David Franklin

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Process Posts

How to Succeed at Public Art When Everything Goes Wrong

August 25, 2015 by David

Iron worker installing ripple panel.
Iron worker prepares to lift section of the rippling wall.

Please take a look!

The Americans for the Arts ARTS blog asked to write about the Rippling Wall public art project.  I figured enough time had passed to tell this story.  You can enjoy it  here.  For those of you who worked on the project, or were close to it I am sure you will remember well. Enjoy!

David Franklin

Filed Under: Awards, Installations, News, Process, Public Art, sculpture Tagged With: Aluminum, americans for the arts, drama, Fire Station 21, Oregon, Portland Architecture, Portland Fire and Rescue, public art, public art network, RACC, Rippling Wall

The Old and the New

July 16, 2015 by David

This Tentacle installation has an interesting setting.  It sits on a mantle I carved from fir in 2004 along with the panels on either side.  The theme of the carvings were wind and water, with creatures from the water and the Moon on the right panel and creatures of the air and the Sun on the left panel.  The mantle has wind and waves flowing out to their respective sides.

The Tentacles are a new contrasting sculptural element.  They relate as a theme around the home and also to the carved Octopus on the top of the panel on the right.  It is really amazing to work with such kind people who continue to appreciate your art as it evolves, and to see it all working together for a new effect.

Tentacle Installation
Tentacles Installation, mantle and panels carved in 2004.
View of Tentacles with Wind Cliff Mantle and Panels
Tentacles with Wind Cliff Mantle and Panels

Filed Under: carving, ceramics, Installations, News, Process, sculpture, Uncategorized Tagged With: carving, ceramics, fine art, octopus, Portland Architecture, sculpture woodworking, tentacle, tentacles, woodworking

The Tentacles of Destruction

June 27, 2015 by David

Just for fun, David Franklin World Headquarters presents: The Tentacles of Destruction 1-5.  These low quality videos started as something fun to do with failed greenware, (unfired) tentacles, and evolved into slightly better quality, and more methods of destruction.  These tentacles would have otherwise ended up in the garbage can, this way they at least go out in a way that will be remembered.  I hope you enjoy watching them as much as we did making them.  They get better as the series goes on….enjoy!

Tentacles of Destruction 1: The Plop of Doom

Tentacles of Destruction 2: The Turdicle

Tentacles of Destruction 3: The Bomb

Tentacles of Destruction 4: Trial by Fire

Tentacles of Destruction 5: The Minivan of Death

 

Filed Under: performance art, Process, Uncategorized Tagged With: action, car crash, ceramics, comedy, david franklin, destruction, drama, fine art, fireworks, fun, greenware, performance art, sculpture, tentacles, woodworking

Carving and Knife Making at Marc Adams School of Woodworking 2015

May 22, 2015 by David

This year’s class project was a sculpture of an otter, followed by a weekend of knife making.  These are some images from the class.  There were some really great folks who did incredibly well on really challenging projects.  A week of wood chips, blood, sweat, sparks, and flames in Franklin,Indiana.

Otter Sculpture
Otter Sculpture

 

Starting the Otter carving
Starting the Otter carving
Trying out the elbow adze
Trying out the elbow adze
Merrill comparing his work to the model
Merrill comparing his work to the model
Carving the Otter
Jim compares the drawing to his project

 

Martha from Detroit
Martha from Detroit
Brother Mark hard at work
Brother Mark hard at work
Sculptural Carving Class 2015
Sculptural Carving Class 2015
Tools
Tools
Demonstrating the traditional tools of the Northwest
Demonstrating the traditional tools of the Northwest

 

David grinding his blades
David grinding his blades
Father and son grinding team
Father and son grinding team
Heating up the blades for bending
Heating up the blades for bending

 

 

 

Filed Under: News, Process, Teaching

Last year’s project at Marc Adams School of Woodworking

May 11, 2015 by David

I was invited to teach for my third year in a row at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Franklin, Indiana.   It is quite an honor as it is the best school of its kind in America and draws students of all walks of life, and from all corners of the country.  Its always a great pleasure to teach here.

