wide rim platter/sculpture

[mark sanger]

Hi all

this is a sculpture the basis of which comes from a platter/wide rime bowl.

It is 300 mm textured wide rim bowl/platter, textured, scorched acrylic paints, on plinth.

comments welcome

 

[Lightweeder]

I think it's lovely - clever and looks extremely well done. If I had half of your talent and skill, and could come anywhere near producing this, I would have skipped the thingy in the middle, or maybe had it black. Other than that, it's a smasher.

 

[skeetoids]

I love everything about this piece.

And if that is a marble in the middle then I am over the moon 'cause I just received my order of hand selected marbles to include in my pieces!

This really is spectacular, but then again I'm totally biased as a fan.

Lovely how you've carved away most of the scorching just to leave a nice suttle hint, the section carved out at the top is great, the shaoe and form I like a lot too.

Top notch Mark, swing by South Queensferry the next time your up in Scotland and I'll show you how you can make some improvements :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[stevebuk]

reminds me of a beautiful flower in full bloom, blooming marvelous.. :lol:

 

[Leo]

A thing of beauty, a lot of work went into this and well worth the effort, lovely job. =D>

 

[The Shark]

Hi Mark,

Another lovely piece

Malc

 

[Jenx]

Another show-stopper . Mark, as ever... its breathtaking.

Just brilliant. 8)

 

[Paul.J]

Great looking piece Mark

 

[wizer]

Mark I think what you are doing for Comic Relief really generous and inspiring.... :lol:

Just kidding. Love it. V.Nice.

How is the pole fixed to the piece?

 

[kasandrich]

No sorry it doesn't do anything for me.

 

[Bodrighy]

I think it looks really great apart from the cherry. Sorry but for me that seems wrong, somehow demeans it. As always I am critiquing something that I'd be proud of it I had done :lol:

Pete

 

[Blister]

No sorry it doesn't do anything for me.

Are you a traditionalist ?

Mark is a full time woodturner and makes his living doing this profession

I would think sales wise , his customers prefer the more arty items to the plain traditional items

It has been said before is it turning or is it art ?

In my opinion its both , and different , made up from many ideas

Design
Timber selection
Turning
Carving
Colouring
Burning
Presentation

to name but a few

As with most Professional turners Mark has his style :lol:

 

[cornucopia]

It does nothing for me either- when i open a thread and the picture appears i felt nothing- its not that i dont like it i just dont get that wow factor or intrigue as to how its made etc
for me its nothing to do with being a tradionalist its more to do with that intial feeling when you see a piece
I know that Mark enjoys my honest opinion so i know i wont offend.....for me mark its boring- the balll in the centre the scorching the black plinth the cut out- its like you've used all the new fad common things in one piece.please dont get me wrong its all been done perfectly and it will sell quickly but compared to some of your more recent work, its like your taking a step backwards with this piece.

 

[tekno.mage]

Hi Mark, for me this one is just a tad too symmetrical, although I like the idea.

Looking at the picture again, if the carved cut-out was slightly off to one side, rather than at the top, it would be an improvement.

I do like the red ball in the middle - is it a fancy marble or a painted turned ball?

I also like the subtle scorching.

Keep up the good work!

 

[mark sanger]

Hi all

Thank you very much for all of your comments. They are all appreciated.

Some like it some do not, this is fine as we all have different tastes and likes in relation to what we like.

I have never had an issue with people not liking a piece I do.

My wife Liz works in an interior business and just within the fabric department for making curtains they have over two thousand different fabrics to choose from. Many of which I too do not like.

George

I am heart broken, my confidence is shattered and I am not coming to your birthday party.



Just kidding obviously I'm not coming as you didn't invite me

I always appreciate your comments as you know and I do not have an issue with anyone critiquing my work.

You have paid me a compliment anyhow as you have said that it is all done perfectly.

I am always looking for new way to look at taking a standard item and seeing what ideas I can come up with.

It also hopefully will sell quickly and again if this is the case then I will be happy.

Being creative/trying to make different works is fraught with danger as you will possibly appeal to far fewer potential customers than by making something that they feel comfortable with. This in turn can make me at times want to revert back to what I know people like for want of acceptance. Doing this for me just means I stagnate.So I do not see this as a step backwards but a different direction and as such a whole exciting area to play in.

Often I find my pieces are like Marmite. Some go "wow I love it" others "don't like it at all"

This is all fine.

This is out in this coming woodturning magazine as one of the projects. As such it may not appeal to all but can be altered and changed to anyone's taste, with the sequence showing the method of making.

I did not say it was an article to begin with as I did not want people to be swayed in what they said.

