop down and snag an easy dinner.  To his dismay that never happened.

Local River Otter scouting for Fish

Me & River Otter Giving up on the The Fish That Got Away

 $80 for Fishing License's

$60 for Diesel Gas

$30 for Lunch

$20 for Umbrella

Time Together Alone ~ Fresh Air ~ Beautiful Scenery ~ No Fish

Priceless