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
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.
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
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.
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.
