Steven burns SCULPTOR - Blaine House Submission

Steven burns SCULPTOR

This sculpture is a story of our neighbors, how we are rooted to the ledges by our neighbors lobster dock, what we learn sailing the foggy water and islands of Maine in our 50 year old sailboat. We see how our neighbors are helpful everyday wharf they go out to fish in all weather, when carpenters of out to fish at dawn, when people look forward to hunting season to connect with the woods and put meat in the freezer for their family.

I built this sculpture in 3 weeks flat with insight and encouragement from my wife Barbara, an internationally known figurative, tapestry artist. I rose to the occasion to finish by the December 8 deadline. I fabricated the sculpture from large, bronze casted sections I had previously made and put aside. Then, in the tradition of Jim Dine, I applied small bronzes I have modeled and cast in the past including whales, seals, sea weed, a diver, to name a few. I plasma cut stars, trees and a map of the state of Maine. I crudely hammered out from a sheet of copper a representation of an old schooner symbolizing King sending ships off to look for Louisiana.
I wanted to make obvious the story of the governors of Maine. I took a quick look online of the paintings of the first gov in 1820, William King an dog Gov Blaine in a marathon clay modeling session with advice from my wife Barbara, who weaves faces and figures, I modeled my impressions of the faces in clay. My expertise is more in modeling animals. I made silicone molds and cast the faces in resin which will be cut in bronze if the sculpture is accepted. I cut out 1st from the center of the map of Maine and W King 1820 in the tradition of the wonky Hollywood sign.
From a lump of bronze I quickly carved the lobster boat heading to the guide star (Dirigo) and cut goofy antlers I applied to the map of Maine symbolizing the hopeful future of the state along with the lobster boat, seal and the roman version of a dolphin (like the dolphins on ancient charts).
My point is to make the history connection obvious and fun in the spirit io Where’s Waldo and Calder’s circus.
This sculpture is a work in progress, I invite you to visit my studio and make comments and suggestions for improvements. If this sculpture is accepted I will complete the welding, chasing, strengthen the fragile parts and dehorn sharp edges. The completed sculpture will be installed on a large, granite plinth in the shape of a star.