Hat Trick!

I am happy to say that I've just been awarded my third Minnesota State Arts Board Artist's Initiative Grant!

It's my third application and third awarding of this grant in a row, so it's a 'Hat Trick' as they say in 'Hockeyspeak'!
I've been spending a lot of time on the computer lately working on a number of proposals this summer and fall for public art, so I haven't been able to be in the studio so much. What's nice about this grant is that I'll be renting a studio specifically to work on wood carving. I'm going to be working on 3-6 pieces that I'm calling my 'figurehead series' based on the carved wooden figures that would sometimes be affixed to the prow of a sailing ship. I'm gonna have a little fun with them as well since I'll be incorporating some of my mixed media toy type sculptures into them and looking to European and American cartoons from the 18th and 19th centuries as a added element.

Other than one piece, this will be my first attempts at making figurative sculpture so it'll be a big challenge to see if I can make it all work.