The Heron Sculpture

"The Heron" is an assemblage sculpture, and the primary material is driftwood, as with all my pieces. Other materials found in nature are used to complete the piece. Ultimately inspired by nature itself, my work combines flora and fauna, with a touch of stone. In the heron's case, the head piece was found first, and being especially rare and perfect for it's purpose, it took almost 2 years to find the right matching parts to begin assembly. It's worth the wait if I can produce a quality representation of the subject matter. Actual assembly time then took roughly 2 months due to the nature of the materials and the delicate process involved. Prior to assembly, all parts go through a process of cleaning and heat treatment, and upon completion the piece is finished with a sealant. "The Heron" uses the following materials for construction. Driftwood is used for the torso, neck, feet, wings - and the inspirational foundation for this piece, the head. Bamboo is used for the legs, and pine needles along with pine cone scales and milkweed pod are used for the feathers. Some paint staining is applied for color matching. The eyes are cut and shaped from a golden chalcedony stone. The natural creations of our environment are all the inspiration I need, and it brings me pleasure to re-create with the bounties it provides. As with all my art from the animal kingdom, I hope to take your mind from the concrete jungle, into the real jungle.