tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84147761704086271322024-02-06T22:08:28.417-08:00SculptorsamNews and updates regarding the sculpture of Sam Spiczka.sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-88719952530601930602011-12-05T09:52:00.000-08:002011-12-05T11:27:07.389-08:00This Blog Has Moved!I moved my <a href="http://www.sculptorsam.com/blog/">blog</a> over to my new <a href="http://www.sculptorsam.com">website</a>. Wander on over, check out all the cool new stuff, and stay current with what I'm working on. Thanks!<br /><br /><h3><a href="http://www.sculptorsam.com/blog/">http://www.sculptorsam.com/blog/</a></h3>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-32039052764977819142011-09-20T07:12:00.000-07:002011-09-20T07:15:30.632-07:00Plaza Art FairThis weekend I'll be at the beautiful <a href="http://www.countryclubplaza.com/Events/Plaza-Art-Fair">Plaza Art Fair</a> in Kansas City, MO. If you're in the area, stop by booth #110 and say Hi. There's going to be some great work there and the weather looks very promising as well. <br /><br />September 23, 24 & 25<br />Friday: 5 - 10pm<br />Saturday: 10am - 10pm<br />Sunday: 11am - 5pm<br /><br />Hope to see you then!sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-5539137382184252952011-02-08T20:42:00.000-08:002011-02-08T20:48:55.555-08:00Dryad IV CompletedI meant to take a nice studio shot of this piece in progress with the picturesque disarray of work in all it's glory - extension cords strewn everywhere and the floor covered in grinding dust. The problem is, I just got too involved and before I knew it the sculpture was complete. So I'll just have to settle for posting these freshly fabricated images. <br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvmXQSw76aaeNIHaW7IJDvijW_0zysOxlVo_gBSkBSdT163tZvYdRRiKLmEPTVAwFaHsl1ngwxEj6J4x7xcF_cdKQRCwFJjB0v7cZ1dEGv98M-m69rb8arOUhx30rksx3PfiuON7CSkQJ/s1600/Spiczka-Dryad-IV-progress.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvmXQSw76aaeNIHaW7IJDvijW_0zysOxlVo_gBSkBSdT163tZvYdRRiKLmEPTVAwFaHsl1ngwxEj6J4x7xcF_cdKQRCwFJjB0v7cZ1dEGv98M-m69rb8arOUhx30rksx3PfiuON7CSkQJ/s400/Spiczka-Dryad-IV-progress.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571547184803197234" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-4094759677661400412011-01-21T08:28:00.000-08:002011-01-21T08:38:52.523-08:00Margaret Wall-RomanaDrop everything you're doing and head straight to <a href="http://www.artsmia.org/">The Minneapolis Institute of Arts</a> to see the new MAEP exhibition of <a href="http://www.mwallromana.com/">Margaret Wall-Romana's</a> paintings. Try to go at a quiet time when traffic in the galleries will be at a minimum - solitude is best to dive into these works properly. I arrived at the opening early enough to spend some time alone with them and was actually moved to tears. This is what Art is. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnF0JlMvgM95y0tjyEerkJUxLK2XZ1BA1lq-BxunRtXPcAfWEfHPePAq3UcsoxNF_ddvBRhDJUm5pLADhxVeF6uYfkN9Mngy0qmrIBKAcqpwtyq3Xj49Dfi5Qx5TOUItOoHg7iPohuMa_W/s1600/2011_Wall_Romana_02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnF0JlMvgM95y0tjyEerkJUxLK2XZ1BA1lq-BxunRtXPcAfWEfHPePAq3UcsoxNF_ddvBRhDJUm5pLADhxVeF6uYfkN9Mngy0qmrIBKAcqpwtyq3Xj49Dfi5Qx5TOUItOoHg7iPohuMa_W/s400/2011_Wall_Romana_02.