Sculpture

[Rasp]

Hi Rick,

Just checking in on you and your sculpture. I've been doing some metalworking homework for a proposed metal boat design and came across this site for a guy who does metal sculpture. I was looking at his video on English Wheels but after looking at the whole index thought that you might find some of his topics of use to your project.

http://www.kevincaron.com/index.html

[Soñadora]

picked up the cross tubes on Saturday. Tomorrow I pick up the big stuff. This will be interesting...

[Soñadora]

turns out, 2000lb of steel weighs the same as 2000lb of feathers.

it's just a lot more concentrated! dayum!

picked up the steel from my guy in Iowa.

Will start painting tonight. Found this as a method for rusting metal (go about 2:30 min in before you see how it's done):

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKjBel04Gkw[/youtube]

[Soñadora]

I accomplished something...

[Tucky]

Thanks, this is really fun to watch.

[BeauV]

I accomplished something...

Great to see!!!

[Soñadora]

this thing is going to be effing huge.

WTH did I get myself into

[kimbottles]

This is soooo cool, I am proud to be a supporter.

[Soñadora]

Thanks Kim and everyone else showing their support.

I should clarify that it's all or nothing with Kickstarter. If the goal isn't met, there is no funding at all. So, if you know anyone interested in "weird art" (as one supporter mentioned ), pass it on. Starting next week I will be working hard locally to campaign for this. It will be a lot cheaper than divorce....

I finally found someplace to weld up my pieces: http://www.cafac.org/

very cool place

And I made up a concoction that will rust clean steal in about 2 minutes: Hydrogen Peroxide, Vinegar, and salt in a spray bottle. Clean with degreaser first.

Pics to follow...

[kimbottles]

HEY!!

Be part of the cool kids and get on board with support of Rick's project!!

Now is the time to stand with one cool guy (remember who makes all of this Scantlings stuff possible!)

Rick is one of us and needs your support.

Don't put it off get on board now.

Kim (Proud supporter of Rick!)

[Soñadora]

thanks Kim!

Really, you guys have done so much! It's up to me to get the word out more aggressively. I'll be creating flyers and getting those to the local artsy fartsy places along with some support from CAFAC.

Here's how the rust is coming along. Very cool...

[Soñadora]

All the welding's done. Roger at Chicago Ave. Fire Arts Center did a great job.

and I helped! I cut some of the tubes down with the big metal bandsaw and chamfered the ends.

[Soñadora]

Mining Blue Sky was installed today.

To say this was a turning point in my life would be an understatement. Pics to follow.

[BeauV]

Mining Blue Sky was installed today.

To say this was a turning point in my life would be an understatement. Pics to follow.

Great News!!!

[kimbottles]

Congratulations Rick!

Hey! You are an artist!!

[Soñadora]

it was a bit weird to be called, 'the artist'. While we were assembling, people would walk by. It's a small town. Everyone seems to know each other. As I was working, I kept hearing, "that guy's the artist".

When I showed up, I was greeted by a young guy in his late 20s, maybe 30 if that. He took me to the location where we would set up. We met his dad there and the 3 of us started unloading. Dad was wiped out after 2 pieces. I kept imagining me and this young guy putting this thing together. It would have been a stretch, but I was sure we could do it.

Then out of thin air, a whole bunch of other guys appeared. with one or two exceptions, all these guys were pushing 70. I was to find out that meant absolutely nothing. You get enough 70 year olds together and you can lift stuff. Of course, these are iron rangers. I think they may actually be partially made of iron. In no time they had everything assembled and vanished. Off to help install a bunch of other pieces throughout Bemidji. None of them anywhere near the scale of mine.

Here's some pics. Enjoy!

[Panope]

I must admit that the computer renderings of this work were not flattering to me.

But, in real life, I get it. It really did need to be big. Nice looking piece. Congratulations.

Steve

[Soñadora]

Thanks Steve.

I was very nervous, but once the thing came together it gave a lot of merit to the method.

The renderings were Q and D. I was more interested in accuracy than appearance. The model drove then entire fabrication process except for the welded stuff.

I will try to completely do without welding for the next piece.

[Jamie]

it was a bit weird to be called, 'the artist'. While we were assembling, people would walk by. It's a small town. Everyone seems to know each other. As I was working, I kept hearing, "that guy's the artist".

When I showed up, I was greeted by a young guy in his late 20s, maybe 30 if that. He took me to the location where we would set up. We met his dad there and the 3 of us started unloading. Dad was wiped out after 2 pieces. I kept imagining me and this young guy putting this thing together. It would have been a stretch, but I was sure we could do it.

Then out of thin air, a whole bunch of other guys appeared. with one or two exceptions, all these guys were pushing 70. I was to find out that meant absolutely nothing. You get enough 70 year olds together and you can lift stuff. Of course, these are iron rangers. I think they may actually be partially made of iron. In no time they had everything assembled and vanished. Off to help install a bunch of other pieces throughout Bemidji. None of them anywhere near the scale of mine.

Here's some pics. Enjoy!

Cool!

[JoeP]

Hell of a job Rick. Good work.

[BeauV]

Wholeyyy Hot Damn!!!

Look at that!!!!

Very very very cool!!!!

[kimbottles]

SWMBO likes it, that says it all.

[Brooke]

Awesome!!

[Soñadora]

A friend asked me why I thought this was a 'life changing' experience. This is what I wrote to him...

Self expression was part of it. Maybe a symptom of my 'condition' possibly. This all happened so quickly that at times I felt like I was out of control. Like I was being pushed along rather than pushing to make it happen. To be honest, I can't really relate how frightening it was (and to some degree still is).

What makes it frightening is the total lack of domestic support. I would actually go so far as to say that the resistance was at times unbearable and more than once I considered bailing.

But I've already bailed time and time again. It's so very easy to agree with someone who makes a very good case for NOT doing something. In the past I was told, "you can't do that so just forget about it." What happens when you CAN'T forget about it? Most people look for some other outlet. Maybe stamp collecting. Or maybe booze. Both of which sound extremely boring to me.

Next year I'm hitting 5-0. Hopefully still have a lot of years left, but statistically speaking I'm well past halfway. If not now, when? There's a lot of pressure to abandon dreams when you're constantly told "I don't understand" even when every attempt is made to help with understanding.

This was a very personal venture. When I found out that my piece was accepted, I was ecstatic. At the dinner table one night when I made the announcement, instead of the congratulations I sort of expected, I guess, I was met with fear and worry. I was told, "you have to decline. You don't have the time. We don't have the resources"...etc. etc. The same I've been told by everyone my whole life.

Well, I proved them all wrong. It's as though I've punched through the cloud deck. It's not my intention to leave anyone behind, but if they don't want to come I can't force them.

I have no idea where this will go. If nothing else, I've at least caught a glimpse of what's possible.

Like sailing, the destination was only a part of what was accomplished. Some times you have to press on regardless and when the dust settles, then they'll understand.

I'm already designing the next piece for the Gilette Bridge in Grand Rapids, MI.

[Soñadora]

These artist dudes are pretty creative

Yes, that's a shotgun made into a shovel
or vice versa depending on your perspecitve, I guess.

[JoeP]

I guess if you are mucking out the barn with it you can really shoot the shit.

[Soñadora]

I just submitted another proposal for a bridge in Grand Rapids, MI.

WTF is wrong with me???

[LarryHoward]

I just submitted another proposal for a bridge in Grand Rapids, MI.

WTF is wrong with me???

So you are buying bridges now?

Seriously. Congratulations. Looks good and may become a life changing event in many ways.

[JoeP]

I'll bet you actually feel pretty good about it all right now. I know I would.

Hey people, get over to the Kickstarter sight and donate! This is worth it!

[Soñadora]

I've been bitten...

I entered a concept for this

http://mnartists.org/article.do?rid=347754

http://apply.mnartists.org/artprize-pitch-night

My proposal is to create a canopy of gears called 'Cloud Cogs'