I finished this awesome sculpture yesterday, which I started down at Ghost Ranch, NM! It's my largest sculpture to date standing at 4' 6" in its bare paw! (It's actually a sea otter, so don't go thinking it's a bear!) I've made it so the gazing ball can be changed to either suit a person's taste or the seasons. in addition, it's also made so that a light can be projected from under the base. A blue-green light would further the 'under the ocean' feel.
When I started this piece, all I had were three, rusted discs from a disc harrow, and to me it's totally amazing, as in 'real magic', that they were transformed into a piece of art. :) And yes, I named it "Ocean Light" as the piece holds spiritual connotations for me. For me, it's very much in the Native American tradition of a spirit guide. Perhaps this otter is leading us out of the heavy depths of despair, into the Light, speaking to the "unbearable lightness of being". See, and the understanding just came to me now as I reflected on this piece! This is why I've chosen to become an artist; to experience and deepen my knowledge of the Sacred. And if you want to know more about the "unbearable lightness of being": https://www.shmoop.com/unbe.../what-s-up-with-the-title.html
And the otter meaning, from a Native American perspective: http://www.shamanicjourney.com/otter-power-animal-symbol...
I was asked if the otter was carved from stone. In the Ghost Ranch picture at the top, you'll see me constructing an armature of aluminum foil. I then covered it with a thin layer of Apoxie Sculpt, which is an epoxy clay. You knead part A & B together and it hardens in 3 - 4 hours. Once its hardened, you can sand, drill or carve like a very hard wood. So it's a modeling/carving process.