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564679197132292034" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-5719396646650867582011-01-17T10:48:00.000-08:002011-01-21T11:11:10.368-08:00UIU Exhibition OpeningI just returned from installing a solo show at <a href="http://www.uiu.edu/ocm/news/2011/jan/gallery.html">Upper Iowa University</a> in Fayette. Well, perhaps not that little... I brought 15 works in all and they filled out the space beautifully. The hospitality and response was great, just a wonderful trip.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiavV32AmViaPfmgKsy4YKhdu9XcBboywXQ-mU089LAut_HmfVaZrzKJaOiwUrUMlW_5E1QNGX9x09z0yElDqbQ_1ogB2nyXxEO_EvM-TWgq_hAqA90N0CmGQLCtkFwvV6bR13J8gY-F-b/s1600/Spiczka-UIU-Exhibition.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiavV32AmViaPfmgKsy4YKhdu9XcBboywXQ-mU089LAut_HmfVaZrzKJaOiwUrUMlW_5E1QNGX9x09z0yElDqbQ_1ogB2nyXxEO_EvM-TWgq_hAqA90N0CmGQLCtkFwvV6bR13J8gY-F-b/s400/Spiczka-UIU-Exhibition.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563230327495491778" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-28092106054215487152010-12-29T19:29:00.000-08:002010-12-29T19:34:29.656-08:00BiosI actually completed this piece, <span style="font-weight:bold;">Bios</span>, a few weeks back. My memory is so shot that I can't remember if I began it in my old studio or not, but it's definitely the first sculpture finished in the new space. Turned out quite nice. Better yet, a beautiful new piece is already well underway...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnoRF2f8CIwvW9Xh86XmJX9-BB3_iXT0-1R-nDM6JFlGc_Q6iZ3-ZiE_0j6k4QslnufzGbqeAdfYgQoxyvkxEn2eVORggs5Ncq5Bku37lmHT_hd70-Ys8m3xZ9QDuttHCZ1IGURRnjWS2/s1600/bios-progress1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnoRF2f8CIwvW9Xh86XmJX9-BB3_iXT0-1R-nDM6JFlGc_Q6iZ3-ZiE_0j6k4QslnufzGbqeAdfYgQoxyvkxEn2eVORggs5Ncq5Bku37lmHT_hd70-Ys8m3xZ9QDuttHCZ1IGURRnjWS2/s400/bios-progress1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556313476871373458" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-9888615330022624522010-11-24T09:24:00.000-08:002010-11-24T10:02:44.424-08:00Elmhurst Art MuseumLast week I dropped off <span style="font-style:italic;">Nighthawk<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> at the <a href="http://www.elmhurstartmuseum.org/exhibitions.html">Elmhurst Art Museum</a> for the Chicago Sculpture International exhibition. Named the “Best Suburban Art Museum in Chicago” by Chicago Magazine, it is a beautiful little museum located in one of the only three houses in the US designed by Mies van der Rohe. <br /><br />The show will run until March 19, 2011 with a reception being held on Friday, January 14, 2011. Below is a quick snapshot I took after delivering my sculpture.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtAFzzRlKMvmUbzu3PBTi6iB9JafKzagN5GH6DU7BHJi9IbN2pXIALcFyUxv4lhDo-Mh5lBxDfDcF4njFAjVBfnGilHbAxPaUZLbhqxxUDG5e1aEN-w3w69bAE9tRKM6YXUwKEAnVLrCM/s1600/DSCN1036+cleaned.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtAFzzRlKMvmUbzu3PBTi6iB9JafKzagN5GH6DU7BHJi9IbN2pXIALcFyUxv4lhDo-Mh5lBxDfDcF4njFAjVBfnGilHbAxPaUZLbhqxxUDG5e1aEN-w3w69bAE9tRKM6YXUwKEAnVLrCM/s400/DSCN1036+cleaned.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543170032891641746" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-86498954588773453442010-09-16T13:11:00.000-07:002010-09-16T13:13:16.042-07:00Jarvi BenchI came across this and felt the need to pass it on to others. Beautiful video of some beautiful work, what more can you ask for?<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q3utt2Y5aH0?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q3utt2Y5aH0?