Snail

I finished this piece a couple of months ago, after coming back to it now and again for some time. It's carved out of mountain mahogany, ivory and horn and measures 1 1/2" square (4cm).


For this piece I conceived of a composition of a close-up, tightly cropped snail, against an indistinct background. By indistinct, I mean that I've been thinking about ways to create pictorial depth, without actually depicting anything discernable. This is difficult to convey in the photo above, but by very subtle texturing to the background wood, I think I've been able to create a reminder that it's both a physical substance (wood) as well as a suggestive scene in which the snail dwells.
On the verso I've carved in shallow relief some wood sorrel growth, in keeping with the environment in which a snail might dwell. The sense of scale has been played with between front and back, giving the viewer a pleasant change in the point of view when turing the piece over.

The tapered sides and general rounded-square shape give it a nice feel in the hand; something a one-piece manju netsuke should have.

Rat and Chestnut

Participants at the last netsuke convention all received a very generous gift in the form of an illustrated sales catalog from the Tokyo, Sagemonoya. Item number 105 within, entitled "Rat with Pea" inspired me to create a carving based on a similar theme. The netsuke rat, depicted in the catalog, was carved in a posture suggesting the shape of a chestnut. I thought I'd take things a step further and came up with this:
A simplified rat, in the silhouette of a chestnut holding, of course, a chestnut. It's carved out of mountain mahogany with horn and bone accents, measuring about 1 1/2" (3.5cm) at the broadest point. Mountain mahogany has a wonderfully rich, chocolatey appearance and touch when polished- I think especially well conveyed in this small work.

Where does the time go?

The INS Convention came and went and I had a fantastic time. Got to catch up with friends and acquaintances and of course get inspiration from so much fantastic work on display. I sold several pieces and established relationships with new patrons, one of whom commissioned me to create a carving with a piece of marine ivory (dugong tusk) she has had in her possession for a decade or two.
I created the following piece, in sashi netsuke form, entitled Autumn's Arrival, measuring approximately 3 inches, or 7.5 cm.

Geese and autumn plants are often paired in Japanese artwork. In fact there are seven autumn grasses, or aki no nanakusa which make their appearance time and again, as here. Several of those plants, including chrysanthemums and miscanthus grass, are illustrated in shallow relief against the abstracted form of a goose, in my work. I've never carved marine ivories before (walrus tusk, whale tooth, dugong, etc) owing to their rareity and trade restrictions, but really enjoyed the texture and beautiful creaminess of color when polished. There's even some subtle chatoyance in certain areas lending a shimmer when turned in the light. While the geese migrated overhead in central Indiana a few months back, this goose reached completion.

Quick update

I'm off to the International Netsuke Society Convention in Beverly Hills tomorrow, so I've got just enough time to post some photos of recent work. When I get back, I'll update the post with some fuller descriptions and a review of the event.





This one's entitled "Curlew & Crab", in reindeer antler with horn inlays. The curlew is depicted with a wing extended on the recto, and then tucked back in a broken wing bluff on the verso. The crab lies on seaweed, or sand; whichever pleases.


Next is "Chrysanthemum"; a delicate vignette carved into a black bear canine.

Finally, a new squirrel: box, horn and semi-fossilized antler
For those who can make it to the convention, be sure to stop by and have a chat. It looks to be a well-planned event!

International Netsuke Society Convention 2011

I'll be sharing a dealer's table at the upcoming International Netsuke Society Convention this May in Beverly Hills, California.

I'm humbled to be sharing a table with Clive Hallam and Nick Lamb, both fantastic artists and great people. Those of you who may look at my blog and are members of the INS, please stop by the table and introduce yourselves. I'll enjoy saying hello and conversing a bit.
The first and only time I've attended the convention was in 2005. It was an eye-opening experience that provided some important lessons and inspiration. Most of all, I enjoyed meeting fellow carvers of an art form who tend to be widely yet sparsely scattered around the globe. Until then, I'm working hard to bring a body of quality work for display and sale.

Portrait of the Artist's Dog

I've had my dog, Fumi, a Shiba-inu for about five years now, and have never done a carved study until this netsuke. It was handy having a live model around, for constant referral- though difficult in trying to capture something I know so well. She measures 6cm in length which is about the width of three of my fingers, or actual size as presented below. She's carved in boxwood, with amber eyes and horn pupils. I haven't done many animals in a realistic fashion lately and enjoyed the development of skills in hair carving and eye inlays. The ears were kept shorter than actual, to make for a better netsuke form.

Sketching

From time to time I set aside the microchisels, scrapers and polishing materials that I use for my more meticuluos work and just pick up a knife and go at the wood in a more informal, direct approach. I think of it in terms of sketching- to learn a subject's form or figure out a composition. The works have a more whittled appearance, in western terms.
This is a piece I did recently in plum wood from a local tree. I was carved with just a few blades. I finished it by rubbing vigorously in a tub of rice bran; the bran has a slight polishing effect, and the traces of oil deepen the color of the wood. It's 7 cm high, so a life-size representation of a cicada.

The knives I use for this sort of work are of two designs; one western and one Japanese: The western one is German made and sold under the brand Two Cherries. It's held with a fist grip and can be used in both push and pull directions as it has a double bevel. I'm right-handed, so when pushing the blade, I use my left thumb against the back of the blade as a fulcrum and to control it better. When pulling, my right thumb is on the sculpture and I draw the knife towards it. This is a great knife for roughing out and removing larger amounts of wood.


The second is a typical Japanese carving knife sold by Michihamono. It has a single bevel and is held with a grip similar, but not identical, to how one would hold a pencil. It is utilized with only push cuts and is fantastic for later-stage carving, to refine the form and create a smoother surface, by gently shaving away the facets left by earlier stages.