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I started carving a block of Basswood measuring 8" X 14 ½" and 2 ¾" thick. The softness of Basswood made it easier to carve than Sycamore (Twists n Turns o Life)- maybe even a bit too soft for comfort. I started it with a frame supporting the tips of the lily, bulb and leaf until almost all the carving was done; then removed it. They now bounce a little - extremely fragile. So I made an acrylic box to protect it.
I reduced the thickness of the flower and the leaf to under 1/8", somewhere between 1/16 and 3/32 with areas that are opaque against a light. That was a challenge and it was slow going as well as having to support the working area with counter pressure from the opposite side; at times, I felt faint for having to hold my breath doing that!
And for added realism and a little humor, I carved a Lady Bug that ate a hole (I really hated doing that) on the Lily. I did not color this composition because I did not want it to look like just another resin cast made in China. This puppy is made - correction - hand carved in America out of one piece of wood. The bug is the only thing added. I used mostly traditional hand tools on this project. I did use a drill press and a power chisel to remove large areas, but no laser, CNC or router was used. On the advice (thank you, guys) of some of my fellow LJs, I put 5 coats of (rattle-can) lacquer on the composition.
I am elated to tell you that last weekend, I entered this project into the judging contest at the 46th Annual Artistry in Wood Show in Oklahoma City, OK and won a Blue Ribbon!
Thank you for watching.

Gallery

Comments

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19,753 Posts
Wow what a delicate work of art .Amazing work and beautiful piece.
 

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7,008 Posts
Beautiful sculpture / carving!

Sure is nice!

Thank you.
 

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332 Posts
A well deserved Blue ribbon for this beautiful piece Paul, I could find a space for this no sweat
Pete
 

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3,315 Posts
Great job.

Lee
 

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6,940 Posts
That is really beautiful! No wonder it won! Awesome job!

Sheila
 

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20,030 Posts
That is blue ribbon awesome for sure. Not sure I could ever do that kind of work.
 

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7,502 Posts
Absolutely Beautiful! So delicate, but, powerful, WOW!
 

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841 Posts
Exquisite! (everyone else has already used the phrases I normally use, so +1, and I'll raise everyone an adjective or adverb, as the case may be). Great job.
 

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1,083 Posts
Superb sculpting work - really very very beautiful sculpture.
 

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1,049 Posts
That's totally amazing. I wanna shake your hand right now and say Congratulations.
You are truly talented and you deserved the blue ribbon .
 

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608 Posts
Wow, you are extraordinarily talented! Beautiful work indeed! I am humbled and inspired by your persistence, patience and skill!

Nate
 

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5 Posts
Beautiful work and congratulations on the blue ribbon. Great work on the inner portion of the lily. That would have been a nerve squasher for sure.
 

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375 Posts
This sculpture is certainly blue ribbon work. Congratulations!!
 

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Thank you ALL for your kind and encouraging words. I really appreciate them especially when they come from fellow members of LJ whose talent and skill level are way beyond what I can ever hope to achieve. Thank you.
 

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78 Posts
Blue ribbon work, definitely! It's a beautiful piece, one that cannot be copied. Well done wood carving artist! Roman
 

· In Loving Memory
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10,077 Posts
I already congratulated you via e mail but hadn't seen the carving. Wow! I can't believe how fragile/delicate that is. I would be afraid to breathe on it much less carve on it. The ladybug is a nice touch and I think painting just the bug would look cool. People would think a bug had landed on your carving. The acrylic box is a good idea as I don't want to be around you if this gets broken!
 
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