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-47864194152522811012010-05-10T07:07:00.000-07:002010-05-10T07:13:28.604-07:00New shop/studioBy request, here's my new workshop, in all it's disorganized glory. The space measures 40' x 50' with a nearly 16' ceiling, but as you can see I've already managed to fill a lot of it. It will take me some time to settle in, but already it's feeling quite comfortable. Every day I unpack and improve a little bit. Slowly, it begins to feel like home. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDz9Y-lM5LNVK-G_OvoQYqw0Vx6MdwyVBgCcsjfbZJ_GLNfk_a0Oe4-Iwa9u8R-lcxwSq25lZgF7VHjb6tGlFxND1_77zK9fzOPq9QxotwKhxN2IQH_rCjIIF1dG-u6fUtVJ0VnAw9HfM/s1600/shop.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDz9Y-lM5LNVK-G_OvoQYqw0Vx6MdwyVBgCcsjfbZJ_GLNfk_a0Oe4-Iwa9u8R-lcxwSq25lZgF7VHjb6tGlFxND1_77zK9fzOPq9QxotwKhxN2IQH_rCjIIF1dG-u6fUtVJ0VnAw9HfM/s400/shop.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469643630904833474" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-81586737066750594602010-04-17T18:34:00.000-07:002010-04-17T18:59:30.682-07:00A long overdue status report...I knew it had been a while since my last post, but I had no idea it was all the way back in mid-November. An explanation is in order. <br /><br />A couple of weeks later, on November 30th, we closed on our new house. It was a foreclosure which had been vacant over a year - I guess you could describe it as a diamond in the rough. But we saw potential. It was 20 nice acres in the country, had a good size newer workshop, and a unique earth home. The next several months were spent trapping mice, renovating, and undoing years of neglect. <br /><br />A couple weeks back we finally moved in. Already it feels like home. The seemingly endless work and wait were worth it. Now, life can begin again... <br /><br />Before:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuse1L2NUxkcNw9_ote99ysN1c9JqDeyB6ZQHyyKCFAd8r8r0RriDd4LGNLMCE3vtSomVxRkWrHMKaO11_mHUzGDeABYGs0O8Q-24VHQmjK4Wxf4JQT-h7-AheY-6-T8CdkNsUsRRQWPu/s1600/gutted-kitchen.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuse1L2NUxkcNw9_ote99ysN1c9JqDeyB6ZQHyyKCFAd8r8r0RriDd4LGNLMCE3vtSomVxRkWrHMKaO11_mHUzGDeABYGs0O8Q-24VHQmjK4Wxf4JQT-h7-AheY-6-T8CdkNsUsRRQWPu/s400/gutted-kitchen.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461290373519909970" /></a><br /><br />After:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqthPJrsxPdi0rlotNPBsmJCyyucVKoNVQxFVMIYZrBtPn8xnaCca95KC0ng8n22uktld8RHQ9umEgGuH5v0tFGRHE-SFz9EyAeALgU65WcOYq_MDshadOQSH4V3nW7CRaGCcsxlxCa4mI/s1600/spiczka-kitchen.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqthPJrsxPdi0rlotNPBsmJCyyucVKoNVQxFVMIYZrBtPn8xnaCca95KC0ng8n22uktld8RHQ9umEgGuH5v0tFGRHE-SFz9EyAeALgU65WcOYq_MDshadOQSH4V3nW7CRaGCcsxlxCa4mI/s400/spiczka-kitchen.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461290515487197794" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-14035496233902245932009-11-16T07:03:00.000-08:002009-11-16T07:13:04.526-08:00Collector image...One of the nicer treats I can receive is a picture of a sculpture installed at a collector's home. If I've delivered the piece myself I often have an idea of how it will be displayed, but in the case of shipped work I may never get that opportunity. <br /><br />I received this image of <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Trios</span></span> installed in a back patio a while ago but just got around to sharing it now. Night shots are great (I don't know why sculptors don't shoot their work like this more often). Thanks for the image, Ron.