Spiral Fox
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Sculpture by
Ellen Woodbury
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Rosso Bilbao Marble
on Granite
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14 x 7 x 7 1/2 inches
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completed July, 2010
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This riotous red marble sat in my studio for 3 years waiting for the right idea. I loved the stone on first sight, but knew the bold pattern created by billions of bits of fossilized shell demanded a simple design with strong, clean lines. The stone has been with me for almost all my years of carving. It is a pleasure for me to now see it as a sculpture.
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I had very little experience with foxes before moving to Colorado. I had seen a couple of Gray Fox in southern California, but only for brief moments before they vanished into the brush. Here, the Red Fox is a bold creature, trotting through backyards in mid-morning, a frequent visitor to walking paths and bike trails. One time while visiting my sister in Steamboat Springs I was walking on a bike path along a small creek. There were small islands in the creek, and on one of the islands was a fox taking a bath in the sun. I stood there for many minutes watching in plain sight of the bathing fox. No reaction. No big deal . . . for the fox.
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This calamitous stone was a pleasure to carve. It is of medium hardness and with very few quirky properties--not chippy or overly brittle. Finishing was an adventure in discovery. Every 2 or 3 grades of sandpaper used produced a different shade of red and more detail in the shell inclusions. Sanding is a sort of Zen experience, akin to watching grass grow, but sanding Rosso Bilbao borders (almost) on entertainment. I waxed the stone at 600 grit. I chose this finish because the figure in the stone didn't pop with a matte or satin finish. The stone is the star in this piece, and the strong silhouette of the fox can stand up to the shine and the pattern. A bold stone for a bold creature.
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My first marble sculpture carved several years ago is called, "Spiral Bunny." This fox is not meant as the antithesis or foil to that piece. Spiral Bunny is of substantial size and weight, and could easily intimidate this fox. There is an alternative balance to my personal world, and I prefer it that way.
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Text and image copyright 2010 by Ellen Woodbury
Photo by Mel Schockner

Rebound

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Sculpture by

Ellen Woodbury

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Translucent Blue Alabaster on Walnut

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14 x 11 x 5 inches

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Completed June, 2010

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This sculpture is a celebration of the intelligence and tenacity of the wolf.

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Last year my friend, Kanae, suggested I create a sculpture of a wolf. I began my research knowing very little about wolves, and have learned much about their historic persecution, re-introduction into Yellowstone National Park, their pack hierarchy, and their disposition as social creatures. Several people have compared wolves to people as apex predators with strong community bonds, and give this as a reason for the competition and hatred of some people for all wolves in general.

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I believe wolves are a necessary ingredient to a stable ecosystem, keeping deer and elk populations down to insure against over-grazing. All the plant and animal species in an ecosystem are inter-connected, and the wolf plays a most significant role in maintaining the balance in a healthy environment.

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Wolves have extended their range in the west outside the boundaries of protected areas. People are once again shooting them on sight, blaming them for livestock losses which cannot be proven to be the fault of wolves. I am hoping people can overcome their hatred, adjust their ranching practices to incorporate a greater human presence on their rangeland thus discouraging wolves from being near livstock. We need to learn how to share the planet with all living creatures now, before we destroy it.

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All text and images copyright 2010 by Ellen Woodbury.

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Photo by Mel Schockner.

World's Best Dad

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Sculpture by

Ellen Woodbury

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Mongolian Imperial Black Marble and Red Travertine on Granite

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11 1/2 x 19 x 10 inches

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This sculpture was completed in mid-April, 2010. The stone is Mongolian Imperial Black Marble, the same stone I used for the platypus, "Nature's Paradox." Once again, this stone was a pleasure to carve. Perhaps the only downside to carving it is the smell of swamp gas released whenever you cut into or scrape the stone. Small price to pay for such a versatile and opulent conclusion. The stone is finished to three separate degrees: raw stone for the chick, spots, and incised lines; 1500 grit polish for the adult; and 10,000 grit polish for the water.

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This sculpture is a tribute to my Dad and to great Dads everywhere. My Dad would be pleased to be honored with the image of a loon. He loved the lake and he loved to swim. He also loved a good laugh.

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Loons pair for life and are attentive parents. As part of my research for this sculpture, I read an account of two biologists who did a study on a Minnesota lake. They were interested to determine the strength of the bond between adult loons and their chicks, so they maneuvered their small boat between the parent and chick, thus separating them temporarily, and took notes on how much the parents and chicks were freaking out. They performed this experiment repeatedly on as many loon families as they could find on this one lake. I can't help but imagine the population of traumatized loons they left in their wake.

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I have been busy this year applying for juried membership in professional sculpture oganizations. I was recently elected as a signature member to The Society of Animal Artists, a signature member to Artists For Conservation, and joined the National Sculpture Society as an associate member.

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My marble squirrel, "Nice View From My Tail," was juried into the National Sculpture Society 2010 Annual Awards Exhibition at Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. The show runs August 7 through October 31. I am excited to attend the Closing Reception on October 30. This will be my first time participating in a big national show.

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This Spring I had a solo show at the Loveland Museum Gallery of my stone sculpture, pastel drawing, and Disney animation from February 27 through April 10. The show was well-received, a ton of work, and worth every minute of the many hours I devoted to planning, writing, and installing the show . . . oops, and the 3 years in Colorado and 20 years in California devoted to creating the artwork.

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My marble owl, "See Through Other Eyes: Spotted Owl," was installed in downtown Loveland in May as part of the Art in Public Places program. I am very pleased that this piece, my first venture into outdoor sculpture, was chosen for display for one year. It is really neat to drive by the owl on my way to run errands in town. (I confess I have stopped by to give him a bath twice so far.)

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All images and text copyright Ellen Woodbury.

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Photo by Mel Schockner.