Glyphosate (working title) mobile #2 + legs

May 2, 2019 Cindee Klement

shadow and sculpture

Glyphosate mobile - New work -

April 24, 2019 Cindee Klement

I might call this collapse and disorder.

I started a new shadow/mobile to be part of my Glyphosate series. Last week I started the wings.

Above I am started the wings with some leftover pieces from “Bringing Home The Bacon” held together with new wire.

Before I left for the day I threw together a body to slap on the wings and see what the shadows look like.

I am considering the title “collapse and disorder” for this piece.

I will probably add some hexagon shapes to the sculpture. Which made me wonder why are honeycombs hexagon in shape. Guess what I found?

Roots #5 after the pour- patina

April 23, 2019 Cindee Klement

breaking out the handle

I coved the piece in liver of sulfur and now it is time to add the green moss.

adding the moss green patina

one of the three new pieces added to strengthen the support and spread the load weight.

I thought I was ready to plan the faux bois handle, but while thinking through the process, it became evident that the root pieces supporting the structure are too small. I am concerned that under the weight of the concrete, they will bend. My solution is to add new pieces that are thicker to spread out the load.

I thought that it would be simple to add the patina to the new support pieces - wrong! It looks like I charred the new pieces. When things go wrong, it can be so frustrating.

Sandblasted and ready for Patina application #2.

A tip from David Delgado at Legacy fine art Foundry - After the birch wood Casey have some ferric ready and add a wash of ferric before the cupric nitrate mixture. This will help keep it green and not cupric blue.

birchwood Casey ✅

cupric nitrate

Just in time for earth day

Heritage- impressions

April 12, 2019 Cindee Klement

In the fall of 2018 I started this piece to add to my Heritage series of sculptures. As a teen, I shaped hats in my father's western wear store and I began to understand that old hats are reflections of their owners, that they keep a bit of the spi… — In the fall of 2018 I started this piece to add to my Heritage series of sculptures. As a teen, I shaped hats in my father's western wear store and I began to understand that old hats are reflections of their owners, that they keep a bit of the spirit of the person who wore them. When I start a piece I am often thinking about a specific individual and a challenge they're facing. While working on this piece I had a conversation with a friend about his career. This friend is very very passionate about his profession and has an admirable work ethic. His work situation has been frustrating for several years. There was not a way he could remedy the situation. In the end he turned challenging circumstances into a new opportunity. He took the leap and carved a new path.
Initially, when I broke the piece out of the shell I was disappointed that there were so many spots that did not pour. The texture is exactly what I wanted, well worn and full of passion and character.

A little frustrated but keeping an open mind, I set it on my utility room counter. I like to set pieces I am working on there so I can glance at them quickly as I go about my household tasks. This allows me to think and rethink my next step with the piece.

I walked by it and glanced over quickly and it hit me, those patches that did not pour could resemble the new path that my friend carved. Is it possible this piece took on bit of the spirit of my friend and his circumstances?
The next step with this piece is to do the metal chasing. Once the metal work is done I need to make a decision regarding the cool spots. Do I want to patch the cool spots or leave it as is.

I will have to ponder that.

Below is a list of the other things that I was thinking about as I shaped this piece.

Turning challenging circumstances into opportunities.

The human ability to start over.

understanding the hardship and struggles of another people.

Resilience and having a dream and perusing that dream.

Molding and changing a dream until we reach our dreams.

lifes struggles

dedication and passion

a connection to the earth

compassion that drives us

courage to carve your own path

quiet strength

laugh lines

hope for a better life through hard work

Hurricane Harvey Heroes- LIVEstock- “bringing home the bacon” The inspiration?

April 9, 2019 Cindee Klement

He is one big pig, the beloved family pet that had to be hoisted upstairs to save him from drowning in the flood waters of Harvey. The idea of saving a pig was inspired by a YouTube video posted by a young family in Conroe, Texas. I hope you see in the figure not only the strength it takes to lift up a frightened squirming pig but also the determination that the figure has not to let the family’s favorite pet parish. The pig twist and turns while straining his back legs straight out trying to reach the ground.

photo by Nash Baker

66” X 42” 60”

Steel, stainless steel lath, plaster, hydro stone, wire mesh, screen and cloth, and baling wire.

the next pig post - why a pig?

Hurricane Harvey Heroes- LIVEstock- “bringing home the bacon” why a pig?

April 8, 2019 Cindee Klement

Why a pig? We humans have a lot in common with pigs. We're both omnivorous mammals that gain weight easily and are susceptible to the flu. We share 98% of the same DNA.

Photo graph by Nash Baker 66” X 42” 60” — Photo graph by Nash Baker
66” X 42” 60”

Pigs are somewhat domestic (if you don’t believe me, check out @esterthewonderpig on Instagram). In addition they are on rural, commercial, and regenerative hog farms. They are incredibly smart and very clean animals.

2019 is the year of the pig. Pigs symbolize prosperity, wealth and abundance. Having a fattened up pig brings good luck. The Pig is thought to bring luck to farmers as it brings in a good crop.

The pig is very powerful and brings all good things. They are a very laid back animal they do not readily attack or anger.

They have been known to overindulge and can weigh an average of around 700 lbs. They are also often adored characters in nursery rhymes, children’s stories and tv shows as well as a variety of sitcoms. Miss Piggy, Porky Pig, Piglet, Timon and Pumbaa, Petunia Pig, The three little pigs, This little piggy went to the Market, Old Major, and Babe. I could go on and on.

A pig checks a lot of boxes that I feel a lot of people can relate to.

From a personal stand point, my brothers had a couple of pigs on our farm in Dell City. I was very young and can barely remember them. I do remember something about my oldest brother’s, Bob Travis Jr.’s, pig drowning. I am not sure how. It was not a flood because Dell City is in the middle of the desert. When we were teenagers and living in the city, my brother, Dean Travis, was riding his motorcycle in the desert checking his beehives and found a piglet lost in the desert. The piglet had gotten his head stuck in a paint can. I can still remember Dean pulling into the driveway on his motorcycle with the poor squealing piglet tucked under his arm with its head still stuck in the can. He lived in our backyard that summer.

In the early 2000s, we lived in New Orleans, Louisiana. There is a nice size Vietnamese population in New Orleans and a fair amount of Vietnamese pot bellied pigs. A family that went to my children’s school had a miniature Vietnamese pot bellied pig. The mom used to walk him to school on a leash when she picked her kids up at 2:45. My daughter, Sage, did everything in her power to convince me to buy her one. We already had two dogs, 2 birds, several frogs, turtles, fish and snakes. She finally quit asking when we learned they could not bend their knees to climb steps. Our home was on a small uptown lot with lots and lots of stairs. The pig would have to stay outside and we would want it to be part of our family.

If anyone has a great pig family pet, urban or rural, please share stories and pictures. I would love to hear and see them.

Most importantly I hope this piece can bring a little good luck and good fortune to the people who are still suffering the wrath of Harvey.

“You Make Us Stronger I IIIII IIII IIIIII..........

March 16, 2019 Cindee Klement

In February, my brother, Dean Travis turned 65. In November, Linda Razloznik, my sister-in-law, wanted to purchase “You Make Me Stronger” for him for his birthday. Unfortunately, it was already sold. Linda and their kids, daughters, son in-law, and grandchildren wanted a gift to demonstrate to him their appreciation for his wisdom, support, and advice. He has been a source of strength in our family since I can remember. Linda commissioned the below piece as a testament to their gratitude. I was particularly pleased to be able to take part in such a special gift as he has also been a great big brother. He first stepped up when I was 3 years old. I had decided to run away and live with the chickens on our farm. I headed out through the cotton field barefoot. I did not get far when the undersides of my feet were completely covered in west Texas cockaburs. He carried me home. A year later, swimming in a friend’s pool, he pulled me out of the swimming pool by my ponytail when my life preserver came off. I was not too appreciative at the time, I boy punched him for saving me. Four years older than I was, he always included my in treehouse building, fox hole digging, or just swimming in the horse trough pretending it was a submarine. In my early twenties, when going through a divorce, I sometimes needed his advice in the middle of the night. He always answered. Linda was right; “You make us stronger”. I hope it was a Happy birthday - bro

Hurricane Harvey - sculpture day 37 “bringing home the bacon”

March 6, 2019 Cindee Klement

Photographer Nash Baker getting the lighting just right before we take the piece of the pedestal.

Hurricane Harvey - sculpture day 36 “bringing home the bacon”

March 2, 2019 Cindee Klement

Each piece is sewn onto the sculpture with a piece of wire in at least three places. It is slow meticulous work. It is a meditation. I have to really slow down and look very carefully for the best places to connect each piece to the sculpture. The wires used to attach the pieces can not look functional. The connections have to be hidden. My goal is to keep the water light and moving. Harvey was all about the water.