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijrumBVA5US6q8LRWf2-fYavgcMyArHJeTeNkdbEjEA1nb7bnL8MJjs2KV-ReaRcUC6iC1ZGkvG-zW6KpsSTw2LK_2wZjOhn_QXjhTXlEPwGkay1cdpEbexORAstLweGS_1gCD9m0QIG1A/s1600/trios-ron.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijrumBVA5US6q8LRWf2-fYavgcMyArHJeTeNkdbEjEA1nb7bnL8MJjs2KV-ReaRcUC6iC1ZGkvG-zW6KpsSTw2LK_2wZjOhn_QXjhTXlEPwGkay1cdpEbexORAstLweGS_1gCD9m0QIG1A/s400/trios-ron.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404718719251021202" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-82402262678297696432009-10-05T07:11:00.000-07:002009-10-05T07:13:26.934-07:00DaphneTaking perhaps longer than anticipated, <span style="font-style:italic;">Daphne<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> is finally completed. The detail and level of finish of this one is perhaps beyond anything else I've done. Needless to say, I'm happy with it. <br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOYelciBE6VqnKtlAHzeu5eBGiUGHS1PVsnKdkBkYrYOYL6pwtyX3QO9Ko294RlSv5zaVvQFbY4uZE22DyRDlZvfg9mBO0KvOGSe5EakjcjC5eIfe7UwSACtcCKb9st8giJeHCbVQFSLW/s1600-h/Daphne-silver.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOYelciBE6VqnKtlAHzeu5eBGiUGHS1PVsnKdkBkYrYOYL6pwtyX3QO9Ko294RlSv5zaVvQFbY4uZE22DyRDlZvfg9mBO0KvOGSe5EakjcjC5eIfe7UwSACtcCKb9st8giJeHCbVQFSLW/s400/Daphne-silver.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389118712653630562" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-63443177201283289742009-09-16T07:18:00.001-07:002009-09-16T07:27:37.036-07:00The Precious ObjectThis Friday is the opening reception for <a href="http://www.mnartists.org/article.do?rid=243881">The Precious Object</a>, a group exhibition I'm a part of at the Minneapolis Central Library organized by the Walker Art Center and mnartists.org. Bringing together a diverse group of artists, it looks to be a really interesting show. Stop by later in October for some panel discussions on issues relating to the work as well. See the larger poster below for more info. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfGfHDKzuvqhNdrhCOdW1SwroLIHlEFnCvbOUUeuK6WK988RjdsOTqiEkkML_IT_WHAf6UNZw5zGIIRrXqNB-unJolR5BbPMvNPN8ojn2qfug4s6mF3DtpuZGoUrI2pXOKUH8-KXbG3hN/s1600-h/ARTmn-postcard.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfGfHDKzuvqhNdrhCOdW1SwroLIHlEFnCvbOUUeuK6WK988RjdsOTqiEkkML_IT_WHAf6UNZw5zGIIRrXqNB-unJolR5BbPMvNPN8ojn2qfug4s6mF3DtpuZGoUrI2pXOKUH8-KXbG3hN/s400/ARTmn-postcard.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382070137807012882" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-21522388465350886842009-09-04T16:46:00.000-07:002009-09-04T16:58:35.970-07:00Pflipsen GlassworksThe whole family drove over to River Falls, WI for an enjoyable visit with Steve and Katia of <a href="http://www.pflipglassworks.com/">Pflipsen Glassworks</a> the other day. I briefly met them at the Madison Art Fair a few weeks back and we immediately saw a connection in our work. The pair collaborates to create simply beautiful jewelry and sculptural objects. Steve is in charge of creating glass with a wonderfully ethereal quality and Katia creates these beautiful organic, and yet almost architectural (think Gaudi), soldered constructions. Their work is top notch and I can't recommend them highly enough.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNmSCbDdeFTLISK65gtEj1SRQ0ajwnsPRpCpqnFh86j7UgYc8QwMdpFgRK1sF-5LmyD-AcC3FTBKbfgR2IxGfUtEUnO_fJbF4nyy0BllUh363jcGfM7e9O7C05uS916cHfAXkDD0GxsXe/s1600-h/necklace-river-metal.