Fountains

These are my new big things. Heavy too! Had my usual vague botanical and marine inspirations behind the forms, but I'm consciously trying to move away from that now and looking at more architectural motifs. Spirograph patterns will be apparent in some of the ones on the drawing board now so hopefully they will make an appearance around spring. Made from old roofing slate and a waterproof cement mortar they are very demanding, but given my predilection for torture they suit in a self flagellating kind of way. This one took over four weeks. Shame they take so long to make, but I can't see any way around improving on the time factor. Great maxim used by stonemasons is "good stonework takes time". Another thing I like about them is they way they change colour when wet. You can see more here .

Before anyone gets all cats bum over the overt sexual imagery in these I 've got to say you've got it all wrong! The primary drive in these ceramics is in the tradition of pre-colombian art. As we all know that is all about fertility and not the kind of flip gratuitous bump and grind crap we are currently all inundated with. If you do get a bit chubby over these then you can sod off!

I used to work as a technician at a TAFE college in the Art and Design department. Part of my duties included looking after the kilns in Ceramics. Haven't got access to a kiln of late so these are about ten years old, but more will come after I get this current obsession with slate fountains out of the way. More pics can be seen here

Bronze

Ah yes! Made these a while ago and they belong to my old default setting which was a bit gothic. Not that I was ever a Goth, but somehow everything I made back then in my drinking years had dark botanical overtones. Sort of thing that Joseph Banks might have dreamt of when he was laid low with malarial fevers. The expense is in the time employed in foundries and the absurdly high price of bronze. I could do new brozes a lot cheaper I'm told now if I make the wax mould here then send it off to Thailand for casting. Love to be given the oppportunity to do just that. More pics can be seen here.

Garden Furniture

This is a seat that I make. Can be any size you want and is made from recycled bridging timbers - ironbark, yellowbox, redgum, jarrah etc. for those of you who would like to make your own - AVOID CREOSOTE IMPREGNATED TIMBER!!!! Dreadful stuff and I still cringe when I think of how horrible creosote can be. The stains, stench and carcinogenic qualities are best avoided.....The one pictured is from ironbark that had a former life as a part of St.Kilda pier. Price delivered and installed is $360. The timber itself is expensive and it's all laboriously hand tooled (note the sliding tenon join) and oiled. More can be seen on my Garden Furniture page here.