I have waffled enough, again, but I appreciate all comments.

so if you do like it and want to have a go. You know where to look.

 

[paulm]

I love the piece Mark and think the red ball in the centre really set's it off well.

Things I might change (not that I'm anywhere near good enough :lol: ) might be to make the rim cut out a little less curved and slightly more angular, and I don't think the base arrangement works with it, perhaps it's a bit strong visually and competes with the piece itself a bit ?

That's being picky though, love the idea and contrast between the larger part and the coloured ball.

Cheers, Paul

 

[mark sanger]

Hi Paul and all

Sorry for not replying to each comment individually. I have spent the day with over 20- 7 year olds on a school outing and to say my brain is fried is an under statement.

Paul.

Your comments are just as valid as my own and as such I appreciate you commenting. I am certainly not the all seeing guru that some may feel I should be.

Learning new ideas, techniques and work is something I am continuing every day. Some time I hit the nail on the head, some times not.

It is also important for me to remember " beginners mind" the more I may think I know about a subject then the more this can become a restriction. So I am very please to get all comments. Just because I made it in a certain way does not mean it is right or the best it can be.

Looking at the base now I hear what you say. Perhaps a more natural base would work better.

I like the base to be totally separate as it is often much harder to compliment than totally contrast. One for me to think about.

The cut out is one of several designs I have drawn up another is more jagged ( in the pipeline now) and another more straight.

Will have to see how they turn out and will post when I get round to finishing them.

Thank you all again

 

[OldWood]

, and I don't think the base arrangement works with it, perhaps it's a bit strong visually and competes with the piece itself a bit ?

It feels all wrong to criticise someone who is a professional (and is therefore earning his bread at it) in an activity that most of us are amateurs at. Anything I produce is agricultural in comparison.

But this piece suffers from the same problem that Mark's lovely garden sculpture suffers from - the dreaded black base. This is like a lovely painting, even a well presented photo, that is mounted in totally the wrong frame - a good frame sets a good painting off, and a good and appropriate base supports and compliments a good piece of woodwork.

Mark - I will never be able to achieve your skill or imagination, but please don't take the easy option of the black block base; it really does not compliment your fine work.

Rob

 

[mark sanger]

, and I don't think the base arrangement works with it, perhaps it's a bit strong visually and competes with the piece itself a bit ?

It feels all wrong to criticise someone who is a professional (and is therefore earning his bread at it) in an activity that most of us are amateurs at. Anything I produce is agricultural in comparison.

But this piece suffers from the same problem that Mark's lovely garden sculpture suffers from - the dreaded black base. This is like a lovely painting, even a well presented photo, that is mounted in totally the wrong frame - a good frame sets a good painting off, and a good and appropriate base supports and compliments a good piece of woodwork.

Mark - I will never be able to achieve your skill or imagination, but please don't take the easy option of the black block base; it really does not compliment your fine work.

Rob

Hi Rob

It is an interesting one. I like black bases as I am very much into contrasting and setting the two parts as separates.

The natural base to me looked wishy washy being of the same material.

I have thought about stone bases and this is an option I am looking into at the moment with relation to sourcing, pricing and cutting.

I also feel that framing and colours are very much a personal thing and as with picture frames there are thousands of colours and shapes etc.

Obviously this being an article I had to use materials that people would be able to source. It can be left unpainted if people prefer, etc.

I have taken the black base reference from numerous sculptures I have seen in galleries ( there are numerous tat do not have black bases also)

I also have to say that my smaller sculptures have always sold with black bases. So it is hard to know what is right.

Finally

I do not mind anyone commenting in my work. Just because I am a professional does not mean I know it all, or always get it right. There is a balance for me between what I want to make and the consumer. The consumer also often knows nothing about turning.

So all constructive comments are welcome. Even the non constructive comments, I just do not take any notice of those.

 

[OldWood]

Hi Mark
Many thanks for the reasoned reply.

The dislike of the black base started from the base that a wood sculpture that we bought recently was mounted on - and it looked such a cop out; "can't think of any way of mounting this - oh, yes a big block of cheap wood and we'll just paint it black - the punter won't know any better!". I'm sure you can see where I'm coming from.

That's the explanation and it's now in mind like the cheap opt out that all too many nice pictures in the smaller art galleries are framed in.

Your black bases have worked well when they are shaped and extended almost as part of the piece, but rectangular black against a light coloured curved form does in my eye hard anchor it to the ground. It excessively exaggerates the contrasts of form and colour, whereas to appreciate the form as a shape in its own right, it should effectively float.

Hey, what do I know - I'm a mucky engineer who has difficulty enough expressing what he thinks let alone manage to be artistic.

Rob