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 348px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNmSCbDdeFTLISK65gtEj1SRQ0ajwnsPRpCpqnFh86j7UgYc8QwMdpFgRK1sF-5LmyD-AcC3FTBKbfgR2IxGfUtEUnO_fJbF4nyy0BllUh363jcGfM7e9O7C05uS916cHfAXkDD0GxsXe/s400/necklace-river-metal.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377765796164320322" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-64046849591049491462009-07-21T14:17:00.000-07:002009-07-21T14:23:09.498-07:00SI09I took a little road trip down to Chatfield for the Standard Issue Iron Pour, brain child of <a href="http://www.karlunnasch.com/">Karl Unnasch</a> and perpetrated each year (this was the third) by a host of various and sundry characters. After the pour was over, they like to let down their hair a bit... below is a shot of some of the after-hour festivities.<br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKOij8RUENXP6FrdhgkXkP9pvc2fClrmUxjIQkzHVSQR9pBpbWdXnfgj_ep9zsF2SznTTCGXoy1t0-hTU2IpbuaToAhfAmoCKRJylGZBrf_Bj-15SSB_WMZLoUY8owJ4MN55OLUQM6D1g/s1600-h/small-SI09-(79).jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKOij8RUENXP6FrdhgkXkP9pvc2fClrmUxjIQkzHVSQR9pBpbWdXnfgj_ep9zsF2SznTTCGXoy1t0-hTU2IpbuaToAhfAmoCKRJylGZBrf_Bj-15SSB_WMZLoUY8owJ4MN55OLUQM6D1g/s400/small-SI09-(79).jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361027034678538434" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-51203908918577918992009-07-01T17:04:00.000-07:002009-07-01T17:22:29.061-07:00ProgressTo say that raising a child is time consuming is understating the matter. Progress is still being made in the studio, however. In fact, I have two pieces underway at the moment, unusual for me. The vast majority of the time I begin and complete a single sculpture before starting another one. But I was carried along a wave of energy after getting the basic framework for the one finished and so I moved on to the next, smaller piece right away. Below is the larger of the two. <br /><br />When talking about starting a piece, painters often complain about the difficulty of making a mark on a clean, white canvas. As soon as you begin, the multitude of options available begin to diminish. Each mark limits the next, and these limitations build on each other as the work progresses. It can be incredibly difficult to make those first few marks in the void. <br /><br />Making a sculpture is no different, except that you are dealing with three dimensions, not two, and the resulting void of space is that much larger and intimidating. While later stages of a sculpture may be more physically tiring, there is nothing more psychologically draining than the beginning. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijp72lPISnyERzyhbjMa4V9DWOUdJAVXvIGaxXjF6uMD4h8WMee9kRG73STCkzjsIkmHIb4MwTCAsSnJuQQlUCbCdkbSiDmBf6tEhKjfeaXpW-ry1QqrLrfy2QbPuM0Ucp49M16lF27ud/s1600-h/spiczka+progress.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijp72lPISnyERzyhbjMa4V9DWOUdJAVXvIGaxXjF6uMD4h8WMee9kRG73STCkzjsIkmHIb4MwTCAsSnJuQQlUCbCdkbSiDmBf6tEhKjfeaXpW-ry1QqrLrfy2QbPuM0Ucp49M16lF27ud/s400/spiczka+progress.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353651080759428722" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-28391570033882812432009-05-11T20:26:00.000-07:002009-05-11T20:30:35.775-07:00SculptureWalkThe whole family at the installation of <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nighthawk</span></span> for <a href="http://www.sculpturewalksiouxfalls.com/">SculptureWalk</a> in Sioux Falls, SD.