Friday, December 26, 2008

End of 2008 - Short Video Review

Put these together on http://www.onetruemedia.com/ last night, and after I got to bed at 6 am... and up by noon, I spent the rest of today putting these together for you all. Hope you enjoy.

Here is a video of my collection of bronzes, available, in galleries. I want to take this opportunity, to thank Stellar Art Publishing, all those who believe in me there. I want to send my love and respect to all the galleries that show my work. A special love I have for all who have taken hard earned treasure and bought one of my works of art. Without all of you, I'd be a printer, or a ditch digger, or a vagabond and a rake... Love you all. The following videos are my way of giving all of you a party. Thank you so much.



Creation of Cheyenne Courtship. I started this one during the last part of 2007 and took it to the foundry in early part of this year.



Creation of Sacajawea started near the end of March of this year.

Iron Horns creation started Sept 17th, of this year

I know this isn't all that I did this year, but I need to stop now. I'm seeing double.. lol.

Happy New Year everyone. Hope everyone enjoy amazing health and happiness this coming year. If you make a lot of money, accept it, and move on.. haha.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Iron Horn - Monumental - In Gallery

Here are the photographs of Iron Horn in the Mountain Trails Gallery. There are areas of minor damage.






Not sure what I'm going to do yet. Stay tuned.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Iron Horn - Monumental - Standing Again

Just a short update. Adonis Bronze had the clay of Iron Horn standing up within an hour of me being there last Friday. They would have taken him up to Mountain Trails Gallery today, but it's snowing very hard, so they're going to put that off for a couple of days. I'll add photo's if the foundry sends me any.
That's it for now.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Delivering Iron Horn - Disaster

Check out this video I submitted to YouTube. It covers everything from the 11th to this morning, with comment boxes to explain things more clearly. It's a condenced version of the past 4 days. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO6-c02grcE

Check back next week, and I'll update the progress as well as what happens to Iron Horn.

P.S.
It's Sunday morning the 14th. From what I've learned from Adonis Bronze, the day I dropped off this clay for repair, and from the UHaul guy here in town, as well as thinking about all the factors of this trip, I've come to this conclusion.
from what I've found out, from this experience, through the Board of Inquiry in my Mind, the whole thing was doomed to break no matter what I would have done. The extreme cold here caused a change in the clay, wax, and foam's make up. Combined with the terrible roads and the lack of weight in the back of the truck, it was bound to break... I'm just very lucky it didn't break more.
When I built the frame I was building it for the lightweight sculpture it was. I mean it only had a little over a 100 pounds of clay spread from the feet to the head. Most of the weight, probably 40 pounds was in the head alone. The frame I made would have held it all up fine. The large amount of wax from the string laying on the board would have been enough to hold whole thing to the base and should have given plenty of support for the ankles. But single digit cold, as it sat in the back of the truck over night, caused the wax to become very brittle. It broke easily away from the board. With the bouncing of the truck, due to the lack of any kind of weight in the back of the truck, well it just put to much pressure on the ankles, once the wax, that had been glued to the base broke it's bond, was just to much, so the ankles cracked. This put way to much pressure in the wrong direction on the flange holding the support pipe down to the base, and it tore out. Once that happened the supports were pushed up and they collapsed.
The foundry is going to put pipe, welded to a plate on the base and set the legs and the clay down onto that. So that the pipe will be inside the legs. But that will only go up to the knees. So now the knees will be the weak point. Even if it had stood up, in the back of the truck, the foam would have crumbled at the ankles or in the legs from the weight above it.
I know how I'll frame it next time and how I'll support it, next time. But I would be hard pressed to be talked into transporting it ever again 400 miles... 50 miles would be fine but 6 hours of bouncing isn't good.
Sorry, long explanation... lol I did what I did, with the knowledge I had at the time. I'm just very thankful that the damage wasn't worse than it was.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Iron Horn - Monumental - A Lot of Grunting and Wheezing

Finally have the Clay loaded and ready for the drive tomorrow to Utah. What a total relief to have it packed away for the night.


Well that's it. I'll take video of the trip. When I arrive back home Friday, I'll put them on the blog. So check back on Saturday morning or afternoon.

I'm going to do some major cleaning both at my studio and home. I've let all that sit by the wayside for far to long because of the deadlines I had to meet on clay. I am going to take the rest of this month off and just gather my strength for the projects to come.

Hope you've enjoyed this past years creations. Would love to hear from you. So email me at mtlemon@gmail.com See you in January 2009. Can you believe it's been nine years since the Y2K scare... lol

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Iron Horn - Monumental - Finaly Ready for Delivery

I brought Iron Horn to within a couple of weeks of being completely done. It's done enough to show it in Mountain Trails Gallery in Park City for the rest of winter. So I'm crating it up tomorrow afternoon and loading it into the UHaul for the trip to Utah. I'm going to try and beat a major snow storm coming in on Saturday from here in Montana down to Utah.


