Fund raising and steel raising

This last week or so I have kept busy in my studio as well as with the administrative part of being an artist. I am on a board of a new sculpture gallery, Third Coast Sculpture Gallery,  that is in the process of incorporating and getting ready to open our doors. I am working with a team of other sculptors that are dedicated to this project and have a lot to offer.

We are hosting a fundraiser next Saturday at Frank's on Clark to help with some start up costs. Here is a link with information about the benefit. Some of my internationally known and talented sculptor buddies have generously donated some works of art that we will be raffling off for $10 a ticket or 6 for $50. If you can't come to the benefit, but would like a raffle ticket, email me: dusty@dustyfolwarczny.com and we can arrange something for you!!

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In other news, I have been building a new sculpture, scrape, that will hopefully go on display in downtown Chicago outside the Merchandise Mart in about a month. It has been a fun and challenging piece to make and I am happy with the end result. I struggled with how to arrange the 46' rings for about three weeks. Last Wednesday the 3rd, I finally had that breakthrough moment around 9:30pm. I tacked all the pieces in place and slept on it.

When I cam back the next morning I was still happy with my forms so I went to work welding here is a little video of some of that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8dghI2YVZc

Here are some photos of the process: 

When I finished all the welds I used the boiled linseed oil to give the rusted surfaces a bit a sheen. It really enhances the beauty of the rust! For the inside of two rings and the outside of the other ring, I primed and then mixed good old Rustoleum. I am pleased with the finish. 

Next I set up a photo shoot with scrape. Here are some of the raw pictures from that afternoon. I will clean these up and then I will be finished! Well, maybe not, because if I can't drill into the concrete when this piece will go, I have to attached  a large steel plate to the bottom of the sculpture. I am still waiting to hear if that is the case.