Olivia O'Connor, Hippocampus (Art & Accessories)

This piece may look like a gentle giant, but the hippocampus is one of the fiercest and most loyal creatures of Greek mythology. I started this complex piece by making a 1:5 scale model, this showed my exactly the size for each layer of timber lamination, reducing and waste and time spent with a mallet. In total I laminated five layers of jelutong together, cut on the bandsaw, each a different size and shape. I then set about carving using only carving gouges, starting with wide shallow tools and progressively working my down down to small and fine tools as I put in the intricate detail. Once I had finished carving I gilded the entire piece in copper leaf. I sped up the ageing progress, applying and allowing a patina to form and then sealed everything in an oil based varnish to stop the ageing process. For the stand I designed welded a simple metal support, the aim of which was to not draw attention away from the carving. 1710mm H x 400mm W x 620mm L. Materials: Jelutong, copper leaf, varnish, metal, oils, artist oils

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