tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85252239007518469732024-02-19T05:50:35.025-05:00Buxus sempervirensArtwork, opinions, interests and whatever else is rustling my leavesDoug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-86186735268780077812013-04-25T14:11:00.002-04:002013-04-25T14:11:42.154-04:00Decayed lotus leafThis carving was created from the base of an elk antler. You'll see how some of the original roughness around the circumference was retained; in other places it was duplicated by carved work. The tiny lotus blossom petal is carved from pink pearl shell, and pegged into place. This netsuke measures 4cm across.<br />
Antler is a wonderfully suggestive material; I have several projects on the workbench right now that exploit its various qualities. With this piece, the spongy core, and rough edge suggested exploring the symbolism of the lotus.<br />
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Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-90788900056467702722013-04-25T13:54:00.001-04:002013-04-25T13:54:37.969-04:00FlowersI've got a number of finished piece that have been awaiting photography, but I had a technical hitch with my camera and finally got that resolved this week. Just in time too! I'm going to be having a very busy month or two coming up. First off- my local town of Bloomington, Indiana is hosting an Open Studios event with something like 40 artists participating. I'm sharing an exhibit space with six others at a local venue. Everything you need to know about the event this coming weekend can be found here: <a href="http://www.bloomingtonopenstudiostour.com/" target="_blank">Bloomington Open Studios Tour</a>. After that, I'm off to London for a week for the <a href="http://www.netsuke.org/LondonConvention" target="_blank">International Netsuke Society Convention</a> to meet up with old friends and new, attend some lectures, and hopefully sell some artwork. Finally- in June I'll be in Japan for a couple of weeks touring with my wife, seeing friends, and getting some artistic inspiration.<br />
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So, here's the first of a couple of new items. It's carved from warthog tusk, with inlaid accents in mother of pearl. It measures about 9cm in length.<br />
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The work fits in nicely with an on-going look into flower blooms for subject matter, as well as exploring the carving possibilities of a new material.Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-53485204296395928432012-11-16T13:05:00.000-05:002012-11-16T13:05:48.385-05:00Three Beans ojimeI spent time this summer getting frustrated over several complex carvings that didn't work out well and have either been set aside, or thrown in the scrap pile. To break through the block, yet keep my hands busy, I completed a couple of simpler carvings. Here is one- an ojime of three beans. My wife Emily asked one day what I was carving and I told her "three beans" and then showed her the model I made of three actual black beans superglued together. She then asked why I didn't just offer the three glued beans as art and skip the carving.<br />
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Of note, my beans are about 120% the size of the model. A half inch or so. They are carved from a piece of scrap repurposed ivory I had- the grain is fairly coarse, but I think it lends a nice visual texture- after dyeing and polishing.<br />
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Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-2408811874048511452012-11-16T12:50:00.000-05:002012-11-16T12:50:05.771-05:00Bamboo and frogCarved from marine ivory, this small carving measures no more than about 1 1/8" or 3cm in any dimension. The raw material was 'D' shaped in cross section, so after a period of brainstorming about what I could fit into such a confinement, it hit me that a short section of bamboo, exposed on the backside to reveal a scene within might be just the thing.<br />
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I like the idea of combining two scales of scene, or narration. The sprouting leaf on the front curls around and carries the viewer to another scene on the reverse, with a tiny frog perched on another leaf. His eyes are inlaid in horn, backed with gold to provide some sparkle when turned in the light. The little guy is maybe 1/4" in length.Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-20409118784713746642012-06-01T18:44:00.001-04:002012-06-01T18:49:14.450-04:00Local Attractions<br />
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No, the Prez isn't coming to town although he was here campaigning in 2008 at the World Famous Little 500 bicycle race. And I did shake his hand.... BUT- <br />
This weekend the town I call home, Bloomington, Indiana is hosting an <a href="http://bloomingtonvague.com/open-studios-tour/" target="_blank">Open Studios Tour</a> to showcase local artists. It's the first occasion of what we hope will be an annual event. Rather than welcome people in my home to have them stroll into the small spare bedroom that is my studio, I'll be showing and selling work at a third party location. <a href="http://www.textillery.com/" target="_blank">Textillery Weavers</a> has given about eight of us room within their facility to display sculpture, prints and paintings. Several, including myself, will be demonstrating and creating work on the spot. If you're in the area, please stop by. I'll be showing recent netsuke and some from several years past, as well as a small selection of other carved pieces.Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-14878373687935134282012-04-04T19:50:00.002-04:002012-04-04T19:51:45.834-04:00CicadaI've had the idea for this carving in mind for a couple of years, but only recently acquired the right piece of material: to carve a cicada using the natural rind of antler to suggest the texture of the wings and offer tactile contrast with the rest of the piece.<br />
I've worked a lot with white-tail deer and caribou antler, but this is the first one in sambar stag, which I think originates in southeast Asia, and is farmed for its antler. One of the beautiful things about this material is how you get three textures in one (rind, solid part, and spongey core) which can be utilized for greater artistic expression by way of suggestion and interpretation.<br />
In length it measures 1 3/4" or 4.5 cm. To my knowledge it is the first netsuke of a cicada utilizing antler in this manner.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbpPowYd0aNa3wEqgVwxGkkpTSdLAJYdeFG_LwqhOIjH9Va5SK6ZeBXYB-55vY8pQwymf_Glg_645NGor_yq14ofEoA0a1kMdXZYxqT8FIMw8XY5qs0KQ5i5ADgkMCTceNti0sjzVZNFu/s1600/flowers2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbpPowYd0aNa3wEqgVwxGkkpTSdLAJYdeFG_LwqhOIjH9Va5SK6ZeBXYB-55vY8pQwymf_Glg_645NGor_yq14ofEoA0a1kMdXZYxqT8FIMw8XY5qs0KQ5i5ADgkMCTceNti0sjzVZNFu/s320/flowers2.jpg" width="262" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7-agZFvCFqd4hn_XpKvOhCxTk5xO9rBr1C8oEhm7U2HsCUJRKYx9CX5uZ1OQDNSHpdzWSmXK1GGHRsaEw3cRlFWz9nnZX3JVsjsGwBcm97l0ABdqrXGE2Lb1Fdb_27DcSKZQstNTjGx0/s1600/flowers1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7-agZFvCFqd4hn_XpKvOhCxTk5xO9rBr1C8oEhm7U2HsCUJRKYx9CX5uZ1OQDNSHpdzWSmXK1GGHRsaEw3cRlFWz9nnZX3JVsjsGwBcm97l0ABdqrXGE2Lb1Fdb_27DcSKZQstNTjGx0/s320/flowers1.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
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This grouping of five chrysanthemum blooms is carved in boxwood that has been colored. It measures 1 1/2" at the widest point. The idea for this piece came from a finial to a silver incense burner from the late Edo/Meiji period in Japan. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfugKVifYcgiokwnrv54CeVkBzQzPxyQZzwJYxzpQBfgjEaBBBDEzuESd7XKhEJf0oNrYP_9P4A58VQt2hUTd3szfbeLIHDOmLYn7PuaJOd89UQ9IYCtv_2euiah5ygEUvfQ5-OeiIkuc/s1600/Seppou+Hidetomo+incense+burner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfugKVifYcgiokwnrv54CeVkBzQzPxyQZzwJYxzpQBfgjEaBBBDEzuESd7XKhEJf0oNrYP_9P4A58VQt2hUTd3szfbeLIHDOmLYn7PuaJOd89UQ9IYCtv_2euiah5ygEUvfQ5-OeiIkuc/s320/Seppou+Hidetomo+incense+burner.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
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For my netsuke, I tightened up the group to better serve the requirements of the craft. </div>
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</div>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-9073505134398828932012-02-20T14:56:00.003-05:002012-02-20T15:09:54.224-05:00Antler Owl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8pgtrNBVipW_DmjtpCrGb8gEFaWcw70dta_E9J2iMkLRxMTlzYIuuY8y38Mg5JOZoiM0FQjSysc8t3aK7SM3WwRwT7G942kMk0ib0Rh9CqlmIFWm-OI_yagRRGk1Uks9ZhHPcjRrwFHB/s1600/owl1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8pgtrNBVipW_DmjtpCrGb8gEFaWcw70dta_E9J2iMkLRxMTlzYIuuY8y38Mg5JOZoiM0FQjSysc8t3aK7SM3WwRwT7G942kMk0ib0Rh9CqlmIFWm-OI_yagRRGk1Uks9ZhHPcjRrwFHB/s320/owl1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I finished up this owl netsuke recently. I'm not sure what type of antler it is carved from, but I suspect it is Whitetail. The staining is a combination of a couple of natural dyes as well as potassium permanganate. The pupils have been finished with an inlay of black horn.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An in-progress shot to get a sense of scale</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-47827263968260349772012-01-31T19:56:00.001-05:002012-01-31T19:56:36.805-05:00Mandarin Duck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I finished this Mandarin drake a couple of months ago. The piece measures 2" in length (5cm). It's carved out of tamboti wood, a.k.a. African sandalwood on account of its pleasant scent. This wood is very difficult to polish as its high resin content clogs sandpapers and resists abrasive powders. The sawdust alone is so moist it clumps together with slight pressure. Also, detailed work is quite difficult to produce as it splinters easily with the grain. However, it exhibits a beautiful chatoyance when one contributes the time and effort to smooth it (as well as a few tricks to deal with the resin). The form is a simplified mandarin duck, with a robustness of shape that fits nicely in the palm of the hand. On the underside I carved an equally strong himotoshi (cord hole) and gave it a signature in relief, as if stamped with a punch. <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
It can be rewarding to carve this sort of minimalist netsuke from time to time- distilling a shape to its essence yet still trying to provide visual and tactile interest, which I hope I've achieved through a sensitive eye inlay and fine-line engraving on the neck and wing feathers.</div>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-80097205116214055172012-01-30T19:32:00.005-05:002012-01-31T19:57:52.142-05:00Old News......but still good news. This past October I was asked to teach a few sessions of a course on artist materials and techniques, being offered at Indiana University in conjunction with the campus <a href="http://www.indiana.edu/~iuam/iuam_home.php">art museum</a>. Fine Arts faculty, conservators and art historians pitched in with sessions on textiles, paper, inks, stone carving, leather, etc. I've always been a materials and techniques junkie, and wanted to do this sort of thing for years, so jumped on the chance to teach the session on organic carving materials, using the craft of netsuke as the vehicle for the lecture.<br />
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I had a variety of woods on display- boxwood, ebony, rosewood, cherry as well as animal-based materials such tortoiseshell, ivory, antler, walrus tusk, shagreen, and various mother of pearl sources. We then examined objects from the museum's collections such as netsuke, inro, cane handles, and wood carvings, to see the transformation of raw material into worked substance. I brought in examples of my own work, too, plus tools typical of the craft.<br />
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I think it's enormously important to periodically take students with future careers in the visual arts away from conventional classrooms and allow them to use all their senses in gaining familiarity with materials. They acquire a greater appreciation for the beauty of natural substances and a greater depth of understanding for the work that goes into fine craft. For me, the best part was showing them the decidedly slow but sure progress of a scraper on ivory, gradually refining the form of a carving while a steady sound plays of metal on tooth.<br />
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Two weeks later I taught another session on chalk, charcoal and pastel. We finished this session with the students making their own chalk crayons from raw pigment, water and gum tragacanth. They really seemed to enjoy crafting their own individual sticks and I think began to understand how artist materials can be <em>engineered </em>(in a sense) to bring out characteristics needed by each individual artist- rather than being satisfied with over the counter products. It's something every artist and craftsperson eventually comes to realize.<br />