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2dd2KSFf0zg1maWLqI_w_NQiwaEEFpahQgmZ32fD1l5oEXQ44P78kccapkWrRrC5IYxXiD52zZ5G31kCY2uBRYv9ngMNksEwGCmrQ_Suz23UWNJ5oOsM664Lf18omuSEiEvK-lQqR2lW/s1600-h/spiczka-family.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2dd2KSFf0zg1maWLqI_w_NQiwaEEFpahQgmZ32fD1l5oEXQ44P78kccapkWrRrC5IYxXiD52zZ5G31kCY2uBRYv9ngMNksEwGCmrQ_Suz23UWNJ5oOsM664Lf18omuSEiEvK-lQqR2lW/s400/spiczka-family.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334774078410162610" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-87304065506595141532009-04-26T08:48:00.000-07:002009-04-26T09:01:17.744-07:00Art in the Garden, NCIt's that time of the year again for <span style="font-weight:bold;">Art in the Garden</span>, <a href="http://garden-art.com/">the Fifteenth Annual Sculpture Invitational,</a> in Hillborough, North Carolina. If you find yourself near the Triangle Area the weekend of May 2-3, stop by, say hi, and check out some great sculpture. Rain or shine, a great time is always had by all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwPqJI-cuuLRbf_mOJRkFR-JFcaBatA_qm_v9dVAKp6p0wPgxZVhRGAfEGXbw23z6m5nhSHbN5qhzlUzHYw8Z1AzYZAgQ0knlg3kDgXNA2sb8vmVYhgK25hI0Pn1gyYtl6V_fRdnJx-0_/s1600-h/2009-garden-art-FINAl-web.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwPqJI-cuuLRbf_mOJRkFR-JFcaBatA_qm_v9dVAKp6p0wPgxZVhRGAfEGXbw23z6m5nhSHbN5qhzlUzHYw8Z1AzYZAgQ0knlg3kDgXNA2sb8vmVYhgK25hI0Pn1gyYtl6V_fRdnJx-0_/s400/2009-garden-art-FINAl-web.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329030325680549938" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhJVkThmJLPx5cL-9fG7BMDJ9vZ-ylJMkW-kLS5_pjmfEH0uz1et8NcUQw9WBaGVtxkIDeCYpZohl-eiehlLdSJRIFvdwv5sPhpr0w9fFCAs2oQ1heJSkCKSeQ-N-wrSiyGPlQEWG0K_Z/s1600-h/2009_Back_garden-art-show-F.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhJVkThmJLPx5cL-9fG7BMDJ9vZ-ylJMkW-kLS5_pjmfEH0uz1et8NcUQw9WBaGVtxkIDeCYpZohl-eiehlLdSJRIFvdwv5sPhpr0w9fFCAs2oQ1heJSkCKSeQ-N-wrSiyGPlQEWG0K_Z/s400/2009_Back_garden-art-show-F.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329030743261470770" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-73230602372820129612009-04-24T12:36:00.000-07:002009-04-24T12:43:57.019-07:00New SculpturesCheck out the first two <a href="http://www.sculptorsam.com/galleries.html">Transitions</a> galleries on my website for a number of new sculptures as well as new images of existing pieces. Due to the size of some of the pieces, I had to wait for the weather to cooperate in order to photograph them outside. That meant not only waiting for the right diffused light, but for Spring to arrive as well. Thank goodness it has. Winter has passed and the green is returning once again!<br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcy_2oJ0QQAsaLvnU8BL4pZdSPvBX3af4I1I1lDssuCAAXOkYAvQQ_ILKAZkyFs_hbCZBpokrv0wDMyKcB53rfF5rptT5-be7-MbJqEtVQrX29FM1nnD7ABmhVYgOHP5yNltvBIi8w4_vJ/s1600-h/Mercury5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcy_2oJ0QQAsaLvnU8BL4pZdSPvBX3af4I1I1lDssuCAAXOkYAvQQ_ILKAZkyFs_hbCZBpokrv0wDMyKcB53rfF5rptT5-be7-MbJqEtVQrX29FM1nnD7ABmhVYgOHP5yNltvBIi8w4_vJ/s400/Mercury5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328345982950164546" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-42946928933165700152009-04-05T17:22:00.000-07:002009-04-05T17:39:45.402-07:00Traveling sculpturesMy first real sculpture trip of the year was to pick up <a href="http://www.sculptorsam.com/Portal.html"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Portal<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span></a> (seen, or