local papers profile

www.seniorssunsettimes.com

Cement fossil and artifact

These are some smaller pieces that have been laying around asking to be finished, today,  I gussied them up for urban life.

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

new born

we were not bonding, fugly.

I am feeling better about our relationship and he is feeling more confident and colorful with his  tribal/Mayan  flare.

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

2 more days to cure and he can leave the building.

 I made him a hat, (the last one became a mushroom cap) but the more I look at it it screams bird bath (see small picture above). I am determined to have one guy ware a rice hat!

I wanted to give this guy more interest, so I gave him a tan bath and a  head dressing. as he drys the color will dull to a clay/ sand hue.

  .the symbol for truth at his crown

I Ching coins?...don't know yet

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

I carved exaggerated cracks  and did a wash of weak black pigment to give them deapth.

Bird Bath

here is the set up, my best find is the large PVC sliced to 2 inch depth to create the ring at the base, then a diagonal  cut so I could spread for release. I use this for stepping stones and a plethora of projects.

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

These will season into a terracotta color.

I have been asked to show how to use objects in the garden, so I will attempt to show environments that elevate beauty. 

Starfish are tricker than you would think to make by hand.

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

crude Styrofoam and plastic garbage bag mold

this was before we had coffee!

ahhh, French roast, 

Hypertufa Sedum Containers

pigment  added to give a woody appearance.

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

                                              This is the ideal look, 8 months of northwest weather and you have an paleontologists wet dream!

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

  I think as this weathers a bit and the feed sack gets more exposed, it will give the mushroom  the textures I was attempting to to combine. The base is using the stove pipe to make a pillar, then carved into  the ribbed pattern seen in the picture. I think this is "Farmers Market"  product... that is starting in about a week, I am so not ready.

The cap was made separately, building off an old concave lamp fixture with plastic wrap over the glass for easy release. layering hypertufa-mesh fencing-hypertufa again, then dip and soaking gunny sack strips in a thick solution of Portland cement and  fine sand and placing on the cap leaving loose ends at the edges to give it more texture and visual interest.

fresh

yeah, I know, he is kinda ugly...maybe age will be kind, may his erosion and decomposition give him  character  I couldn't..

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

Me and the guys.

These "garden sentinels" have been re-homed to Fusion Gallery in Ocean Shores Washington with a 

hefty price tag!

Fusions ART Gallery

Inspired by the Moai, (the monolithic human figures carved from rock on the Polynesian island of Easter Island between the years 1250 and 1500) artist Frank Ratte has created this stellar yard art! HEAVY reinforced concrete that was designed to invite the growth of moss...how cool! Two large heads measure approx 24" X 12" and one small head at 20" X 10". $400 and $300 respectively.

not sure if a rice hat is suitable, but I do like the idea of creating accessories to add his identity and culture.

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

using  a cardboard box as a mold

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

using a Styrofoam mold I made, don't need to that again.

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

Hypertufa, Art and objects for the Garden

This is my first attempt at larger scale sentinels.