Spalted Beech hollow form plus other work

[mikec]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for posting your work. I love the shape of your forms and the finish

Mike C

 

[TEP]

Mornin' Mark.

Many thanks for posting these forms. I do admire the imagination that has gone into getting the final piece's. =D> Something which I used to think I had, but seems to be lacking these days.

It also shows how a bit of 'new blood' in the forum catches peoples interest and attention. Well done, I really do like these.

 

[mark sanger]

Most of these pictures are on my web site and are not that new but just so you don't think I only make lidded pots/forms here are a few other bits of work.

The first is part of a range of wall hangings that I make and have been designed to be batch items so that I make them time and time again.

They are simply turned on a screw chuck ( m10 with a 60mm back plate) so have lots of rigidity. The concentric circles are turned with a 1/2 " bowl gouge.

then the shapes which are my own designs are cut out with a fine tooth jig saw, after which I get the blow torch out and scorch them. Then the are sprayed with oil to finish.

My inspiration for these comes from years of interest in Zen and japanese calligraphy ( not that I am any good at either but have an interest)

I like the way that the japanese can through simple line drawings produce such deep and complexed drawings which allow the mind to make observations without being forced by too much detail.

With these I wanted to represent different ideas with a few lines of my pen. So I draw them into a scrap book and then produce the hangings once I am happy. The drawings I do in a few seconds or as fast as possible with just a few lines. This way for me the drawings are spontaneous and without restraint of too much thought and pre conceived ideas that may have come from other sources. Which from what we see is too easy to do.

I have many more but to date am still trying to get them into wood so to speak.

The first one is called "Nurture" and it is my representation of the bond between parent and child.

the second is called "Diva" and I wanted to express a female dancing.

 

[mark sanger]

Mikec

Thank you very much.

I like to show my work and to use the forums as I work from home and also look after my young children so the amount of adult contact I have is minimal. The forums are a good way of me getting to chat and swap ideas with like minded people and they save my sanity by stopping me whistling The Telly Tubbies tune every time I walk round the supermarkets :lol:

TEP

Thank you very much. We all have the imagination, but some times it gets stifled by the tread mill that we get on. This in turn for me takes the mind and wastes a lot of energy with us having to concentrate on things that block our creative side.

I have always been a very deep person and as a result had to leave my career in search of a more fulfilling life style. And luckily I started turning while I was in my last career and it just evolved from there.

Some thing I do is to carry a small note book with me at all times. Then when I come up with an idea I just do a quick line drawing or sentence.

This is then refer back to when I have time. Try it you will be amazed how much pops in and out of your mind during the day.

Some ideas I do not return to for months but they are always in my little book.

Some of my ideas are good some bad, but all have value.

Take care and thank you both for your kind comments

Mark

 

[Mark Hancock]

Mark

Great to see your work posted on the forum. Keep them coming.

 

[mark sanger]

Hi Mark

Thank you.

I am amazed at how friendly and informative the forum is. Loads of talent and great people.

Take care

Mark

 

[Jenx]

.
the amount of adult contact I have is minimal.

I'd see this as a Plus !! :wink:

Beautiful Wall Hangings... "Nurture" is just amazing.
Shapes that, on their own could almost be considered as 'simple'.. and yet, when combined together are unmistakeable as to what they represent. Having the 'vision' to create something like that is out of this world.
I've no qualifications in anything 'arty'.. I got 'hoofed out' of 'O'Level art after about a month on the grounds of having zero talent ( which was absolutely justifyable and correct :wink: ).. but for what its worth from a real 'layman's eye' ... I think thats absolutely stunning.

( the same goes for Mark Hancock's stuff on his website too .. and what George shares with us.. and Glenn's work , and Duncan's .. All the 'right talented' fellows who show their work here...)...
It's important that you guys get to know how much pleasure your creations bring to 'mere mortals' like me, --- your work is all truly outstanding, and I feel priviledged to have the facility to see it.
I'm sure I'm not alone in that
Keep it all coming guys, you perhaps don't realise how much pleasure you bring. .. its Immense stuff, Thank you All.

8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

 

[mark sanger]

Jenx

It is very kind of you to say so. But I too am a mere mortal.

I was not even allowed to study art at school as I was a disruptive student. !!

I also do not believe that having a qualification in art is necessary to be creative. Whilst of course it may enable you to have professional tutoring and be able to learn from experience of the tutor/lectures and save the pit falls. At the end of the day this is only information in a certain type of format in it's presentation. The tutor learns it and passes it on.

