Styrofoam knee socks #doug_steward_art #sculptureAugust 30, 2017 at 08:17PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2wTH8f6

Got a good start today. More tomorrow. #doug_steward_artAugust 28, 2017 at 08:06PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2vm9NsS

And so it starts. Another bark creature for the collection. #doug_steward_artAugust 28, 2017 at 07:55PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2gjGyjv

Boo likes fishing better than I do! #doug_steward_artAugust 22, 2017 at 06:49PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2w1aox8

Pin hole version. #doug_steward_artAugust 21, 2017 at 06:50PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2whU261

Our neighbors brought a mirror over to our deck. Put it in a chair and it projected the solar eclipse across the river. Big screen eclipse! ! #doug_steward_artAugust 21, 2017 at 06:49PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2ijBDQj

First coat of polyacrylic on the deer birch head. #doug_steward_artJuly 26, 2017 at 08:01PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2h3Tz0y

Mary's perfect mango #doug_steward_artJuly 24, 2017 at 05:21PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2gXhb7j

Mangos are getting like zucchini around here. Everyone has a tree and we are all trying to get rid of them. #doug_steward_artJuly 23, 2017 at 02:20PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2uNtBUw

No birch bark down here in Florida. So maybe Royal palm droppings? I'll give it a shot. Would like to do a lion head.... #doug_steward_artJuly 22, 2017 at 05:54PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2tzCUYI

Getting closer. Sun too hot so time to quit for the day. #doug_steward_artJuly 21, 2017 at 08:25PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2ujUc9a

Who needs avocado toast in the morning when you have hot spicy mango salsa #doug_steward_artJuly 20, 2017 at 03:42PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2uD13NR

Getting really close to being done with both antlers. I'd be done, but mango processing got in the way. #doug_steward_artJuly 20, 2017 at 12:10AM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2uKSGjs

Mango slices in the new Excalibur dehydration unit. Holds 7 sliced mangos. # mangomanic #doug_steward_artJuly 20, 2017 at 12:07AM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2tIe4RK

Working on the last antler. #doug_steward_artJuly 19, 2017 at 06:18PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2uA9nOh

Just linked my Blog with my instagram account

Awsome!!

I just used ifttt.com and one of their applets to link my Instagram account to my blog. Yay! Less work!

Big mango processing day. #instablogJuly 19, 2017 at 03:28PM

via Instagram http://ift.tt/2uaRbtB

Back from the dead yet again

Sorry for not updating my blog, but life has been rather interesting as of late.

We have moved from Rochester NY to Bokeelia FL last year. Purchased a nice house and then spent a year renovating it. Did most of the work my self with the help of really talented folks from the island.

Seems that I have not had time to post here since 2015. Holy Moly!

So what have I been up to with my art?

Well the last post showed me creating my first Deer Birch Head and now I''m working on my third iteration.

Rough version ready to come off the blank

Cutting and removing the rough start from the blank

Removing the first layer of birch bark from the blank

Put in the back support brace

 So as you can see I have had to resort to working in the new garage since I no longer have a studio. This issue should be fixed soon I hope!

Here is the current state of the sculpture today.

One antler done and one more to go!

Been a long time been a long time....

Well I have some time this morning to update all my fans. All two of you... :-)

So spent most of the summer at the cabin doing some work. Had to replace the back deck since it was rotting and getting dangerous.

It came out rather nice. New steps were a big hit for my Mother-in-law Betty, who at 92 needs all the help she can when it comes to stairs.

After that I started back on my moose head made out of birch bark sculpture for the cabin. After all the tests with the paper folding idea templates I found that birch bark does not work like real paper and trying to line up all the tabs was insane since there were over 1000 of them. Tossed that idea finally.

So start over for the third time.

I decided that if I had a form I could use to wrap the birch bark around then I might have a much better chance. If it worked then I could do many of them. Decided to do a blank with some left over blue foam board left over from a cabin project. Did some research and found that 3M Super 77 spray glue works with foam. So off we go!

Made a heck of a mess but it worked out.

Then I got my hot glue gun out and started applying the bark.

Had to take a trip to Berlin Germany so brought it back home with us and I started up again in my studio at home. I added more bark knowing that I had to cut out the foam blank. Once I had enough bark together to hold the shape I cut the bark from the top of the form to the middle of the head and popped out the blue foam blank. Was sweating bullets but it worked out just great. the blank form is now ready for deer head number 2.

The antlers were fun to figure out how to do but with some coat hanger wire...

Showed the following picture to a total stranger at a print show opening that I was in and she exclaimed "Oh! A pig deer!!"

Dang... next day I did a deer rhinoplasty and she was right this looks much more natural.

Before

After

Then I did some follow up work and then did two coats of polyacrylic and it darkened it up and also added some stability to the antlers.

Of to the annual Rochester Contemporary Art Center Members show it goes. 

Then on opening night I found out I won the "WOW" award. Gosh.....

Me on the far left with all the other award winners from that night

Second Place award at the Allentown Outdoor Art Festival 2015.

"Brooklyn Bridge Transposed"  - 14" x 21" 

#Brooklyn Bridge Art #Brooklyn Bridge Print

Second Place Ribbon for Drawing and Graphics. Boy that feels good.

Here is the framed work and ribbon.

My tent set up at the Allentown Art Festival, in Buffalo NY.