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Within netsuke carving, it's not long before we create our own tools, modify others to suit our needs, tweak the concentration of a home-brew dye, or come to develop our own methods of polishing a given substance. I think this is where the true individuality of the artist/maker shines, rather than a superficial appearance to things; easily arrived at under the term <em>original</em>.Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-64318835765953304682012-01-25T18:30:00.005-05:002012-01-25T18:43:30.503-05:00Snail<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAywNCtNaXblNzGOpNIekIs1c7zE9-HBh8MEAZOj3M5dQ-FzRJxtB5wVL0BsAlW-_E0aWZoqO5GwOvXxiN_mHEbjaezJHFIFaRafwezRWI_mYkhWPLAwMA3VTgFmM6j1KAbL0hiLKOTFya/s1600/snailmanju1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 307px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701716480312801330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAywNCtNaXblNzGOpNIekIs1c7zE9-HBh8MEAZOj3M5dQ-FzRJxtB5wVL0BsAlW-_E0aWZoqO5GwOvXxiN_mHEbjaezJHFIFaRafwezRWI_mYkhWPLAwMA3VTgFmM6j1KAbL0hiLKOTFya/s320/snailmanju1.jpg" /></a> I finished this piece a couple of months ago, after coming back to it now and again for some time. It's carved out of mountain mahogany, ivory and horn and measures 1 1/2" square (4cm).<br /><br /><br />For this piece I conceived of a composition of a close-up, tightly cropped snail, against an indistinct background. By indistinct, I mean that I've been thinking about ways to create pictorial depth, without actually depicting anything discernable. This is difficult to convey in the photo above, but by very subtle texturing to the background wood, I think I've been able to create a reminder that it's both a physical substance (wood) as well as a suggestive scene in which the snail dwells.<br />On the verso I've carved in shallow relief some wood sorrel growth, in keeping with the environment in which a snail might dwell. The sense of scale has been played with between front and back, giving the viewer a pleasant change in the point of view when turing the piece over.<br /><br />The tapered sides and general rounded-square shape give it a nice feel in the hand; something a one-piece manju netsuke should have.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIDdwogX6AfgLhsNiJZ2CrA5J3Qvs9TXAqLtG-2pfHMKWNOAOCVA1tBgphOHup39HIGKNCLHT-lQAAPpR7CDa7Nc-iqdSzjbzO4sFcs2FNS3XrYnhOTsoHVBuqpQF1ct0WpxeaQe-sE9g/s1600/snailmanju2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701718731499799202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIDdwogX6AfgLhsNiJZ2CrA5J3Qvs9TXAqLtG-2pfHMKWNOAOCVA1tBgphOHup39HIGKNCLHT-lQAAPpR7CDa7Nc-iqdSzjbzO4sFcs2FNS3XrYnhOTsoHVBuqpQF1ct0WpxeaQe-sE9g/s320/snailmanju2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcSpdEZT9vTQvKsulM1GygHM8Ir1SyJNDB1GicT8CajTweqZt2zGwlW5kSvx_i-qq1xVw6WlHgqfJwoFGOCUXg0q4azq1lQXU5CKBMo2YU_zMozQsyQaEYZZ4aiHKEkHVNbsyzBcqZHD-/s1600/snailmanju3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701719131427747090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcSpdEZT9vTQvKsulM1GygHM8Ir1SyJNDB1GicT8CajTweqZt2zGwlW5kSvx_i-qq1xVw6WlHgqfJwoFGOCUXg0q4azq1lQXU5CKBMo2YU_zMozQsyQaEYZZ4aiHKEkHVNbsyzBcqZHD-/s320/snailmanju3.jpg" /></a>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-2647590084958950982012-01-24T20:45:00.010-05:002012-01-24T21:17:30.964-05:00Rat and ChestnutParticipants at the last netsuke convention all received a very generous gift in the form of an illustrated sales catalog from the Tokyo, <a href="http://www.sagemonoya.jp/">Sagemonoya</a>. Item number 105 within, entitled "Rat with Pea" inspired me to create a carving based on a similar theme. The netsuke rat, depicted in the catalog, was carved in a posture suggesting the shape of a chestnut. I thought I'd take things a step further and came up with this:<br />A simplified rat, in the silhouette of a chestnut holding, of course, a chestnut. It's carved out of mountain mahogany with horn and bone accents, measuring about 1 1/2" (3.5cm) at the broadest point. Mountain mahogany has a wonderfully rich, chocolatey appearance and touch when polished- I think especially well conveyed in this small work.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarNMOqD5rr2rog4T3G_cEMUiegR4_uOe8Crcc_LxcIZZlvMsiRK8IaOQB3Kr8HFDBGMHDJrG1C8vFJ5ubdfSScuCIH5NWkgqX2nKVXmU_EU0Zlk_34g9GhSMTZ9yxZA7EiqejQIOtlADB/s1600/rat2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701381908863550866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarNMOqD5rr2rog4T3G_cEMUiegR4_uOe8Crcc_LxcIZZlvMsiRK8IaOQB3Kr8HFDBGMHDJrG1C8vFJ5ubdfSScuCIH5NWkgqX2nKVXmU_EU0Zlk_34g9GhSMTZ9yxZA7EiqejQIOtlADB/s320/rat2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTz6oks92UTn4r3PQo8ZFTV6PGM5UVM3o18OX-nO8cm0I750ro_8zwC4gqE6kJ7yaR2KDtICAeIPixiXO5m54kGis6IevJpHTOUtGUKrnkvnFQwd589HrAjFBjkSp6q8NW0piplgk9Idbo/s1600/rat1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 246px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701382788990316562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTz6oks92UTn4r3PQo8ZFTV6PGM5UVM3o18OX-nO8cm0I750ro_8zwC4gqE6kJ7yaR2KDtICAeIPixiXO5m54kGis6IevJpHTOUtGUKrnkvnFQwd589HrAjFBjkSp6q8NW0piplgk9Idbo/s320/rat1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLH1IIo2HiiUqVX__r7ITbfm700tP_6fHLpxQln3JuUxJPsdvCjQorFtjGB9l77MX7CFsiuqreT9CS_-yzcDSASuObEKO-ElIax2pZ9s-K5SlsgYiT9V6qvnnWu98adFv5gbzGcX9UX5Ez/s1600/rat3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701386929968146258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLH1IIo2HiiUqVX__r7ITbfm700tP_6fHLpxQln3JuUxJPsdvCjQorFtjGB9l77MX7CFsiuqreT9CS_-yzcDSASuObEKO-ElIax2pZ9s-K5SlsgYiT9V6qvnnWu98adFv5gbzGcX9UX5Ez/s320/rat3.jpg" /></a><br /></div>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-48645063486833776162012-01-24T20:12:00.013-05:002012-01-25T09:47:04.970-05:00Where does the time go?<div><div><div>The INS Convention came and went and I had a fantastic time. Got to catch up with friends and acquaintances and of course get inspiration from so much fantastic work on display. I sold several pieces and established relationships with new patrons, one of whom commissioned me to create a carving with a piece of marine ivory (dugong tusk) she has had in her possession for a decade or two.<br />I created the following piece, in sashi netsuke form, entitled Autumn's Arrival, measuring approximately 3 inches, or 7.5 cm.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6onwZHZbfKKpPbEH1GKU5gImFqtpiOyg-jkQXXLy5cwTPc3V5uToSlupTtXrHwo2bhjSFukzqmO9mZf6FzrUtFbViLbuXNxtIHRX6F6o7mvUYopqcQoWLcLOA2Akc_apN-IpgCh3PGzy/s1600/goose1a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 235px; height: 400px; float: left;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701372955728517442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6onwZHZbfKKpPbEH1GKU5gImFqtpiOyg-jkQXXLy5cwTPc3V5uToSlupTtXrHwo2bhjSFukzqmO9mZf6FzrUtFbViLbuXNxtIHRX6F6o7mvUYopqcQoWLcLOA2Akc_apN-IpgCh3PGzy/s400/goose1a.jpg" /></a><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvuemIej_9Tyj2NoR2z4O5P7OweaKEqXSerAzh1bpdnejx-MmyWg3uSinJgjTuDuZMUi8DFgNIvtoJA0hWA_EJjM8BHuzgfMPqCEn99Kq9Al_dNrhkc1usRa9MyS0AJMoJsWZA4hhdXWH/s1600/goose2a.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6onwZHZbfKKpPbEH1GKU5gImFqtpiOyg-jkQXXLy5cwTPc3V5uToSlupTtXrHwo2bhjSFukzqmO9mZf6FzrUtFbViLbuXNxtIHRX6F6o7mvUYopqcQoWLcLOA2Akc_apN-IpgCh3PGzy/s1600/goose1a.jpg"></a></div></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6onwZHZbfKKpPbEH1GKU5gImFqtpiOyg-jkQXXLy5cwTPc3V5uToSlupTtXrHwo2bhjSFukzqmO9mZf6FzrUtFbViLbuXNxtIHRX6F6o7mvUYopqcQoWLcLOA2Akc_apN-IpgCh3PGzy/s1600/goose1a.jpg"></a> </div><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6onwZHZbfKKpPbEH1GKU5gImFqtpiOyg-jkQXXLy5cwTPc3V5uToSlupTtXrHwo2bhjSFukzqmO9mZf6FzrUtFbViLbuXNxtIHRX6F6o7mvUYopqcQoWLcLOA2Akc_apN-IpgCh3PGzy/s1600/goose1a.jpg"></a> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6onwZHZbfKKpPbEH1GKU5gImFqtpiOyg-jkQXXLy5cwTPc3V5uToSlupTtXrHwo2bhjSFukzqmO9mZf6FzrUtFbViLbuXNxtIHRX6F6o7mvUYopqcQoWLcLOA2Akc_apN-IpgCh3PGzy/s1600/goose1a.jpg"></a></div><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGOhjpuy_YeCjm3GKgiBBlA8jGesNJvcA418GhKTgfF1H8k8LBev86dVoQ-8v96IJvPguyI8LkFhdo_PItYIxqjrX7YGGSmSzuzqXzPX-iRUwn6tyFZ2ughyphenhyphenVqVK1fi-wnJ1WpZxtiAzj/s1600/goose4.jpg"></a> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGOhjpuy_YeCjm3GKgiBBlA8jGesNJvcA418GhKTgfF1H8k8LBev86dVoQ-8v96IJvPguyI8LkFhdo_PItYIxqjrX7YGGSmSzuzqXzPX-iRUwn6tyFZ2ughyphenhyphenVqVK1fi-wnJ1WpZxtiAzj/s1600/goose4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px; height: 