The Bottle Monster, here at Fossil Gardens, stands large in all seasons. But in Spring, when the asters and goldenrod crowd around its legs, well, it just seems more at home.
Gotta have Spirit
I have made dozens of different metal Window Words. A variety of words, phrases and glass colors. This sculpture: "Spirit" is a new one for me. I hope the recipient enjoys the piece.
A Mother’s Day garden totem
A simply beautiful day to work in the shop. Light breeze and bright sunshine. Felt like I could tinker forever. But projects are there to be finished. This garden totem went to a new home today. It is special Mother's Day gift. The sculpture depicts three grandchildren at play. The piece is made from solid steel and will stand sturdy wherever it is placed.
More helping hands
Finished another pair of metal hand sculptures. These small sculptures are perfect for hanging in the garden or by a window to catch the sunlight.
Singing in the wind
Another hand windchime left the shop today. This simple sculpture is made for a family. It captures the handprints of both parents and their children. A gentle breeze will kickoff the sweet tinging of the metal. This piece is made to hang inside or out.
No empty nest here
The landscape here at Fossil Gardens offers daily discoveries. Lately, I have been watching the construction of this bird's nest. The nest is perched atop a metal garden mask hanging on the side of my studio. Unfortunately, I haven't seen the bird...any ideas on what kind it might be? It definitely is in a good spot: protected from the elements and high above the ground.
Helping hands
Last week, I made several gifts for some friends who have been helping me alot lately. These simple metal sculptures represent the power of support. Taking care of each other. Each of these is decorated with a sparkling chunk of glass. Perfect to hang in the garden. Or wherever.
Framing a few words
Here is an art frame I made for a recent auction. This is made from hand-cut steel. The picture opening is approximately 6 in. by 10 in. Thank you to whomever purchased it...
Letters for a Window Word
Had a challenging word, rather letters, to put together to create this latest Window Word sculpture. These are hand-cut with a plasma torch. Wire is used to attach the hanger and ornament. The glass heart ornament was custom made by another artist for this project.
Time to solder
A lot of different metal projects find their way to the shop. This weekend, I repaired a cool stained glass window. The owner wanted to hang it horizontally, so I set about adding some eye hooks and chain to achieve that end. Soldering can be tricky, especially on narrow edges, like the frame of this piece. I used a soldering iron for easier application.
Faces in the land of snow
Wow! A wild winter week here at Fossil Forge. Snow, on top of snow. It has been very cold and the shop has been easy to avoid. But work awaits and its time to fire up the heater. A few of the garden masks showed off a dressing of snow this morning.
The metal birdhouses keep coming!
The latest in a series of birdhouses has left the shop. This one is hefty, stout and strong. It is built to hang from a tree branch or deck, where it will drift slowly in the wind. The back of the house has a door to access the interior. As usual, this sculpture is made from a variety of cast-off and found objects. The gas nozzle nose is probably the most striking. Now, it will wait for Springtime and the hope that some feathered friends will find it a fine place to raise young.
Peace and love = Picture frame
I worked on another cut-metal picture frame last weekend. This piece is about 16 inches tall by 14 inches wide. It will show off a 6-inch by 9-inch photo, which is held in place by simple fasteners on the back.
Wolf Spider on the prowl
Look what has crawled out of the shop. This prickly Wolf Spider was created as a memorial piece. The spider is made using steel donated by a family who lost their father this year. I was honored to create such a bittersweet sculpture. I hope that in the years ahead this little spider will be a special reminder of the memories and goodness brought forth by an amazing Dad.
This photo shows the spider nearing the finish line. Just need to clean it and place the eyes!
Personalizing a picture frame
This time of year, I am working on a lot of holiday gifts in the shop. This project was an idea from a client, looking for a artistic way to present a special photograph. The frame is hand-cut steel. The opening has a glass panel and fasteners on the back to hold everything in place. Colored glass marbles add some depth the the piece. This frame is approx. 14 inches wide by 14 inches tall.
More hands in the garden
Last week, I finished a pretty cool garden sculpture. The idea was to use the handprints of three grandchildren incorporated into a simple, timeless design. Each handprint is capped with the birthstone color of each child. This triangular-shaped piece spins in the wind and will slowly change to a lovely, rusty brown. This all sits atop a six-foot stand that will be pressed into the ground. The first photo shows a step in the building process.
A colorful afternoon in the garden
Mild temperatures and a low sun created some subtle scenes around Fossil Gardens. The garden is slowly going to sleep, but the sculptures are waking up. During winter, the steel and glass become central figures in the landscape.
The BugBot shines in the sunlight.
The Bottle Monster takes on the color of fallen leaves.
The newest Bottle Tree Flower begins the slow process of aging to perfection.
The Tallgrass Fence collects leaves at its base and autumn light at its tips.
Another Bottle Tree Flower stands over the crisp water flowing into the pond.
Bailey’s Garden casts a late afternoon shadow.
Busy days at the station
It has been almost a week since the feeding station was installed. Wow! What an active part of the garden. So many birds and, of course, lots of squirrels. I have had to refill all of the feeders at least once. I really enjoy watching. My kids think I'm obsessed. Here is a list of birds recorded this week:
- Northern cardinals
- Black-capped chickadees
- Mourning doves
- Red-breasted nuthatch
- White-breasted nuthatch
- Robins
- Bluejays
- House sparrows
- Dark-eyed juncos
- Tufted titmouse
- Grackle
- Downy woodpecker
- House finch
- Gold finch
Is it a bird feeder? Or...what is it?
Today, I finished installing a large bird feeder sculpture. At first it was going to a robot, but now it looks more like an imposing metal scarecrow. Regardless, I think the birds will love visiting it this winter. The structure is outfitted with multiple arms and hangers. Great for hanging a variety of feeders. The top of the sculpture is a capped with a feeding tray which is protected by a roof. This entire piece is made from scrap and found objects. The sculpture towers over the yard, at more than 10 feet tall. Do you think this is high enough to keep the squirrels away? Probably not.
Mending fences
This decorative ornamental iron fence was constructed last summer. The fence was purchased from another company and installed by the homeowner. Simple steel pickets tie the sections together and stick into the ground. Unfortunately, the fence had started to lean. We decided to install posts (set in concrete) every 20 feet or so. This will add strength along the long run of fence (below), preventing sag and lean.
We welded the existing sections of fence to the new posts and added ball finials to each.
In addition, we also added a post to hang a gate, so the homeowner could access their side yard easier.
