R.L. Blair: The Art of Wood Carving
March 1, 2010
Welcome back to The Expressionist Magazine
For some, it may be hard to imagine life without cable television, Playstations, and the Internet. R.L. Blair never knew of these luxuries as a child growing up on a farm in Washington. At the age of twelve, Blair found something great to occupy his time with and it had nothing to do with video games or remote controls. Blair had discovered whittling wood with a knife. He began carving creations that could be found on any boy’s wish list. Sling shots, toy guns, and bows and arrows were favorites of Blair’s to make. Eventually the novice carver moved on to bigger and better projects. Shortly before Blair’s high school graduation he carved the mascot, a totem pole.
Today, Blair’s beautiful and original artwork is known all around the world. In fact, it is estimated that more than 30 million people view the talented carver’s creations each year. Many of those people see Blair’s work while on vacation, perhaps without even realizing it. After all, he is the premier wood carving artist for Disney and has been doing so since the mid-1980s. Blair’s work can be seen at all of the Disney owned theme parks. In addition to the six major theme parks, Blair’s sculptures are displayed all around the country at restaurants and in private collections.
The wood carver, who resides in Oceano, California, is famous for creating contemporary fine art sculptures, wood carvings and statues which include figurative and animal designs, marine life and carved wood wall works for both the home and garden. Blair’s sculptures are beautifully detailed, each one uniquely carved with great skill. There is the proud eagle, handsome and strong, with outstretched wings. A mermaid with her long hair flowing in unseen waters. And then there are the whimsical, silly faces carved in eternal laughter. But none of Blair’s sculptures are more popular than his wooden bears. These life sized carved creations are done in caricature style, giving these typically grizzly and menacing beasts a much softer, cuddlier side. With these kinds of sculptures and wood art, it is no wonder Blair has made such a name for himself as an artist, earning much respect and admiration with each new creation.
An artist in other mediums such as paintings, steel, glass and stone, Blair says wood is his favorite. ”I like to carve because I can create a tangible object. It is something I made with my hands and will hopefully enhance your surroundings and have some affect on the viewer,” states Blair. The artist also reveals how much he loves wood for the warmth of the patina and the unique character found in each piece. ”It {wood} was once a living thing and is becoming rare, so this is how it can be preserved,” explains Blair. For many years Blair studied wildlife and describes himself as an avid nature lover; therefore, he feels strongly about being able to carve anatomically correct pieces. However, one of Blair’s favorite wood designs exposes his sillier, more carefree style. ”I like the whimsical, “goofy off-the-wall stuff,” states Blair.
And when Blair is ready to carve a masterpiece, where does he find his canvas? Blair says he uses salvaged and recycled logs, mostly from fallen coastal redwood trees cut over 100 years ago and left on the ground, still lying in the forests. Trees like this are no longer harvested, but many were cut in the 19th Century. Today, redwood harvesting is closely managed to insure the future of forests and their environment.
And how exactly does Blair carve these fallen redwoods? He uses chainsaws, various power tools, carving knives and a mallet and chisel. Blair carves the wood with one tool at a time, working his way from the top to the bottom. The artist explains that each tool adds increasing degrees of detail to the wood. When finished with one tool, Blair will then move on to a new and different tool which helps to give even more detailing til the product is finished. The process may seem simple enough, but the fact of the matter is, very few artists have the skill to do what Blair can do with carving wood. He is a master; self-taught and doing what he loves for 35 years now.
R.L. Blair’s wood creations are full of whimsy, originality and pure magic. These pieces are a definite must-have for the person who already has everything, but could always use that extra special something.
If you are looking for that extra special something, contact R.L. Blair at 512-820-1409 or by his email address: rl.blair@yahoo.com. His hours of operation are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can view some of Blair’s work on his website which can be found at www.rlblair.com. Blair is available to do commissions and special requests.
Blair was also recently featured in the book, Art of Chainsaw Carving, published by Fox Chapel.
Frederick Hart – A Statue In Time
September 4, 2008
This month I was in St. Augustine, Florida on a small hiatus from the daily grind; enjoying what the east coast of Florida has to offer. Intrigued with their appreciation of preserving the past, the city takes me back into a Victorian period of time that I just adore. I love St. Augustine because of the nostalgia it provides to this modern dweller, but I also love it because its a gathering place for some great art and artist from around the country and native Floridians.
Walking down St. George Street, I dead ended into a center of town filled with churches, monuments and art galleries! It was there I patronized the Brilliance In Color Art Gallery. The gallery was full of amazing artists, most of them preferred the oil medium, but there was one man’s work that stuck out and caught my eye like seeing a diamond in the rough, that man was Frederick Hart.
His work stands out because he doesn’t just sculpt, he carves a story, and what he does he does to perfection. When you see his work, the detail and realism are so intense that it not only captures your eye, but your soul. When it captures your soul, you know the piece is done right. Frederick Hart sculpts in all sculpting materials, like bronze and marble, but it’s his acrylic that takes my breath away. Don’t get me wrong each piece of his is spectacular, but I’m in love with his acrylics.