146px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701580689131296834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGOhjpuy_YeCjm3GKgiBBlA8jGesNJvcA418GhKTgfF1H8k8LBev86dVoQ-8v96IJvPguyI8LkFhdo_PItYIxqjrX7YGGSmSzuzqXzPX-iRUwn6tyFZ2ughyphenhyphenVqVK1fi-wnJ1WpZxtiAzj/s320/goose4.jpg" /></a></div></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Geese and autumn plants are often paired in Japanese artwork. In fact there are seven autumn grasses, or <em>aki no nanakusa </em>which make their appearance time and again, as <a href="http://www.kouroya.jp/kouro/akikusa.html">here</a>. Several of those plants, including chrysanthemums and miscanthus grass, are illustrated in shallow relief against the abstracted form of a goose, in my work. I've never carved marine ivories before (walrus tusk, whale tooth, dugong, etc) owing to their rareity and trade restrictions, but really enjoyed the texture and beautiful creaminess of color when polished. There's even some subtle chatoyance in certain areas lending a shimmer when turned in the light. While the geese migrated overhead in central Indiana a few months back, this goose reached completion.</div>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-26770732645069000162011-05-19T15:54:00.002-04:002011-05-26T12:32:54.920-04:00Quick updateI'm off to the International Netsuke Society Convention in Beverly Hills tomorrow, so I've got just enough time to post some photos of recent work. When I get back, I'll update the post with some fuller descriptions and a review of the event.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjp4_FSyef0zC5Te_EO9yRHMim7MF9rIYTa4Kptofi4EBvJ0ZdairBOSqNowYhJ9OjruR7eUJX_yOmiBUFQhyqdjTyiuUfXqkfhV_egB9zJRefocLJHilnl1xd3Dq1R8Kbcq72xDceJqJ/s1600/curlewrecto.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 341px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjp4_FSyef0zC5Te_EO9yRHMim7MF9rIYTa4Kptofi4EBvJ0ZdairBOSqNowYhJ9OjruR7eUJX_yOmiBUFQhyqdjTyiuUfXqkfhV_egB9zJRefocLJHilnl1xd3Dq1R8Kbcq72xDceJqJ/s400/curlewrecto.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611063115049815106" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TJuj0XW5Hb93pbXlFfJocVuNQ3v4lSd34w2hIxAN-tW20fRD9bx1xwl-II0K-nB_7CMnz_ETa8urwsy3EHfxrCrqkn01xAv6RIlzVpzlveMiIA5HEDSbkShWLaCnDXCknMM7QB6RM7p6/s1600/curlewverso.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 356px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TJuj0XW5Hb93pbXlFfJocVuNQ3v4lSd34w2hIxAN-tW20fRD9bx1xwl-II0K-nB_7CMnz_ETa8urwsy3EHfxrCrqkn01xAv6RIlzVpzlveMiIA5HEDSbkShWLaCnDXCknMM7QB6RM7p6/s400/curlewverso.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611063191813452274" /></a><br /><br /><br />This one's entitled "Curlew & Crab", in reindeer antler with horn inlays. The curlew is depicted with a wing extended on the recto, and then tucked back in a broken wing bluff on the verso. The crab lies on seaweed, or sand; whichever pleases.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFoAYEfQQkQu8N1_k4FvQFQAaoct573phsN7v9MdzKTx0lDPkt8hvaDiCPmkn7BP4z4O6ZdW8Ha10vzBz8mon3tgmiB8i-lywBG0j9a0q0dUlYTwoOs7_tGzqFbOMmwm9Fin3La4MpsfI/s1600/tooth.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFoAYEfQQkQu8N1_k4FvQFQAaoct573phsN7v9MdzKTx0lDPkt8hvaDiCPmkn7BP4z4O6ZdW8Ha10vzBz8mon3tgmiB8i-lywBG0j9a0q0dUlYTwoOs7_tGzqFbOMmwm9Fin3La4MpsfI/s400/tooth.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608518533571779746" /></a><br />Next is "Chrysanthemum"; a delicate vignette carved into a black bear canine.<br /><br />Finally, a new squirrel: box, horn and semi-fossilized antler<br />For those who can make it to the convention, be sure to stop by and have a chat. It looks to be a well-planned event!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYig0dKhCYaPQXBglSCExN1bt3D_2ATK6MT_5mQpFTMRIiGqWxaZa1kSez0W2HkdbzsAa7_OrMB8JJsb-ubRw7rO7Wz1UX0M7Hk60yyaMH25xEhPzxrUjJd-_NmD3AuXfKGyvXDLmfHyHb/s1600/squirrelrecto.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYig0dKhCYaPQXBglSCExN1bt3D_2ATK6MT_5mQpFTMRIiGqWxaZa1kSez0W2HkdbzsAa7_OrMB8JJsb-ubRw7rO7Wz1UX0M7Hk60yyaMH25xEhPzxrUjJd-_NmD3AuXfKGyvXDLmfHyHb/s400/squirrelrecto.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611063464621023074" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYuF3Ajqby_6b8isW4NqmY0C3PCMIAKaPDLap58L5ET_GWgNwKncsNRNrmv0pbEOtdoUQL7_LFuawxnUDILVXmgkUFOvNj0fyqh3Nh0l0-Pjzq8Kd6qO5_c2_9gHdnDcfyTDAG2YcHy7m/s1600/squirrelverso.