Blog - David Franklin Artist

Tentacles on TV

June 8, 2021 by David

David Franklin World Headquarters makes its worldwide debut on local tv

The folks at Kiro 7 and Evening on King 5 both came by the newly expanded David Franklin World Headquarters. Preston Singletary my friend and collaborator was kind of us to take the ferry over for the Kiro 7 interview about our project for Climate Pledge Arena and the Seattle Kraken.

King 5’s Evening magazine came to discuss the Seattle Center Project as well as the Arm of the Kraken. It is a giant tentacle which greets visitors offloading from the Washington State Ferry on Bainbridge Island.

If you missed the live airing you can watch the Kiro 7 interview (we are in the second part of the segment) with Preston Singletary here.

You can see the King 5 Evening segment here

Thanks to Kiro 7 and Evening for coming by! Learn more about these projects and others on my blog.

David

The Arm Of the Kraken in the Kitsap Sun

January 24, 2021 by David

The Arm of the Kraken Marler/Clark Law offices, Bainbridge Island WA

There is a great article about The Arm of the Kraken, and new work coming to Climate Pledge Arena this summer.

Check it out Here!

You can learn more about the making of The Arm of the Kraken here!

The Arm of the Kraken

December 31, 2020 by David

Tentacle emerges near Bainbridge Island ferry terminal

Something interesting emerged near the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal today. A 12′ tentacle was spotted near the Marler Clark Law Office on Bainbridge Island. It seems 2021 will be the year of the Kraken. This must be a sign that more interesting things are to come in the New Year.

In 2021, Seattle’s new Hockey team, the Seattle Kraken, debut at Climate Pledge Arena. Renowned Seattle glass artist, Preston Singletary and I are collaborating on a stainless steel and glass sculpture for the new arena campus. It will be installed as part of the arena project this year at Seattle’s iconic Seattle Center .

Tentacle Inspiration

Tentacle Guardian, Windcliff Nursery, Indianola, WA

Two years ago, my neighbor Dan Hinkley, commissioned a series of carved “Guardians” for the entrance of Windcliff Nursery in Indianola WA. One of these took the form of a large carved tentacle. Similar in form to work I did in ceramics at the Kohler Factory in an Arts/industry residency almost ten years ago, these tentacles are on a much larger scale. Sculpturally, they are an exercise in form and fun.

Marler Clark

The tentacle is located at the Marler Clark law office Near the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal. They are the nation’s leading firm in foodborne illness outbreaks. They work to make sure that the food we eat will be clean and safe to consume.

Making a “Guardian” for Marler Clark seemed like a prefect project for people in the business of guarding food safety for all of us.

For the near future we all have to be the guardians of one another in our community. When you are at the ferry terminal, enjoy the “Arm of the Kraken”, and remember the crucial work being done right here.

Tentacle and Marler/Clark Law offices, Bainbridge Island WA

How to make a really big tentacle

A second-growth red cedar log was chosen for the tentacle. The log was of size and weight that some help would be needed. My friend Spencer West of West Woodworking had the log, a little bobcat to move it around with, and a place to carve.

Carving Begins

The log wast flattened on two sides so that the tentacle profile could be drawn.

Drawing the profile on the flattened surfaces

The profile is cut out

The tentacle form is carved with facets

Facets are then rounded off.

Suckers are then roughed out.

Basic sculptural work is done with an electric chainsaw, electric power planer, and a Lancelot blade on a 4″ grinder

Finishing the surfaces

The tentacle is then refined by hand carving and texture adzing with a d-adze.

Painting

It is painted with exterior flat latex paint, it is applied as a series of washes with opaque details.

Installing the Tentacle

Bainbridge Island resident and artist Will Robinson helped us on installation day.

Thanks

Thank you to Bill and Julie Marler, and the whole Marler Family

A very special thanks to: Eleanor Reynolds, Ryan McPhail Fluid Concrete and Design, Spencer and Elizabeth West, Will Robinson, and especially to Joanne, my awesome wife, and my great kids, Sarah, Mikel, and Ruby.

Drift Inversion in Hi-Fructose Magazine

September 18, 2020 by David

In support of Hi-Fructose’s Instagram spin-off @Hifructose.littleboxes ,the renowned art magazine, published a full page photo of Drift Inversion. Being included in Hi-Fructose is a dream come true. For me, it is the magazine that revived my faith in the contemporary art world. Showcasing contemporary artwork executed by artists with mind boggling skills and discipline. The magazine shows the best of what the art world has to offer. Being included makes me feel that all the years of battling to keep growing as an artist have been well worth the effort. Big thanks to everyone who helped get this far. You can get your copy here!

