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Teaching Posts

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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David Franklin

davidthefranklin

Unloading #ceramic #fish from the #kiln @kohler fo Unloading #ceramic #fish from the #kiln @kohler for @shedd_aquarium for The Once and Forever Lake Michigan #artinstallation #sculpture #art
Sun Lodge 1.8.2025 Preston Singletary and David Fr Sun Lodge 1.8.2025 Preston Singletary and David Franklin.  The shadows of The Sun Lodge paint the wall of the new STEM learning building as the sun passes overhead at Pierce College in Puyallup. Learn more at davidfranklinart.net #publicart
View from the #scissorlift during the installation View from the #scissorlift during the installation of The Once and Forever Lake Michigan #sculpture @shedd_aquarium with @indianolafranklin made in cooperation with @kohler at their factory pottery in #kohlerwisconsin The sculpture was madewith the help of @aawhelton @sharisamstudio @jbue.ter and so many more..#fish #slipcast #ceramic #vitreouschina #chicago #kohler #sheddaquarium #lakemichigan davidfranklinart.net
This year @indianolafranklin and I finished the pr This year @indianolafranklin and I finished the project of a lifetime at the world’s first #saltwater #aquarium on the #chicago #lakefront @shedd_aquarium  Made with 1600 #slipcast #ceramic #fish, 6 species in multiple poses and miles of cables were made to create an underwater scene of predators and prey in #lakemichigan.  It was made with the generous support of @kohler the #kohler family and factory associates in #kohlerwisconsin Thank you and happy new year to everyone who helped us make this project a reality, with a special thanks to the great folks at the Shedd that helped us incorporate it into their vision for the future of the historic aquarium. #laketrout #walleye #northernpike #longnosegar #sturgeon #ciscoe
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