I am of course speaking of my own experiences and knowledge and this is my own opinion. As I would not want to upset any art students and yes you can learn much quicker with proper tutoring. !!

But what I do firmly believe in, and it is a philosophy that I have adopted all through my life is that anyone can achieve anything if they want to.

None of us are born with any form of artistic skill or knowledge and all is learnt in our early years ( informative years) But also we have the ability to move our arms and legs in any direction we want and producing a brush stroke and form is only a reflection of this movement.

Yes I know that it has to be practiced and refined but with patience and perseverance we can achieve anything.

You should see my fire wood pile when I am trying out new ideas !!

There are many I look to and think, wow, how do they do that.

Also I believe that for work and again this is my own opinion, and believe it is what sets people apart, is for work to have a genuine depth, it has to come from within.

It has to be the essence of who the person is, and be a reflection of their thoughts, desires and beliefs. If this is the case then the work has a connection to that person and then becomes recognisable to them alone.

Turning in this sense for me is no different than paintings. we can all look at a picture of Picasso and recognise it straight away even if we had not ever seen it before.

Picasso did have formal training, but learnt originally from his father to draw. By the age of 14 he was outdoing even the tutors in the art school, and many of his drawings he would do in sand on the beach. He just took his ideas and created them without constraint.

Now yes I know some of you will be saying that he was great. Yes he was and no we can not all be like Picasso.

But and I know I am rambling on but I am very passionate that we can all achieve what we want if we try and keep trying, be willing to learn, be self critical and accept constructive criticism and learn from it to better ourselves. Refine, refine, refine.

I will get off of my soap box, apologies. And your right I didn't do too well in english lessons either. :lol:

Mark

 

[Paul.J]

Mark.
Not really into wall hangings,but these two i do like,and as made me think :shock:
Even SWMBO saw them and said "they're nice.Can you do them" :roll:
Another one on the to do list :roll:

 

[mark sanger]

Paul.J

Thank you.

I am afraid I ama bit vacant when it comes to some web speak. What does SWMBO mean. Apologies for my ignorance.

Take care

Mark

 

[Mark Hancock]

Paul.J

Thank you.

I am afraid I ama bit vacant when it comes to some web speak. What does SWMBO mean. Apologies for my ignorance.

Take care

Mark

She Who Must Be Obeyed

 

[mark sanger]

:lol: :lol: :lol: .
Thanks Mark

It makes sence now.

M

 

[Mark Hancock]

Jenx

Thank you for your kind words

Mark

Likewise here, no formal art training. But my upbringing and schooling was such that I've always believed that if I put my mind to something I could achieve it. Sometimes I just don't put my mind to it. :lol:

The one advantage art training may give you is a better understanding of design and a vocabulary to help explain your ideas and concepts.

Chas

Beat you for once (SWMBO) :lol:

 

[mark sanger]

Mark

I agree with you with regards to the formal training.

I have just been back through and looked at a few of my comments and I can see that a bit more formal training in english would not go a miss with me. There is even a spell checker.!!

Apologies people I will try harder next time but it is a failing of mine. One of the many.

Mark

 

[wizer]

Mark do you use the FireFox browser? If so you can get a dictionary/language add-on which underlines mis-spelled words whilst you type.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3366

The forum spell checker is known for being in Chocolate Teapot territory.

 

[mark sanger]

Hi wizer

No I use outlook. I will just have to do some spelling tests with my seven year old daughter. I am sure she can get me back on the straight and narrow.

I did notice the spell checker comes up with some real weird options. I just thought it was more words I did not concentrate on at school.



Mark

 

[wizer]

Try FireFox when you have a minute. Much nicer Internet Browser than Internet Explorer.

Anyway. I have just finished reading this thread on my lunch break and wanted to say that I'm an instant Mark Sanger groupie. I love your work. We share an interest in Japanese Culture. I love this influence and intend to bring it into my work when I get some experience. The wall hangings are fantastic and I can see me blatantly stealing that idea one day.

So much info on this thread. You'll fit in just fine 'round here.

 

[mark sanger]

wizer

ok I will give it a try.

Never thought I would have a groupie, :lol:

Probably too much info that people will think I am mad, well I am happily eccentric which suits me fine, or at least I am told I am.

M

 

[Jenx]

Mark, we're gonna need a thread of pictures of

'eccentric turnings from the eccentric turner' now ! :wink:

Have you seen Tam's ( TEP ) Goblet ? its his avatar...
its a beaut !

Have you done any eccentric things , yourself ?

 

[wizer]

Keep it coming Mark, it's all valuable information.

How about some Work In Progress shots on one of your projects? Showing your techniques