Ok, one at a time, here are the final photographs of this clay as of late tonight. I hope you enjoyed watching the birth of this clay, those of you who checked in every day. Thank you so much for taking this journey with me.









I'm feeling the weight of the incredible privilege I was given to be able to create such a piece. You really feel a religious emotion when you complete something. I'm feeling that now. I want to thank Mountain Trails Gallery and Adam, in Park City Utah, who commissioned me to create this piece, and Stellar Art Publishing for giving me the opportunity to do this. Without people of vision like these people, this world would be so different and a bit dull.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Iron Horn - Monumental - Almost Done

Started out the day preparing my clay. I decided to replace the quill roach I did yesterday. After looking at old paintings of roaches from the early 1800's, I decided the one I was creating was lacking. So after getting the clay ready, I started the new roach.


Then I turned my attention to the shoulder strap for the shot pouch as well as the design on the shirt.

Yes, I was very tired at the end of today. Making that fur texture was very tiresome. My hand and fingers were smarting. Still it was a very stimulating day. Getting this far today was fun. Final photo's below.


Back at it tomorrow. Ok, my shoulder hurts, my back is definitely back there. I am feeling pain. Hot shower time.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Iron Horn - Monumental - Hair and Roach

Roach headdresses were usually worn by warriors and dancers. Like warbonnets, roaches are traditionally men's head wear, not worn even by female warriors. In some tribes, individual men chose to wear porcupine roaches while other men did not.
Today I start the Porcupine Roach for this warriors head. Here are some references that inspired the original hair style and also examples of Roaches.


Here are pictures showing the original Marquette of this life size. The small version of Iron Horn. just to give you some reference as to what I'm doing. As you can see, the roach in the original was shorter. I chose to make it longer for the affect to the viewer.

Here is a short video of the start of the hair and roach

Tomorrow, I may re-do the roach. Looking at the video I saw a way that I could make it better and more dramatic. At least that's what I'm thinking now. Tomorrow may bring no change... Some final shots today.


Saturday, December 6, 2008

Iron Horn - Monumental - Finished the Beads

At the end of the day, I had the hair started, and the beading, done... Whoopy. Here are final photo's of the clay at the end this day.


Friday, December 5, 2008

Iron Horn - Monumental - The 5 Day of December

I start out making a quirt. A quirt or ridding crop, is used to whip the horse into action, but Indians made them to do double duty. They could be used as weapons. This crop will be hanging from the wrist of the hand holding the gun.

Well that's all I could do today. My shoulders, still hurting from yesterdays bead making, were just to painfull. Put in a full day and was going to put in some more time.. but just could take the pain any longer today. I'll be better tomorrow.
Here is a final photograph of the new fringe and beads on the right shoulder. Tomorrow the left shoulder.


Thursday, December 4, 2008

Iron Horn - Monumental - 4 more plates

Just home again making beads, beads, beads, and many more beads.


Back in studio tomorrow... to add these beads to the clay.

1:30 am... Just finished making 3 and 3/4 plates of beads for tomorrow. That's not a straight all day thing, just did it off and on all day. My shoulders and hands were getting tired and knotted up... so took a break every so often and worked the kinks out. It's now 3:30 am and finally getting to bed. Kinda get wound up doing beads. Took time to whined down.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Iron Horn - Monumental - Finaly starting to take shape

Making beads and a brief Lemonized history of the bead trade.


Once all was finished at home I headed to the studio and started adding what I just spent three days creating.

Just some pictures at the end of today.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Iron Horn - Monumental - Shield Feathers Today

Again I'm working at home. Still healing.



Here's nine 7 hours of labor. Ready to be installed on the lifesize.



I hope to be back in studio tomorrow.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Iron Horn - Monumental - Worked at home today

I received a cut to the calf of my right leg Thursday. Saturday evening I ended up going to the local doctor to have it looked at. It was infected. So I've been on antibiotics for the past three days. It's so much better today, but I just don't want to aggravate it with a pants leg and the environment of the studio for at least one more day.
I decided to make strings of beads today in my home office. Here is a photo of a string of clay beads. I cut at every 7th bead. The marks on the cutting board align with each bead. This Helps speed up the work.


The video shows the stings stacking up.

Well that plate and one other full plate was a full days work. I'm going to try to get two more plates filled. I will probably work at home again tomorrow. I'll make more beads and then create the seven feathers for the shield here as well.