Osage County Cowboy

Well, it took about 6 months but I finally finished him yesterday.  Still trying to clear off the work counter so I can move on to some new projects.  As I've picked up a few new collectors from the show at Woolaroc I titled this one to reflect the county that the museum is located in.  I'm pretty certain someone will like that.

Anyway, hope you like him as once he gets some color and all the associated details, i.e., lasso, reins, etc. he should be a pretty spiffy wrangler.

Hot Tamales

Here's an old friend from the past.  I did this one back in 2000 for a collector down in San Antonio, Texas.  It ended up in Southern California and was recently put up for auction.  It was purchased by a couple in Arkansas.  Unfortunately, the previous owner didn't spend much time packing him up so he arrived beaten and broken.  As I have a policy of guaranteeing my work for as long as I'm around to do it I told them to drop the poor guy off for some repair work.  Well, he's back in the street, ringing his bell and hawking those Red Hots just like before.   What a guy!

The Pot Seller

Well this little lady turned out fantastic!  I will admit though that I thought I was going blind for a while after painting those pots.  In the end it was certainly worth all that squinting.   I think she is one of the best pieces I've done.  The composition and the attitude of the little scene just makes you smile which is what it's all about with my work.

As I mentioned earlier, I turned the pots on my lathe and then whittled them to look more in line with the girl.  Well, while that looks nice it certainly maid painting a lot more difficult.  To get the rings to look good I put the painted pot back on the lathe and with a marker slowly turned the wheel while holding the marker as steady as possible.  Had the pot been completely smooth as it was originally this would have been an easy job but with all those little divots the pen zigged and zagged each time it hit one.  I had to go back with a brush and clean things up the old way.  Another problem was those markers.  For some reason they just don't seem to work well on a varnished surface. Must be some kind of chemical interaction between the pens fluid and the varnish.

Anyway, I hope you like her as much as I do.  More photos in the gallery and your comments are welcome as always.

The Pottery Seller

Here she is in her setting.  Pretty nifty even if I do say so myself.  Should be quite a piece when finished...especially with all the painting to come on the pots.  I think I've figured out a way to add the decoration so that will be a new challenge to look forward to.

I spent about as much time turning and whittling those five pots as I did carving the figure!  I first turned them on the lathe and then, because I didn't want them to look out of place with the textured of the figure, I whittled the surfaces.  The dark pot is walnut but it will be painted over as will the others.  Want them all to look like fired clay which will be a couple of tan colors.  I'm thinking a white/beige color for the blanket with red and blue stripes.  Should balance out well with the black hair and the blue of the turquoise.  The skirt will probably be black or a very dark blue.

I have no doubt that this will be a classic once done and someone is going to get a great piece of original work.  Hope you like her.  No more photos time time but your comments are still welcome.

Hopi Maiden Part 2

Passed on football today to spend some time in the shop blocking out the body for this young lady.  Also gave her some earrings.  Actually, that's the second set of baubles  that I whittled as I made a mistake and brushed off my table and the first bunch fell the floor and disappeared into a large pile of chips.

I've got something really special planned for her setting which should be a real winner....at least I hope so.  She's working on her dowry so she's been busy down at the clay wall scooping out a supply to flesh out her inventory.

Stay tuned!

Hot Irons & Arbuckles

I've done this little scene a couple of times before so I thought I would polish off another for the upcoming November show.  This fella is getting ready for the morning branding chores but still has time for a quick cup of Arbuckles.  Arbuckles was the coffee choice in the old days as it was one of the first that came already roasted.  Prior to that the cook had to roll those raw beans around in the fry pan before grinding them up.  I can just imagine the quality of the brew.  Also, inside each Arbuckles package was a stick of peppermint candy which was sought after so much that Cookie rarely had a problem getting volunteers for Chuckwagon duty.

I hope you like him and there are more photos in the Gallery.  As always, your comments are welcomed and appreciated.

Carving A Pair Of Vultures - Part 10

This will wrap this little scene up.  Thought I would show you how I go about creating the little, or even big, signs for my carvings.  It's a pretty easy process and one easy to get the hang of after a little practice.  The secret is the brush and a steady hand.

SLIM PICKIN'S

At last!  Glad to see this one leave the work table and head over to the Gallery.  But I will say it was a fun project and I already have another great idea that would involve a couple of these dirty birds.

