The Art of Small Things

I've recently finished reading The Art of Small Things by John Mack, published by Harvard University Press, 2007. Mack explores our fascination with small, crafted items and offers a survey of their forms and functions in a variety of cultures spanning several millenia. "The making and manipulating of the miniature constitute not just the product of a technology of the aesthetic but also a cultural process... the starting point for narratives that can be of potentially epic proportions." Illustrated with items in the British Museum's collections, the book is written in a straightforward manner, clearly intended for general consumption. For those interested in netsuke, several pages are devoted to this art form. Interest in this aspect comes not from new light he sheds on these carvings, but their placement within a broader context of small objects made for personal adornment.

Thoughts on Wood

I take the title of this post from an essay by Robert Gibbings, of the same name. It was published in Matrix, an annual letterpressed effort by the Whittington Press in England. Matrix offers essays, reminiscences, illustrations and samples of topics related to letterpress printing. Paper marbling, wood engraving, graphic design, and printing history are all represented in this hand-set work of art.

More to the point, Matrix volume 9, published 1989 contains an essay- excerpts of which are quoted here- illustrating Gibbings' sense of humor and reverence for materials:

"Not far from where I now live there dwelt until he died a carpenter by name Timothy Wood. 'Timbery Wood' they called him. 'A proper craftsman he was and strict with his apprentices. He'd come along to one of the lads and he'd say, "How's that mortice going?" And the boy might answer, "Near enough." "Near enough won't do," says old Timbery, "it's got to be just right." Then half an hour later he'd come along again. "How's that mortice going?" he'd ask. "Just right", says the boy. "That's near enough", says the old man.'

...

Precision - wood calls for it: gentle, tractable material, exquisite to contemplate, whether alive in a forest, where every branch is a record of the winds that blow, or dead in a timber yard where the serpentine grain of the planks reveals a history of its growth. It may even tell the death of a neighbor, for where in a forest a tree has fallen there will be increased light and air, and where there is increase of light and air there will be increased development in the trees that remain.

...

In Venezuela and certain regions of South Africa the growth of a box tree remains constant, slow and steady; a cross-section of its trunk shows the rings as regular and even as the plumelets on a feather. That is why boxwood from those countries gives to the engraver a close-fibred material that is as hard almost as metal. On the end of that grain the artist's burin incises lines in any direction that the guiding hand may desire; there is no let or hindrance from the grain."

Incidentally- the illustrated toolbox, courtesy of Tyne and Wear Museums , is from none other than Thomas Bewick. More about him later.

Gone Fishing

This recently finished carving was inspired by a wood engraving by Robert Gibbings in his book Coming Down the Wye . Chapter Three (pg 14) contains a short, humorous account of his meeting a poacher along this Welsh river. I've got an interest in wood engraved illustrations and Gibbings' work has become a favorite of mine lately. The carving measures 4cm across. It was scultped from boxwood, with the trouts' eyes inlaid with pearl shell, and a buckle of ivory. Strap loops on the back are inlaid in mopane, a southern African wood. It has been selectively stained using an acid oxidation technique. This piece along with others of mine will be for sale at Edgewood Orchard Gallery for their 2008 season. Edgewood Orchard is located in Door County, northern Wisconsin. This part of Wisconsin is perfect for a weekend trip- small villages showing touches of Scandanavian heritage, many galleries, cherry orchards, views of Lake Michigan and of course, delicious places to eat. If you enjoy fishing, you might even land your own bag of trout.

Still available

I've had a number of emails lately from people enquiring what is still available out of the carvings displayed on my previous website, so I'm presenting pictures of them here. All are available through Takara Asian Art . In addition to this, I have a few other pieces that are more functional in nature- pendants, and hair combs/sticks. Feel free to email me if you're interested.

(Not so) wise old owl

I've got several irons in the fire right now, but I completed this bead recently. It measures 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) in height. Carved out of boxwood, with ebony eyes. I had in mind the depiction of an 'elder statesman' of sorts- the kind we're all supposed to respect- but holding more opinions than common sense. With suitable frown and suspicious eyes, he seems to fit the bill.

Boxwood

There are over 70 species of boxwood around the world, but only two have chiefly been used for the creation of small tools and art objects throughout history. Buxus sempervirens- the common or European box and Buxus microphylla- the little leaf box. Sempervirens naturally enough means evergreen which may give you a clue to this bush's tenacity. It grows in hot, dry climates of western and southern Europe, over to pick up a small bit of land in England, then down to Morocco and westward through the Mideterranean to finish the circle in Turkey. Microphylla grows in Asia, with varieties native to parts of China, Japan, and Korea. In these climates, the box grows slowly; barely gaining an inch in diameter over 40 or 50 years. It is this density that allows box to be durable and take on detail and high polish.
To name a few of its uses in the West, I can think of slide rules, recorders, carpenter's planes, chess pieces, tuning pegs on stringed instruments and bobbins for lacemaking. Mallets and beaters for lead working and rulers for measuring. The Eastern box has been used for hanko, shogi pieces, abacus beads, and combs...

...and of course figural carvings along the lines of netsuke!

As my skills develop and I'm demanding better material to work with, I've become choosier about the boxwood I use. Most box on the market now, to my knowledge, comes from England, the Pyrenees, Turkey and East Asia. Each has its own characteristics of color, density, oilyness, dryness and ability to take a polish. It's not the cheapest wood out there, but it certainly is one of the best.

Something to keep in mind the next time you glance at that neglected box hedge in the corner of a suburban yard.

Barn owl in winter

Carved from a deer antler rosette (the basal portion of the antler connecting it to the skull) with horn eyes, it measures about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. There's something about using antler that, for me, seems ideal for winter subjects. The opaqueness and subtle gray streaking, coolness to the touch, and high polish evoke cold weather and barrenness. This piece was interesting to carve from a material perspective; the top portion is antler while the bottom, beneath the irregular edge, is more bone-like. Each reacted differently during carving and polishing. I'm really fond of this piece- it has a quietness about it that people seem to pick up on, but is impossible to convey in photographs.