This was a project I did with my long time collaborator Aaron Whelton. He is now a full Professor of Architecture at Portland State University. Aaron is an amazing creative partner and good friend. We also had a lot of help from family and friends. More can be read about this installation and its creation here and here.

David Franklin and Aaron Whelton in Colorado — Aaron and I in Colorado

Where is Drift Inversion?

Located in Denver, Colorado on Central Park Boulevard. It is in the underpass between 53rd and 54th and can be accessed from the bike path on the Northfield Highschool side. It can also be accessed from the parking on the northwest side of the 54th intersection.

New Little Boxes

In the Spirit of Hi-Fructose Little Boxes I thought it would be good time to preview a new sculpture series that is in the works. Some projects have been delayed due to the current state of the world. Others projects have continued to slowly creep along. This is one of the most exciting things in the works because if its location and huge scale. It will be installed at the Tetra Hotel in Sunnyvale, California in cooperation with T2 Hospitality and Andrea Schwartz Gallery

Early renderings show the scale of these installations.

Current physical scale models of the installation.

This and other exciting new projects will be coming soon!

David Franklin

Weaver’s Welcome at the Burke Museum

January 4, 2020 by David

How Weaver’s Welcome came to be…

Finding inspiration at the Burke Museum

The Burke Museum holds a very special place for indigenous people in the Northwest. It is a must see for anyone interested in the study of the history of the region. It has long been the home of some of the best minds in Anthropology in the Northwest. The Burke Museum has been home to such noted experts as Bill Holm, Robin Wright and now Katie-Bunn Marcuse. The Museum at the University of Washington has long been recognized as the place to find out about just about anything about this region.

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Flight of the Spectrum

April 16, 2019 by David

Seattle World School

In this school we learn to fly together, no matter where you come from.

A couple of years I was contacted by the Washington State Arts Commission about creating a project for a newly remodeled school in Seattle. I had no idea at that time what an amazing opportunity this would be, or what an incredible place Seattle World School is.

” It is one of only a few schools in the country designed as a preliminary entry point for immigrant children in their quest for academic achievement and full participation in American society.”

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Art Collaborations with Preston Singletary and Brian Perry

December 5, 2018 by David

Collaborating

Over the last couple of years it has been my fortune to collaborate on public art projects with two exceptional artists, Brian Perry (Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe) and Preston Singletary (Tlingit) These projects have made me become a better artist and it has been a dream come true to work on a large scale with artists that I have admiration for.

"Paddles Up" sculpture at The Point Hotel and Casino by Brian Perry — “Paddles Up” sculpture at The Point Hotel and Casino by Brian Perry

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New Installation “Sculpture in the Garden”

July 19, 2018 by David

The Crouching Figure Post — The Crouching Figure

The Back Story

This installation was made for the garden of a neighbor who travels the world collecting and teaching about exotic plants. He has thereby created an amazing garden at his home in Indianola WA. We have worked together on several projects over the years. He was interested in a series of posts for installation in his garden. He was interested in evoking some of the spirit of the Janseung (a type of totem-like carving from Korea) that he has encountered in his travels. Starting at this point I began to research and draw.

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Drift Inversion Wins PAN Year in Review Award

June 16, 2018 by David

Drift Inversion by David Franklin and Aaron Whelton Honored Today at Americans for the Arts Annual Convention

Portland, OR, June 15, 2018—Americans for the Arts today honored outstanding public arts projects created in 2017 through the Public Art Network Year in Review program, the only national program that specifically recognizes the most compelling public art. Chosen by public art experts, the roster of selected projects was unveiled this morning at Americans for the Arts’ Annual Convention in Denver.

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The Ghost School at the New KEC LAX

March 4, 2018 by David

The Ghost School installed at the Kohler Experience Center in West Hollywood California

Late last year I was invited to install the Ghost School at the new Kohler Experience Center, Los Angeles. Kohler Company provided an incredible spot to install the sculpture that I had made at the Kohler Factory, in Wisconsin, in 2015. For the next year it will be prominently featured in the window of their new flagship showroom in West Hollywood, California on Beverly Bvld.

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