rather, not seen, in the crate in the back of the truck) from the <a href="http://www.plainsart.org/">Plains Art Museum</a> in Fargo, ND and then head down to <a href="http://www.northern.edu/galleries/index.htm">Northern State University</a> in Aberdeen, SD to pick up <a href="http://www.sculptorsam.com/Nexus.html"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nexus<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span></a>. I arrived home very early the following morning, just before an all-encompassing fog descended...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufC453P3kLCOSEs-2jvfYAdxzqtWbgOf-ODxr025bn08J5WuyxdzPkmxdHHR0XyT71Dq9Pv5UvrkA6sfT6DRJdUoOTDBqj6do9iFSMSBLqSQECIwg282xviMa3aNy_pNSiJZKBefmNBm9/s1600-h/Fog-Truck-Nexus.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufC453P3kLCOSEs-2jvfYAdxzqtWbgOf-ODxr025bn08J5WuyxdzPkmxdHHR0XyT71Dq9Pv5UvrkA6sfT6DRJdUoOTDBqj6do9iFSMSBLqSQECIwg282xviMa3aNy_pNSiJZKBefmNBm9/s400/Fog-Truck-Nexus.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321367953983332882" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-23410495448959483402009-03-09T08:27:00.000-07:002009-03-09T08:56:22.827-07:00Art for a New EraThere is understandably a lot of pessimism out there today. By "out there" I mean most anywhere, but specifically outside my studio doors. Because inside, I remain surprisingly, almost unnervingly, optimistic. For someone (mistaken, I would argue) perceived to be a bit of a curmudgeon, this is an unusual state to be in. What hope could I possibly have in an art world undergoing rapid capitulation by many individual artists and art organizations? <br /><br />Put simply, I believe much Quality, meaningful and well-crafted work will not only survive this Grand Purging, but will thrive in an era more skeptical of exuberant claims and glitzy sheen. Work grounded in Nature, history and our human desire for meaning will continue to be valued because it satisfies an expressly human need for self-creation. Work which looks beyond the navel of its creator, which connects on an intimate level with the viewer, will communicate in a way that hype and market forces never can. I am optimistic because I think these difficult times will lead people to search out the type of authentic and insightful work which I value. It is also the type of work I aspire to create, and the type of work created by other artists who I admire.<br /><br />Once such artist I recently discovered is <a href="http://andypaikoglass.com/">Andy Paiko</a>. Check out his site and spend some time exploring his heart-breakingly poetic work. Paiko's glasswork is like alchemy to me. I understand steel and its resiliently fluid nature, but the fragile fluidity and structure of his glasswork is a mystery me, in the best possible way. I find myself mesmerized looking at them, captivated by their detail, form and execution.<br /> <br /><a href="http://andypaikoglass.com/"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-84F62WoqWTLmeLT5clqlC-f3fmOBhfWEBS9q9fP9TLpPWhGMDLQ4EYi1rJTuA6eGqUPesX75wqHDPiSg9VCU2lBP0xsgrE-wkL8LYmZzz-UkJ7-WgZyCFTkmnMpgZEhXDD0EuyvicC2/s1600-h/bellasrtmntmedweb.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-84F62WoqWTLmeLT5clqlC-f3fmOBhfWEBS9q9fP9TLpPWhGMDLQ4EYi1rJTuA6eGqUPesX75wqHDPiSg9VCU2lBP0xsgrE-wkL8LYmZzz-UkJ7-WgZyCFTkmnMpgZEhXDD0EuyvicC2/s400/bellasrtmntmedweb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311216765524151762" /></a></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-17559263617511010642009-03-01T05:45:00.000-08:002009-03-01T05:47:12.189-08:00ToucheI tip my hat to you, <a href="http://www.emilalzamora.com/">Mr. Alzamora</a>. You have won this round, but I'll be back...sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-86794662446346249852009-02-27T08:12:00.000-08:002009-02-27T08:14:33.636-08:00Artist A DayIf you haven't already discovered it, check out <a href="http://www.artistaday.com/">Artist A Day</a>. They profile some really fine work and the site is beautifully designed. A nice community has sprung up to discover and discuss a wide variety of great art. <br /> <br />I'm honored to be today's artist, #732. <a href="http://www.artistaday.com/?p=3483">Check it out</a>. If you're so inclined, you can rate my work (a simple 5 star system) or go one step further and leave a comment. (Not that it's a competition, but if I could top my good friend and outstanding fellow-sculptor <a href="http://www.artistaday.com/?p=3199">Emil Alzamora</a>, that would be a feather in my cap!)sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-25718233854059875872009-02-08T09:17:00.000-08:002009-02-08T09:18:34.055-08:00A Sunday Meditation<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dib2-HBsF08&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dib2-HBsF08&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8414776170408627132.post-59331785364975560882009-02-01T07:17:00.000-08:002009-02-01T07:29:31.733-08:00After AustraliaThough a lot of my time these days is consumed by taking care of Little Zoe, I did manage to finish the sculpture I began several weeks before she was born. Here it is in its freshly sandblasted state. Thankfully, it has warmed up a bit here so I can begin the rusting process properly. I washed it off on Friday after I set it up and the water froze immediately on contact with the steel.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkCHeVUMgxy8CWeoT6x6nWfbDwHB34n8by6Ms7a0bVji8OU__Q6ejMt0ZAO58MzviC1evG75AB8bw8ALMrFqKFZJwBLrNnoUDEY8457BXjimknTjg_tsG-JBiwr5SwklJ6WXPyVGcKjs8/s1600-h/AfterAustraliaSandblasted.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkCHeVUMgxy8CWeoT6x6nWfbDwHB34n8by6Ms7a0bVji8OU__Q6ejMt0ZAO58MzviC1evG75AB8bw8ALMrFqKFZJwBLrNnoUDEY8457BXjimknTjg_tsG-JBiwr5SwklJ6WXPyVGcKjs8/s400/AfterAustraliaSandblasted.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297850913472116914" /></a><br />This piece is tentatively titled <span style="font-style:italic;">After Australia</span> in honor of the David Smith sculpture. It wasn't a direct inspiration, just one of those times I noticed a similar sense of drama/movement/poise during the design phase of the work. In the end, my piece diverged quite a bit, and will in all likelihood get a new name, but I do sense a connective thread between the two.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTzYe9Duoa2cqMM7JetREbeYtss8bwUCD054PuCf-w-JCgp4DmF3i3mJEwrOUfj1AUTtbhYl6mx7WZdSinTsjmViJ0zbJYPGz1fiXqlFyC_j16BhGnunR5PGi5F9auoeOQWcw8ZQBLto7/s1600-h/00333061.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 355px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTzYe9Duoa2cqMM7JetREbeYtss8bwUCD054PuCf-w-JCgp4DmF3i3mJEwrOUfj1AUTtbhYl6mx7WZdSinTsjmViJ0zbJYPGz1fiXqlFyC_j16BhGnunR5PGi5F9auoeOQWcw8ZQBLto7/s400/00333061.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297851019777330722" /></a>sculptorsamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617665219473324211noreply@blogger.com0