I have been teaching 3-D wood sculpture classes, and knife making workshops, alongside some of the finest woodworkers and craftspeople in North America here.  My students have been interested in last year’s project so I thought I would post the project progression pictures here plus drawings for an alternate open winged version of the sculpture.

Raven Sculpture views
Raven Sculpture views
Raven Sculpture Step one
Beginning the Raven sculpture

 

step 2 Raven sculpture
step 2 Raven sculpture
step 3 Raven sculpture
step 3 Raven sculpture
step 4 Raven sculpture
step 4 Raven sculpture
step 3 Raven sculpture
step 5 Raven sculpture
step 6 Raven Sculpture
step 6 Raven Sculpture
step 7 Raven sculpture
step 7 Raven sculpture
Raven Sculpture
Raven Sculpture

 

drawings for an alternate wings open version of the Raven sculpture
drawings for an alternate, wings open, version of the Raven sculpture
open wing Raven version
open wing Raven version

Filed Under: News, Process, Teaching Tagged With: carving, Marc Adams, Raven, sculpture woodworking, wood carve

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davidthefranklin

It has been an exciting inaugural season for @seat It has been an exciting inaugural season for @seattlekraken and @climatepledgearena and for #publicart collaborations with @prestonsingletaryglass we are both proud to have a #sculpture as part of the collection @seattlecenter a dream come true.  Next year we anticipate a deep playoff run!  Go #Kraken!
#octopus #pulpo #polvo #ութոտնուկ #أخطبوط #Zhāngyú #pugita #Pieuvre #Krake #heʻe #תמנון #gurita #Tako #wheke #blekksprut #Ākaṭōpasa #bläckfisk #kraken #tentacles #glass #art #publicart
Incredibly another tentacle has emerged in #eagleh Incredibly another tentacle has emerged in #eagleharbor near the #bainbridgeferry thankfully no one was injured but the neighbors were initially concerned.  Thanks to friend of the #kraken @billmarler who is now  more permanently entangled in #big #tentacles 🦑 than any other human.  @fluidconcreteanddesign @cascaragallerybi #willrobinson #valleybronze most importantly it’s @indianolafranklin that makes it all happen❤️ #bronzesculpture #woodcarving #woodworking #art #fineart #tentacles #tentakulë #مجسنبات #շոշափուկ #ticala #触手 #chapadlo #fangarm #galamay #Tentakel #触手 #sungut #tentáculo #'au'au #촉수 #kākahu #tua #טענטאַקאַל #tentacolo
Throwback to installing #DriftInversion in #Denver Throwback to installing #DriftInversion in #Denver with @aawhelton and the entire #Franklin family It won a national public art award from #publicartnetwork and was featured in @hifructosemag @hifructose.littleboxes #publicart #sculpture #installationart #aluminium #escultura #fineart #beeldhouwwerk #sochařství #雕塑 #eskultura #γλυπτική #النحت #kiʻi kiʻi #Skulptur #彫刻 #patung #skulptur #ਮੂਰਤੀ
Look out! More #tentacles emerge on #bainbridgeis Look out!  More #tentacles emerge on #bainbridgeisland at #battlepointpark attracted by the incredible community built  #playpark #kidsupplayground made possible by community members and the awesome @biparksfoundation play with #imagnation #sculpture #bronzesculptures #tentacles #tentacle #觸手 #tentakel #galamay #tentacule #πλοκάμι #ʻūhā #मूंछ #sungut #tentacolo #触手 #촉수 #kākahu #tentáculo #dokunaç #หนวด #tua  Special thanks to @indianolafranklin and #valleybronzefoundry Be sure and keep an eye on your kids, tentacles  are emerging all over the place. More to come….
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