Acrylics
Charcoal / Sanguin
Vine charcoal is created by burning sticks of wood (usually willow or linden/Tilia) into soft, medium, and hard consistencies. Compressed charcoal is charcoal powder mixed with gum binder compressed into round or square sticks. The amount of binder determines the hardness of the stick. Compressed charcoal is used in charcoal pencils. Powdered charcoal is often used to “tone” or cover large sections of a drawing surface. Drawing over the toned areas will darken it further, but the artist can also lighten (or completely erase) within the toned area to create lighter tones. Sanguine is a blood-red colored (pigment) media similar to charcoal and Conte crayon both in its shape and application.
Conte Crayon
Conte is one of my favorite media to work with. It has the vitality of pastels without as much of the fragility. It also has the freedom of charcoal (another of my favorites), but without the ultra-permanency. The “mistakes” that an artist makes with Conte can be manipulated or even covered entirely with more Conte; much like painting. I just love how the media flows onto the page… how it blends. I end up getting consumed by the work for hours.
Graphite
[Gallery not found]Ink
Sculpture
Frank Dearwester currently sculpts with low and high fire clays and with plaster. He also makes plaster, clay or wax castings from time to time as needed for projects.
2009 Works
Bound to Ground is currently a work in progress. Future plans for this piece include glazing and refire in late 2009 with the possibility of using the Raku method. Bound to Ground is sculpted using B-mix mid-fire clay with grog. The initial shape included a portion of the right calf and longer left thigh. It was later made into a shorter subject to emphasize its being pulled down into the ground. Due to the change in the figure’s lower extremities, the center of gravity changed; now requiring molten lead be installed in the forward thigh. The chain that will be installed in his left wrist will also act as a kick stand. Many hours of digging, scraping and sanding were spent at the bone dry stage. He was in there; just needed to be carved out of the excess clay! Bound to Ground is approximately 5″ in height and 7.75″ from tip of thigh to top of head.
Plaster Pogany was inspired by the work of Romanian Sculptor Constantine Brancusi and his Mademoiselle Pogany series. She is carved / chiseled from a block of bone dry plaster, finely sanded and spray painted with gloss white enamel. Project directed by Yoshio Taylor. Plaster Pogany is 4.75″ in height and 3.75″ in largest diameter.
Man and Bike is a found-object project utilizing binding agents such as wire, hot glue, joint compound, zip ties, and magnets. It consists of toy pieces, computer components and various home and office supplies.
