Dancing With The Stars is my first serious attempt at carving, piercing and pyrography texturing. I found a bunch of Starfish on a beach and the idea came to me about them having a connection to each other the way they lay on the sand. They have become the inspiration for my other ocean work. I think that everyone is attracted to these unusual creatures. When you examine them closely you discover that they are all unique and always bring a smile.
Inspiration
Inspiration for Dancing With The Stars is Mother Nature. This was one of the lucky days while searching for beach treasures that there was a huge reward. I gathered them up anticipating that I will be able to make something worthwhile. This piece is one of my early attempts at carving and remains one on my favorite pieces. Here is the link to another Starfish item. I Want To Hold Your Hand
Process
The process the make this item is to trace the starfish onto a thin wood bowl with the tips touching each other. Then I carve away all the open space leaving the starfish. The final step is Pyrography which is a wood branding technique. This creates the texture and fine details. Remember those useless wood burners from the Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts? Now there are professional tools allowing makers to do illustration.
Video of my Studio
Here is a quick video tour of my studio.
Studio
I design and produces all of my art in Montvale, New Jersey, USA. The primary tool that I use is the wood lathe. I am addicted to removing layers of wood and watching the block become the form I am pursuing. Once the shape exists I will spend many additional hours at the workbench refining the piece. It is a form of meditation where the hours melt away and the object takes on a life of its own.