There are a bunch of photos in the Gallery.  Hope you like this little scene and I look forward to your comments.

Carving A Pair Of Vultures - Part 9

Moving right along, this segment deals with making a small sign to put on that pole. A number of you have ask me how I go about creating these little signs so here is the lowdown!

Carving A Pair Of Vultures - Part 8

We're just about ready to wrap this project up but there are still a couple of things to do to really put the final polish to it.

"Sorry Boys! It's Beans Again!"

Whittled the shovel this morning to finish the major parts of this scene.  Still have to make some biscuits to go into the Dutch oven then it's off to the paint table.  I gave him a water bucket to put something in that right hand.  He can use it to douse that new fella who always complains when there's no meat involved.  It's empty now but I'll fill it with resin once the paint is dry.   It took me hours to balance that shovel so I could take the photo.  (Actually, I just put a drop of super glue on the base and a squirt of activator locked it in place.)  I'll cut through the top two bases to make it look as though it was stuck into the dirt.  You always need a shovel around the cook fire to move the hot coals around for the ovens and occasionally bang a head or two when the clean-up crew balks at their assigned duties.

The Woolaroc Museum is up there in cattle country so this wagon chef should be a hit.   Hope you like him too.  More photos in the Gallery.

Montana

Here's my new pal Montana!  He's from Charlie Russell country and I used Charlie's paintings as a guide to both carve and paint him.  I took a little liberty in photographing him so if you want to see him in color just go to the album in the Gallery.

Hope you like him and your comments are always appreciated.

Wall Drug Cowboy Band

Here is something you might find interesting.  This little plaster group of figures was purchased by my parents back in 1949 while we were all on a trip up to the Black Hills.  I'll bet they were even made in the USA!......something that would be unheard of nowadays.   At the Dayton show I mentioned them to my good friend Don Mertz  as since I met Don quite a few years back every time I look at these four guys I think of his carvings.
-
They stand about 6 inches tall.  I've included back and side views photos of them in the Gallery along with a close up of the faces.  Maybe you'd like to try your hand at making a set of your own.

Cheyenne Dog Soldier - First Feathers In Place

I finished the shield and lance and have started with the feathers.  Could only due one roll before the guy started to frighten me so I'm taking a break!  I will say that this fella is really starting to look impressive.  Can't wait till all the feathers are in place and are painted black.  Wow!   Hope you like him so far cause I sure do.
-
More photos in the Gallery.

Done Gone Under - Finished!

Finally!  With all the projects going on around our spread at the moment I actually found the time to finish this little scene.  I think it turned out real well even if I did have to change a few of the original ideas I had back when I started.  Some always ask how long does something like the take to finish?  Well, I did the coffin about 4 years ago so it takes a while before some of these things finally take root and sprout.   There are a lot more photos in the Gallery and your comments are always welcome.

-

On a different but sort of associated note......A recent comment was received complaining about how I show some things but never seem to finish or get back to them.  A couple cases in point would be the WW2 head study and the recent Road Agent post.  Well, here's the way it is and the way it will continue to be:  I work at my own pace.  My interests wax and wane depending on a number of things.  Sometimes I'll see or think of  an idea that I will think will be a great carving then completely forget about it and move along with something else.  I've always wanted to do a piece with a soldier and I did that head just for a glimpse of what it might look like.  Maybe someday I'll get enthused about it again but not for a while.  The Road Agents head is setting partially done on my work bench but it too might have to wait while I hope to get started on the Sheepherders scene.  Would really like to get that one done before the Dayton show this year.    So, there you have it.  The purpose of this blog is to share with those of you who are interested in what I'm doing and what I might do.   No apologies...just trying to let you know how my creative process works. 

Now, back to that shower leak!

The Ranch House Cook

Every once in a great while I do a carving that I think really stands out and represents the best of my efforts. This, I think is one of those. Everything about this little scene just seemed to fall in place. From the spilt soy sauce on the floor to the coffee grinder to the gold tooth gleaming from Chang Li's wide grin. This is a carving that just makes you smile and I'll bet anything that if you could step into the picture you'd be looking for an open seat at the breakfast table to partake of some of his cooking.
-
For this piece I built the stove first as it is the anchor of all the action. It is made from several pieces all pegged together. I had originally planned on having the oven door open with biscuits baking inside but to do that would have caused the cook to stand further back from the stove and that composition just didn't work. The loaf of bread carries the oven. The same goes with the Quaker Grits container. Seeing that you can easily tell what is boiling over on the stove. The coffee grinder and Arbuckles crate on the floor ties in with the coffee pot and the bacon with the eggs. Even though there's no bacon visible thats been fried we know that it eventually will be. The spilt bottle of Soy Sauce I just added as it's something that a Chinese cook would have. There is also a bottle of Brandy setting on the stove top. I don't really know why thats there......Maybe Chang likes a little morning nip once in awhile.
-
I think I'm going to hang on to this guy for a while but I'll take him to Dayton to give him some exposure. There are lots of photos in the Gallery and, as always, I'll look forward to your comments

The Skipper

I did this one back in 1998 for the Oklahoma Director of Tourism . He'd seen my display in a local store and, as he was into boats, asked if I could do something of a nautical nature. I told him sure as long as I could stay within the time period I like to carve. This is what I came up with.

-

I really liked the idea of the ships wheel dipping beneath the floor. Actually, if I had made the wheel in the exact scale with the figure the figure would have been lost as the wheels were quite large. To keep the piece within size limits I reduced it.

-

If there was one thing I would do different if I could it would have been to use a better piece of wood for the mid portion of the mount. By the looks of it I just used a piece of 2/4 which had a really heavy grain. A hardwood would would have worked much better. Anyway, I think it worked and the important thing was that the buyer really liked it.

-

There are a few more photos in the Gallery and as always your comments are appreciated.

Pop-A-Top!

It's about Beer-30 and time for a cold one after a dusty day in the saddle. No long-neck for this wrangler...a frosty can with a pop-top will do just fine.

-

I did this one back in '03 and it's probably setting on a bar somewhere in Virginia, at least that's where he was heading with he left the Out West Gallery. One of the things I really enjoy doing is to see just how realistic I can reproduce various objects I put in my figures hands or scenes. In this one he has a great looking can of Coors along with a nice headstall and bit. I also made sure that the lariat hanging on the fence post exhibits the weight of the lower part of the rope. He's holding his right-hand glove, having removed it as those little aluminum rings are hard to grab hold of with gloved fingers. It's the little things that some might miss completely but mean a lot to me.

-

A few more photos in the Gallery and as always your comments are welcome.

Rise & Shine!

Now that's a stretch! I think this carving really turned out great and even though I didn't add that second figure it ended up just the way it should have.

-

One thing we have to remember is that the larger the piece the harder the sell. That is another reason I decided to keep it in the single figure category. I have no doubt that this cowpoke will not be around the Out West diggs for too long.

-

In figuring out the details to add to this scene I knew that there should be a coffee pot setting on the stove but that left the two areas on either side. The basket of split wood took care of the larger spot and a spilled bottle of whiskey the smaller one. The little can of beans was something that could have easily been left out but its addition really finishes everything off nicely.

-

I weathered the stove with a little Red Iron Oxide to indicate some rust and then dry brushed it with straight White. Once it was in place I filled the ash pit with a dollop of ModPodge and then sprinkled in some ash from my real stove. Once that was dry I lightly sprinkled some more ash on the stove tray and around the floor where ash would normally accumulate when loading wood. Very carefully I sprayed it down with Testors Dullcote and once dry came back and hit it again just to make sure. Once the Dullcote dries the ash looks as it should.

-

This was a fun piece to do and in the Gallery there are quite a few photos. I hope you like him and look forward to your comments.

'Round The Bunkhouse Stove

Just finished this first character for my Bunkhouse Stove scene. Had the wife come down and model her longjohns so I could get the folds right. I had some worries about the face and whether I could capture a yawn correctly but it turned out just right. There's lots of fine detail in that mouth but it should turn out okay once it's painted.

-

I think there will be one more figure to go on the other side of the stove. I'm thinking a fella pouring himself a cup of coffee. I even have a thought of maybe dog laying on the floor. Will have to wait and see about that one.

-

That's not the base I will use just a piece of scrap to take the photos. As always your comments are welcome and appreciated. Lots of photos in the Gallery and please, no comments about my wife in her underwear!!