#675 Functional Art . . . bookends, con't

The serviceable function of a piece of sculpture is a time-honored and significant aspect of a sculptor's work.
Over the years, functional art such as bookends, fountains, sundials, hooks, door knockers and more
have been an important part of my portfolio and I especially enjoy designing bookends.

The figure emerging from mass has long been a favorite artistic theme and I have found that functional art such
as bookend design lends itself to this idea.  This blog depicts 4 of the many bookend designs I've created.

Below, is a design entitled 

"Golden Retriever Bookends"

8"H 13"L 6"D

3,600

Below, is one of my personal favorite bookend creations depicting a pelican.

"Pelican Bookends"

9"H 10"L 6"D

3,600

Below, is a work entitled, "Teton Tribute Bookends" which depicts moose, bison, elk, grizzly, and pronghorn.

"Teton Tribute Bookends"

13"H 14"L 8"D

3,300

My bookend designs require the suggestion of patterns and I reduce the subject to simple shapes and elements.
Even with a sculpture as complicated as "Teton Tribute",  detail can be reduced by squinting, designing with strong,
simple shapes and eliminating what's not important . . . detail.  Clarity is a must when presenting a  figure emerging
from the functional back of a bookend and I avoid unnecessary negative shapes and undercuts. . . mass is the goal.

I strive to make the figure or species recognizable from the silhouette by modeling simple, clear, and unified shapes.
I squint to make the strong shapes dominate.  Less is more and I don't weaken the design with unimportant detail.



Below,  "Quail Bookends" are an early design created in 1987 and will be included in my upcoming Retrospective.

"Quail Gamebird Bookends"

12"H 18"L 10"D

4,800

For more information about the Retrospective see Post # 651, July 12, 2015
https://www.post651

SANDY SCOTT: A RETROSPECTIVE

Traveling Museum Exhibition Produced by David J. Wagner, L.L.C.  

TOUR ITINERARY

October 1 - December 31, 2015

Center for the Arts of Bonita Springs

Bonita Springs, FL

artcenterbonita.org

January 23 - April 24, 2016

Brookgreen Gardens

Murrells Inlet, SC

brookgreen.org

June 1 - August 31, 2016

Sternberg Museum of Natural History

Fort Hays State University

Hays, KS

sternberg.fhsu.edu

October 22, 2016 - April 30, 2017

National Museum of Wildlife Art

Jackson Hole, WY

(Pending)

Go to the BLOG INDEX on the right for more information.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish