Cargill Farm --windmill reflection in the pond that is the work of the KS Pond Society

Murals in the barn by artist Connie Ernatt

Dustin and Lisa Sypher in front of the fence

Water fountain by Terry Corbett

“Mr. Pillar” created by Andy Newbrey, in the Enchanted Glen

A look at the completed Neier Fence

"Sketches in Iron"

“Looking for My Feet”  Forged and shaped from two pieces of metal

"Owl Cat" forged steel

These are some recent sculptes I forged and shaped out of metal. Most of them, and many other pieces, are currently  for sale. 

Small Blue Heron looking toward the Large Blue Heron

Late this summer, I was commissioned to make two Blue Heron Sculptures for a couple in Topeka, Kansas for their garden which sits on the cove of a lake. It is one of the most beautiful gardens we’ve seen, and the landscape designer and the couple made this project memorable and enjoyable.  I am thankful to have had the chance to work with them.

Large Blue Heron

Keepin' an Eye Out for the Kitties

Bull Dog Chicken

Bull Dog Chicken

I was able to find some time over the last six months to make a few sculptures. The bull horned sculpture  is called Bull Dog Chicken and is not one Iwould ever want to  sell. The bird who is looking around is a  sculpture that is called Keeping an Eye Out for the Kitties. The title is a play on words. They are both metal and have been hand-forged, welded and fabricated to also resemble the subtle landscape of where I live here in Kansas. I try to make them both figurative and landscape pieces.

One of the panels

details

vine and leaf work

decorative panel

Wheels and vine work

One of the main panels

"Flowers" from found farm implements

vine and leaf work panel

details

The six sections are complete and here are some pictures that we took in the shop. The Downing Children’s Garden will be open on July 2, 2011. The fence will have these six 6′ sections that will be installed with stone posts between them. All of the farm implements are pre-1940’s, and all of the metal used for vines, etc. is also recycled from the farm. I wanted the vines themselves to resemble flowers as they flowed in the wheels, and they create spaces smaller than 4″ that meet code for public spaces. It was a great project to be a part of, and I feel honored to have been asked by the family who commissioned this fence for the Cargill Farm in the Downing Children’s Garden at Botanica, The Wichita Gardens. I am excited to see it installed with established flower beds in the farm section of the garden where children can harvest vegetables amongst other fun activities. Thank you to everyone who is a part of it for your help and support.

Hammering with the power hammer

Hammering in the vein details

shaping the leaf in the stump

Finished leaf

Here are some pictures of the steps involved in making leaves.

putting the wheels into place

This is the third section that has been made for the Downing Children’s Garden commission.  The emphasis is on the wheels that were used on the family’s farm.

Main wheel of third section

after the linseed oil was applied