For the Joy of It

  • Figure 1
  • Figure 2
  • Figure 3

Figure 1: This 165 pound twisted Texas juniper trunk sits next to a 36-bow saw. It was no easy task to get it out of the canyon.

Figure 2: The saw marks are visible as stair steps.  Large pieces of wood can be removed buy cutting, then splitting off chunks.

Figure 3: A gouge and mallet are used to remove wood.

  • Figure 4
  • Figure 5
  • Figure 6

Figure 4: Holes are cut through to allow for light and separation of the fish from the base.

Figure 5: A Nicholson #50 cabinet makers pattern rasp has been used to smooth out rasp marks and form strong planes and lines.  The details are established.

Figure 6: Approximately 145 pounds of wood chips sit beneath the remaining 20 pounds of the tree.  The piece is now ready for the final details and sanding.

A closeup of the finished sculpture. Click Here to see “For the Joy of it” in the Other Worlds Gallery with the poem that Chris wrote for this sculpture.

Written by John White

Chris is an unusual artist in the sense that he personally harvests the juniper wood for his commissioned works. He makes frequent trips to Texas for this reason. He would love to visit with you about ideas for sculptures that you would like him to do.

Creating A Masterpiece

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May 17, 2020

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