Most of his acrylic work features women, free flowing and full of life with no restrictions. He captures the beauty and essence of a woman that anyone, man or woman, can relate to. Each piece has its own individuality, and tells its own story. Hart’s acrylics tend to favor a matte and glossy finish to each piece giving it a feel you can’t get with other sculpting materials. Sometimes the pieces are a solid block of acrylic with the woman chiseled out of an end like a ship mast, and sometimes he amazes me by having the 3D woman encased with glossy acrylic. I don’t know how he does it, but I know I could look at and admire his work for hours. I swear you will see something new each time you look at the piece that you’ve seen over and over, rediscovering his brilliance.
In addition to Hart’s Acrylic Collection, he also has a Bronze Sculpture and Marble Structure collection, as well as the Washington National Cathedral Collection that contain a figure Ex Nihilo, which is portrayed as both man and woman; as well as Adam a strong viral man.
Hart’s love for art shows not only in his work, but in his words. I got this paragraph directly from his biography, and to me it sums up the artist in so many ways, I quote “I believe that art has a moral responsibility, that it must pursue something higher than itself. Art must be a part of life. It must exist in the domain of the common man. It must be an enriching, ennobling and vital partner in the public pursuit of civilization. it should be a majestic presence in everyday life just as it was in the past.” – Frederick Hart
I would love to have an interview with Frederick, but unfortunately he passed away from this life in 1999. His memory will live on within his work and his story will never be censored as long as his pieces survive.
Brilliance In Color, Fine Art Gallery
25 King Street
St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 810-0460
http://www.lovesemporium.com/catalog.php?cid=50 / www.frederickhart.com
Lynn McCray – Molding The Future
July 7, 2008
When someone mentions pottery, I think of Lynn McCray. Lynn, the owner of Clay By McCray is a very unique artist with an optimistic outlook on life and a strong passion for her work and family. She knows that with those two elements in her life, she will be a success, fueled by God.
Once you see her work you will understand exactly why we use the term “master potter”. You will never regret contacting her, and you will forever treasure her talent that will sit proudly in your home or office. She has worked for many celebrities, and far more have seen her work and commented on it. Among the elite list is Angela Basset, Ronnie Lippett, Queen Latifa. Dawn Lewis, Romel Foster. Phyllis Yevone Stinkney and Jo Marie Paton just to name a few, but the list goes on and on!
Lynn is a mother to three young boys whom she absolutely adores. An unfortunate slip of fate turned her world upside down and Lynn temporarily lost the strength to pursue her talent. She told me that through prayer, the will of her soul, and her need to support her children, she managed to regain her strength and rekindled the passion to take on the art world again.
Clay By McCray has been in business for many years. She is a potter by trade, and her specialty is something I have yet to encounter another artist doing. She takes clay impressions of you or your loved ones face, infuses them onto a pot, and adds color and decorative touches. What emerges is a flawless, one-of-a-kind masterpiece that forever immortalizes them. Lynn also makes pregnancy molds, custom vases, plate ware, and decorative pottery. She will make them custom to your specifications or you can purchase some of her own unique ideas.
In February of 2008 she launched her website ClaybyMcCray.com. Through this portal, she hopes to gain new business opportunities and friends. Each one of her customers is treated like family and will get her undivided attention. ClaybyMcCray.com has examples of her work, her biography, and a contact page so that you can e-mail or call her to get your custom artwork started.
To contact or learn more about Lynn McCray, visit her web site at ClaybyMcCray.com.
Art in Strange Places
June 25, 2008
What is art? I can sum it up in one word, creation. Creation is vision turned reality, so with that in mind, everything you see and touch would be art whether it’s man-made or natural, art surrounds us. Sometimes we forget that art is everywhere, and fail to stop and see the beauty this world has to offer. Once in a while, someone comes along and harmonizes man-made art and natural art into one.
That was the case with Gutzon Borglum. You may not know his name but you should because he created something with nature that has amazed the American people, and the world for that fact since the early 1920s. His work has been on a US postage stamp, postcards, and is part of a National Park. His vision, his creativity, and the risk he took to create his art are second to none. Can you guess what he created yet? Gutzon Borglum created Mount Rushmore, near Keystone, South Dakota.
For his art, he chose four Presidents who had a right to be up on that mountain. Gorglum chose George Washington, our first President; Abraham Lincoln, the man that ended slavery and fought to keep our nation together through the Civil War; Thomas Jefferson, the creator of the Declaration of Independence and the man that bought most of the current land of the United States; and Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, a man so strong that helped defeat the Mexican army and protect our Lone Star State. Teddy also created the Rough Riders a ruthless band of lawmen. These Presidents shaped America and also shaped the vision Gorglum had for his masterpiece.
To create something like this is short of a miracle. He dangled off a cliff day in and day out, facing all the elements yet still carving a massive bust of these Presidents on a breathtaking canvas that had already existed for millenia. The carving started in 1927 and continued until 1941. There were a few injuries along the path and no deaths, though an injury to an artist is suffering for their cause, so an injury to those men was honorable.
Unfortunately, Gorglum would never see his masterpiece finished. He died before it was completed but his crew continued and finished the job making Gorglum’s art and vision a reality. Today we can all sit and admire this breathtaking work of art, next to the natural perfection of the Keystone National Park.
To find out more about Mt. Rushmore, check out:
