Sometimes a sculpture is just a sculpture.

In my mind I refer to these as 'shape sculptures', because...thats what they are. I've been making them here & there for the last few years, a nice little distraction project. They look nice, no big thing.

These little things began as carved balsa wood, which became moulds which produce lots and lots of casts in hydrocal and stone plaster, my preferred material. The surfaces are so nice, I love how they feel smooth and cool in the hand when finished.

DIY: Dremel to wood lathe: cut the flat end of a wood screw/plaster screw and clamp that end into a dremel universal chuck so the pointy end is out. Clamp Dremel to bench with quick-release clamps or vice or just gaffer tape the thing to the edge of the workbench. You're done.

DIY: Mini wood turning: Screw a stump of balsa wood onto the pointy screw tip by hand & keep power to medium/medium high speed. Apply blade/sandpaper. You're done.

I painted the first casts with acrylics, matching them to the colours they became when photographed & processed with various filters. This lead to the production of several little dioramas I dubbed "souvenirs", because I wasnt sure what they were except for collateral studio action. I ended up with heaps of these and they sold quite quickly in my Art Shop. They make great gifts. I've made some as overblown 'greeting cards', writing happy birthday! or thank you! on the backs.

But they're niice little sculpturey sculptures. 

I moved on from these mis-en-scene environments to setting the pieces on very ordinary plinths...all the better to embed magnets in! I've been using Rare Earth magnets a lot over the last year through my Body Mask Series and now these shape sculpture are getting a turn; now some pieces magically balance when upside down! Splicing them together has bumped them along in a different direction, following in the footsteps of every other artist whom has at some time in their career made totemic looking stacks of shapes. And some whom have made some very very wonderful, awe inspiring and emotionally moving totemic artworks.

Top row, Ugo Rondinone "Seven Magic Mountains" and "Feelings". Bottom row, the legend David Nash. 

Recently I've been treating my shapes with wax patinas, various processes involving shellac, wax, mica & other pigments, along with acrylic and oil paints. This leaves them even more shiny smooth and cool, utterly gorgeous to hold. 

Hands can translate certain textures & objects into soothing, grounding experiences; rolling one of these shapes over & over in the palm is like practising serenity. Every tiny pit and scratch is made visible by coloured wax rubbed smooth, and contribute to this sensory pleasure, both visually and physically. 'Feeling nice', via one small piece of organic material that feels nice. Probably a good idea to have these distributed around the house in case of an urgent need to be calm at a moments notice. I should get onto that.

The little sculpturey sculptures. Nice things yeah now get back to work, Rosie.