New bronze mouse up for grabs on Kickstarter. Meet Neo Chubby Mouse!

Here's a link to the project (running for 1 month, so you can get in early at 20 percent less than retail).

http://kck.st/2Oay21K

Here's Neo Chubby!!

Neo Chubby Mouse - Solid bronze, in an elegant art deco style by Steve Worthington

World domination is fast approaching...

These mice will stop at  nothing to achieve their nefarious goal:
They are hell bent on world domination and must populate every continent on earth!

I just sent two Nosey mice off to Brazil and Australia, and it got me wondering, 'how far and wide have they spread so far?'
I have personally sent them to every continent except Africa, which doesn't of course mean they don't also live there, since they have other ways of getting around besides relying on me.

Here's a post of Sir Ranulph Sprightly Mouse arriving in Antarctica.

Here's Ralph Sprightly in Australia.

Perhaps it's time one of them went on an African Safari, or a trip up the Nile or something?

Nevertheless, they are progressing quite nicely on their mission to take over the world...

The box turtles are also more than holding their own, turning in a stellar performance over on Kickstarter...
Here is a mini chart showing their progress...THANKS BACKERS, YOU ARE AWESOME!!!




Click these links to visit my website...SteveWorthingtonArt.com - Sculpture that loves you back
or my Etsy store, CritterVille

Chicken and mouse bas relief plaque commission

I was recently asked if I could make something in bronze for a wedding anniversary.
The only stipulation was that since the couple has children with the nick-names of chicken and mouse, that it feature a chicken and a mouse, and that I find a way to incorporate a certain poem.

I didn't have long at all to get it done, so I suggested a bas relief plaque since that would entail the least possible number of complications, yet still give me plenty of scope to come up with an attractive design.
Plus, I really like doing bas reliefs for some reason.

He was fine with whatever I thought would look good and left me up to my own devices.

Perfect, that's how I like it!

I tried a few things out and was liking this sort of thing...

Chicken and Mouse design for a bronze anniversary plaque

So next up, using the method for bas relief sculpture I've described before, I made the clay and hardboard original, leaving space for the poem...

If you are curious to see the whole bas relief process and tips for achieving a convincing effect of roundness in about 1/8" of vertical space, type 'bas relief' into the 'search this blog' bar (top left of the screen I think) for several step-by-step demonstrations.

I find that sculpey comes in handy for eyes since you can bake it hard and sculpt around it.

Chicken and Mouse bas relief plaque original clay detail

Chicken and Mouse bas relief plaque original clay detail

Chicken and Mouse bas relief plaque original clay detail

Chicken and Mouse bas relief plaque original clay

Chicken and Mouse bas relief plaque original clay detail

Next up, Lee, my trusty mold and wax man (sounds like a funny sort of man, doesn't it!) got busy doing his thing...

Here's the rubber mold. Certainly one of Lee's easier jobs mold making jobs!

The inside of the mold from which a wax plaque will be taken...

Chicken and Mouse plaque in wax (detail)

Tracing down the lettering...

Makes it *much* easier to do the lettering if you can see it clearly!

Hand lettered wax, ready for delivery to the foundry...

I'll show the rest of the process in my next post...

Sprightly is also becoming a winged mouse...

Winged Sprightly Mouse

I suspect all my mice will eventually sprout wings, but here's a wax version of Sprightly sporting a fine feathered set of wings.
Destined to be bronze with a silver patina when all's said and done.

Winged Sprightly Mouse again

At the time this was taken there was still a bit to do in the area where the wings meet the body, but it was nearly finished and gives a good idea how Sprightly will look as a winged mouse.

Winged Sprightly Mouse from behind

I went with semi-folded wings.

Would that be just  having landed, or about to take off...?

In the last few posts you can see Chubby and Pugnacious in their wingcarnations...

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Click these links to visit my website... SteveWorthingtonArt.com - Sculpture that loves you back

or my Etsy store, CritterVille

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All mice go to heaven...

Everything eats mice.
They have their place in the food chain, which sadly for them is right at the bottom, so every day they quietly make the ultimate sacrifice.
And yet no monument honors them...

...I recently tried out a silver patina for a change which gave my mice a heavenly look.
It would seem the perfect icing for my new mouse cake.
A mouse cake with wings.

Meet winged Pugnacious.
Or angel pug if you prefer...

Angel Pug is my tribute to the bazillions of mice who've died, and will continue to die, so other creatures might live.

Here he is in wax and clay for  now.

Before long he'll be crash landing on my table with a loud clang since he'll be solid bronze with a silver patina.
Then he'll be followed by others, like Angel Chubby, and Winged Sprightly who are waiting in the wings even now (groan!).

I like Angel Pug.
He sort of reminds me of old Ray Harryhausen movies, or those monkeys in 'The wizard of Oz'.

Speaking of wings, we've got some fat baby swallows with giant mouths outside our front door.
One at least has started to fly already.

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Click these links to visit my website... SteveWorthingtonArt.com - Sculpture that loves you back
or my Etsy store, CritterVille

 

 

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Godzilla Mouse attempts to terrorize New York City!!!

Godzilla size Sprightly Mouse checks out the Met while jaded New Yorkers refuse to bat an eye

I had this genius idea a couple of years ago, but I couldn't make it work.
I wanted to photoshop my mice into pics of famous (famouse?) landmarks the world over and drop them into Goggle Earth so when people clicked on the little photo icons every now and then they'd be surprised by a giant mouse striding Godzilla-like across the landscape.

I started with the Met in NYC, but I couldn't get the upload to work.
The photoshoppery was easy enough though, which just sparked another idea...

If you have a pic you think one of my bronzes would make an interesting addition to, shoot it my way via email and I'll see what I can do.
You could stick it on your fridge or something.

It could be a mouse Godzilla-like, or maybe you just want to see how something would look on your mantle, in your yard, or anything really.

I'd need to photograph the critter in question at the right angle, in the right light and (if you want it to appear actual size) to the right scale, so if you send one pic of the location, and a second pic of the same thing with a soda can parked where you want the critter I can work out those things from that (unless we're doing 'Godzilla style', in which case just the one pic of the location will do just fine).

It won't take a few minutes for me to snap something that will work.

Also, since I don't always have every sculpture immediately available (lots of stuff in galleries), you might check what I do  have, much of which is up on my Etsy store.
Other pieces might require me to pull something from the gallery in town for a day to take the snap.

So, if you want to see Nosey peering off the Arc de Triomphe, or Sprightly sniffing the Eiffel tower or doing his best impersonation of the Colossus of Rhodes email me a pic (just make sure you aren't infringing any copyrights-your own holiday snaps are ideal- since I may post them here later).

Go to 'view complete profile' in the sidebar (or just click HERE) to find my email.

In the example above I used a pic taken by a friend of ours who's website Duaflower you might enjoy.

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Click these links to visit my website... SteveWorthingtonArt.com - Sculpture that loves you back
or my Etsy store, CritterVille

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Pugnacious Mouse's first public appearance...public indecency and a tree frog guarding books.

Manitou Gallery is having a joint show for the better behaved of my sculptures and Jennifer O'Cualain's paintings tomorrow (Friday March 4).

Pugnacious Mouse will be making his first public appearance 'in the flesh', so to speak - for order taking purposes only, since my other 'metal master' is on the way to the foundry and if it gets lost in the mail I'll have this back-up ready.

Rumpy and Pumpy Mice weren't invited to the show, in fact they were asked to stay away since they have no sense of public decency and simply can't control themselves in front of people.

There'll be plenty of other newly finished things besides Pugnacious which will be at the show, and they'll be making their way onto these pages soon enough...

...here's a tree frog you can hang on the wall (or book case, or anywhere!)

Click these links to visit my website... SteveWorthingtonArt.com - Sculpture that loves you back
or my Etsy store, CritterVille

'Crossing Over' - Bronze on blackened steel base, 18" x 10" x 4"

Here is my artist's proof for 'Crossing Over'.
Bronze on blackened steel base,  18" x 10" x 4"

This is what the foundry will refer to for positioning and patina while they make the edition of 25.
It's currently (although only for the next few days before it's offered in galleries) available for pre-order through my Kickstarter project at a significant discount, along with a few other new mice.
You can click HERE to check it out.

Click these links to visit my website... SteveWorthingtonArt.com - Sculpture that loves you back
or my Etsy store, CritterVille

More slow-moving chameleon action...(another bas relief plaque in the works)

Hot on the heels of my first chameleon bas relief plaque comes....
 .......ta daaa.........
....another chameleon bas relief plaque!

They aren't cast in bronze yet, but  have been molded and I have a couple of plaster casts to keep me going while the whole bronze casting machinery slowly grinds into motion.

Bronze pics coming soon...

Just like watching a chameleon in 'action', bronze casting is not a particularly speedy process.

Here's a couple of  'in progress' pics...

Meanwhile, at a top secret mouse breeding facility hidden deep inside the German countryside...

'Rein und raus' squeaks each tiny mouse (in perfectly synchronized unison of course).

Actually they aren't really in Germany, the pic just conjured up thoughts of German efficiency for some reason!

They are waxes awaiting investment and casting and metal chasing and finally then to receive their patinas.

Available for pre-order through my Kickstarter project (until Feb 26 2011) at a sizable discount before they hit the galleries...click HERE to learn more.

Meanwhile, since TX Cupcake never appeared to collect their prize,  tip top painter and next closest guesser (as per the rules) in my contest, Deborah Paris got her Nosey in the mail yesterday.

She's made painting her immediate surroundings her mission and her sensitive paintings on her blog are a must see...

Click these links to visit my website... SteveWorthingtonArt.com - Sculpture that loves you back
or my Etsy store, CritterVille

'Crossing Over' - New mouse sculpture underway (and also pre-selling on Kickstarter)

I wasn't going to announce this piece until it was finished, but since I just added it to my Kickstarter project (available at nearly half what it will cost once it's in galleries and on my website) I'll also add it here.

It's called 'Crossing Over', and features Sprightly, Nosey and Chubby looking forward, backward, and enjoying life in the moment while on their journey aboard a primitive dugout style canoe filled with tasty seeds.

The pictures show it unfinished since the patina on the canoe, and the base are not done.

When it's finished the steel base will cradle the bronze sculpture, holding it aloft.

TX Cupcake, your time is running out to claim your mouse...
the next person in line is chomping at the bit to claim it in your stead when your time runs out at the end of the month...

Click these links to visit my website... SteveWorthingtonArt.com - Sculpture that loves you back
or my Etsy store, CritterVille

New mice launched through Kickstarter...Meet Pugnacious Mouse, and Rumpy and Pumpy Mice.

I said I'd be a little unconventional with the reveal of my new mice, so here I go...

I discovered Kickstarter recently and immediately knew I'd have to give it a try!

It's a brilliant way for people to get creative, meaningful or fun things done.
Or to pre-sell soon to be released creations for a limited time at a great price.

If you haven't heard of it before they're well worth a look.
Basically you launch a creative project stating the funding goal needed to complete it, and if people's pledges add up to your goal you get funded, and if not then no money changes hands.

But the great bit is the rewards.
You can offer different rewards if people pledge at least 'x' amount, or 'y' amount.
For my project (to turn my clay mice into bronze) the rewards for backers include getting one or more of the new mice at around 1/2 price thanks to their early commitment.

The down side is you then have to wait for them to get cast!

If you've seen clay originals displayed in galleries for pre-cast orders to be placed at a special rate, my project is an online version of that.

Anyhow, click HERE to see my project on Kickstarter...

And if you have any projects of your own that need financial help to get them off the ground, definitely give Kickstarter a look!

Click these links to visit my website... SteveWorthingtonArt.com - Sculpture that loves you back
or my Etsy store, CritterVille