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYuF3Ajqby_6b8isW4NqmY0C3PCMIAKaPDLap58L5ET_GWgNwKncsNRNrmv0pbEOtdoUQL7_LFuawxnUDILVXmgkUFOvNj0fyqh3Nh0l0-Pjzq8Kd6qO5_c2_9gHdnDcfyTDAG2YcHy7m/s400/squirrelverso.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611063590741867266" /></a>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-9134226267951553322011-02-03T11:27:00.002-05:002011-02-03T11:41:52.653-05:00International Netsuke Society Convention 2011I'll be sharing a dealer's table at the upcoming International Netsuke Society <a href="http://www.netsuke.org/Convention2011/Intro.htm">Convention</a> this May in Beverly Hills, California. <br /><br />I'm humbled to be sharing a table with <a href="http://www.clivehallam.com">Clive Hallam</a> and <a href="http://www.sculpture-intense.com/gallery_nl.htm">Nick Lamb</a>, both fantastic artists and great people. Those of you who may look at my blog and are members of the INS, please stop by the table and introduce yourselves. I'll enjoy saying hello and conversing a bit.<br />The first and only time I've attended the convention was in 2005. It was an eye-opening experience that provided some important lessons and inspiration. Most of all, I enjoyed meeting fellow carvers of an art form who tend to be widely yet sparsely scattered around the globe. Until then, I'm working hard to bring a body of quality work for display and sale.Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-53302391812656813432011-01-26T19:23:00.010-05:002011-01-26T20:07:20.263-05:00Portrait of the Artist's Dog<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDxO25_Nq7AVxSN6oasMW2bApCAMQVm4T_wcvbHqKeUvvTUzHhD4eVKO7tt_3bItYzTDDhRiFzsTTBpHqhZHZYHFhqWYUV7-gTy840kGM5DSfwlqWHMwaXT2ybBC6pBsVdXJBtpMwuXK8/s1600/fumi2.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDxO25_Nq7AVxSN6oasMW2bApCAMQVm4T_wcvbHqKeUvvTUzHhD4eVKO7tt_3bItYzTDDhRiFzsTTBpHqhZHZYHFhqWYUV7-gTy840kGM5DSfwlqWHMwaXT2ybBC6pBsVdXJBtpMwuXK8/s320/fumi2.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566660293693171314" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkmR8Qi93Dk6eIaipTu97G9LtxIFqL42gN35s0sOL_bklBZ6F9V5-ehYoP02-mBqCYpVmqKoU562j0zVD2GJ2UYz08GTxV8I4FogANVN1RE5iuFdCSlpfsCLwo0GQGp5k-0HAYiz3TqxQ/s1600/fumi1.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkmR8Qi93Dk6eIaipTu97G9LtxIFqL42gN35s0sOL_bklBZ6F9V5-ehYoP02-mBqCYpVmqKoU562j0zVD2GJ2UYz08GTxV8I4FogANVN1RE5iuFdCSlpfsCLwo0GQGp5k-0HAYiz3TqxQ/s320/fumi1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566660157566803330" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I've had my dog, Fumi, a Shiba-inu for about five years now, and have never done a carved study until this netsuke. It was handy having a live model around, for constant referral- though difficult in trying to capture something I know so well. She measures 6cm in length which is about the width of three of my fingers, or actual size as presented below. She's carved in boxwood, with amber eyes and horn pupils. I haven't done many animals in a realistic fashion lately and enjoyed the development of skills in hair carving and eye inlays. The ears were kept shorter than actual, to make for a better netsuke form.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCXLWZ0suLeHUobOsIr1_MXLGgKk835NDeux-fdSgKkVdpNQRb8cMzOKv8-6y3iXFwcQpvTMSY2OnY4JBpzWr6jaSMdfwDFEKyTwILEinQbwp2aTFKfQAmHtKIlz39Ki_MD4ozPKx7I0U/s1600/Img0010.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCXLWZ0suLeHUobOsIr1_MXLGgKk835NDeux-fdSgKkVdpNQRb8cMzOKv8-6y3iXFwcQpvTMSY2OnY4JBpzWr6jaSMdfwDFEKyTwILEinQbwp2aTFKfQAmHtKIlz39Ki_MD4ozPKx7I0U/s320/Img0010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566661726781596930" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQtXXSQ9UKJG5AKAnH8tAr4Pvh_xN31c5KVlt2sB2CFJCrwgNTL9pUt6xX81OMTSxSj91pr1DQtCYtIMC8xFhDvh7LP5B2BlC0TxCO8NQwmMfrlwUXyBBglRnAe9hxwztMV6bzF-TA5SD/s1600/Img0012.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 208px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQtXXSQ9UKJG5AKAnH8tAr4Pvh_xN31c5KVlt2sB2CFJCrwgNTL9pUt6xX81OMTSxSj91pr1DQtCYtIMC8xFhDvh7LP5B2BlC0TxCO8NQwmMfrlwUXyBBglRnAe9hxwztMV6bzF-TA5SD/s320/Img0012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566661878191240994" border="0" /></a>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-87961519122320131932011-01-15T20:17:00.008-05:002011-01-15T21:00:42.916-05:00SketchingFrom time to time I set aside the microchisels, scrapers and polishing materials that I use for my more meticuluos work and just pick up a knife and go at the wood in a more informal, direct approach. I think of it in terms of sketching- to learn a subject's form or figure out a composition. The works have a more whittled appearance, in western terms.