Journal

A place for birds

Dave Eames — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:16:29 +0000

Here is the latest birdhouse sculpture. This is No. 3 of 5 in this series. This piece is big and brawny and can hold its own against the elements. It is made from recycled steel and other unwanted metals. On the back is a door to access the inside - just in case you have to clean out a old nest! Or, if you just want a secret place to hide something. This particular sculpture is part of a silent auction for the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation.

On the homefront

Dave Eames — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:44:22 +0000

Here's the latest metal project for the house. I've wanted to remake our house address letters (which were removed during our remodel last year) in a different way. So, I spent a morning in the shop coming up with this solution. I really enjoyed making the letterforms. Now, the delivery guy can find the right house!

Looking for a sign

Dave Eames — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:41:06 +0000

If you're in the neighborhood, take a look for this new sign hanging outside Fossil Forge. The metal sign measures 16 inches wide by 34 inches high. It is hand-cut from steel. If you know of anyone looking for a one-of-a-kind sign for their business or garden, let me know.

Metal birdhouses ready to fly away

Dave Eames — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 22:19:13 +0000

I have been building some new birdhouses lately. These are constructed from steel and will stand up to all kinds of abuse, from the weather to squirrels to birds. These structures have a hinged door on the back to allow access to the interior. The front, sides and roof are adorned with recycled and found objects. These can be hung or attached to a post, fence or tree. Let me know if you want one.

Wind in your hands

Dave Eames — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 22:10:35 +0000

Listen to sound of the breeze as the metal hands of this chime clang together. The cut-steel hands of this wind chime sculpture are made from the outlines of children's hands. Mixed together with some other shapes, this durable metal sculpture provides a rich sensory experience.

Deep snow

Dave Eames — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:21:14 +0000

Wow! What a Christmas snowstorm. Here at Fossil Gardens, the snow started piling up on Christmas Eve. The wind was incredible – lots of drifts. Today, the snow began to taper off, so I ventured out to take some photos of the sculpture garden.

More garden spiders leave the nest

Dave Eames — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:14:32 +0000

Here are a few shots of some garden spider sculptures that have come out of the shop. These leggy metal arachnids are about 2-feet wide and 18-inches tall. Perfect for keeping a lookout in your garden.

Winter in the garden

Dave Eames — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:06:54 +0000

COLD! Tuesday's storm brought snow and bitter temperatures to the garden. The waterfall keeps on chugging along, encased in a shield of ice. The various sculptures are dusted with snow. I love the brightness of the sun in this landscape.

A beautiful piece of slag glass peeks out from the base of this Bottle Monster sculpture.

A Window Word sculpture.

Pond at Fossil Gardens

Dave Eames — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:26:01 +0000

We are nearing the end of the year and the start of winter. The landscape here at Fossil Gardens has undergone lots of changes. A large pond and waterfall were added this autumn. Landscaping will have to wait until spring. I did add some sculptures and bottle trees which will begin aging as they stand as sentinels around the pond. I may add some lights inside the bottles for Christmas. That should look cool and colorful.

Teacher of the Year display finished

Dave Eames — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:32:20 +0000

The last couple of weeks have been steady in the shop here at Fossil Forge. I have been completing a interesting display piece for the Lee's Summit School District. The sculpture is part of a new display showcasing the current and former teachers of the year. The frame is made from steel tube. I used large hollow steel balls to finish the corners. The letters and school district logo (a stylized graduate raising an arm, see it?) were cut from a CNC plasma system at the high school. The piece was powdercoated a glossy black. The graphic elements hanging from the sculpture are encased in acylic and attached to the grid background. This will make for easy updating of the graphics each year. Finally, I made a custom metal bracket to hold a video monitor that will highlight the teachers. Thanks to everyone who helped this project along, including the building maintenance guys who lent a hand installing it.

Here’s another image and some information from a school district newsletter.