<br />This is a piece I did recently in plum wood from a local tree. I was carved with just a few blades. I finished it by rubbing vigorously in a tub of rice bran; the bran has a slight polishing effect, and the traces of oil deepen the color of the wood. It's 7 cm high, so a life-size representation of a cicada.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZPQpvf071173qf_Sg_aiX90FE5wbWGrNwB6og6XTpHonV_lX7dtYhdJb1911krliV2HiTmbXaWIMY1AXhCahAilZJJeYmg99ZDzgnzi13NOH1bbUrpLIGXcRFNvczPVbnbBuPgnpWs7i/s1600/cicadasketch2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 307px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562596971653200706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZPQpvf071173qf_Sg_aiX90FE5wbWGrNwB6og6XTpHonV_lX7dtYhdJb1911krliV2HiTmbXaWIMY1AXhCahAilZJJeYmg99ZDzgnzi13NOH1bbUrpLIGXcRFNvczPVbnbBuPgnpWs7i/s400/cicadasketch2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1CuQN-A3uu90qyXd9i16l0phQY7e7kEUW7WcsD5IGvUT4sW6zubGRwl2Ctmaev6GaLYunPnv768JNAlXGjvg0thcBQnguZobx8dNjv3VmN0Z5XRLaeqjSBXGQO9nOW1xLMKL4rUR6gry/s1600/cicadasketch1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1CuQN-A3uu90qyXd9i16l0phQY7e7kEUW7WcsD5IGvUT4sW6zubGRwl2Ctmaev6GaLYunPnv768JNAlXGjvg0thcBQnguZobx8dNjv3VmN0Z5XRLaeqjSBXGQO9nOW1xLMKL4rUR6gry/s400/cicadasketch1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562597306961337234" /></a><br /><br />The knives I use for this sort of work are of two designs; one western and one Japanese: The western one is German made and sold under the brand Two Cherries. It's held with a fist grip and can be used in both push and pull directions as it has a double bevel. I'm right-handed, so when pushing the blade, I use my left thumb against the back of the blade as a fulcrum and to control it better. When pulling, my right thumb is on the sculpture and I draw the knife towards it. This is a great knife for roughing out and removing larger amounts of wood.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLS-j9Ngwyrp3TUHqYRMWxCrd88gRWkzf5PLk2g0e6EEJey0aBjpLWSjdxLvYIcFDdDraQa-U_iZgMVT0VTVJg_NYxJYJI2ymdEGzgcVXdXxLCxMa2UxAUX45pkq_DTHDMAyHpjNfaHZ2D/s1600/twocherries.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 354px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 192px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562592894658119490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLS-j9Ngwyrp3TUHqYRMWxCrd88gRWkzf5PLk2g0e6EEJey0aBjpLWSjdxLvYIcFDdDraQa-U_iZgMVT0VTVJg_NYxJYJI2ymdEGzgcVXdXxLCxMa2UxAUX45pkq_DTHDMAyHpjNfaHZ2D/s400/twocherries.JPG" /></a><br /><br />The second is a typical Japanese carving knife sold by Michihamono. It has a single bevel and is held with a grip similar, but not identical, to how one would hold a pencil. It is utilized with only push cuts and is fantastic for later-stage carving, to refine the form and create a smoother surface, by gently shaving away the facets left by earlier stages.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMwZY-0OHn9LdmBb54q1fUAE6mejeDJscVhi-XwL1nQuDPZMOqovcPK4eEkBgTbUCqiTNbxayZdDp8-6KO_h_dJDHcxM77EzBwJ9R1ZvV3KBedWwm5hBFo1Q4-_Q0xy8E59dAnrl0yElJ/s1600/into.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 354px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562596177302483026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMwZY-0OHn9LdmBb54q1fUAE6mejeDJscVhi-XwL1nQuDPZMOqovcPK4eEkBgTbUCqiTNbxayZdDp8-6KO_h_dJDHcxM77EzBwJ9R1ZvV3KBedWwm5hBFo1Q4-_Q0xy8E59dAnrl0yElJ/s400/into.JPG" /></a>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-48830032214499021802011-01-07T22:56:00.005-05:002011-01-07T23:21:50.833-05:00Horse Chestnut<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y1aqaqUXe1-8mpNQqzUJkbqlQCLcDWRu5bq70cgLjFMqnA-gFqDpatId_1y4ZJadAL6ye2OwynZZWDZe_p8g6wLhDUfOrGXYvcXyTUtlYTzcPnT066gl9TDg5jSgHzuWfMPLXk_tefR8/s1600/horsechestnut1+s.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 330px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559664573472855826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y1aqaqUXe1-8mpNQqzUJkbqlQCLcDWRu5bq70cgLjFMqnA-gFqDpatId_1y4ZJadAL6ye2OwynZZWDZe_p8g6wLhDUfOrGXYvcXyTUtlYTzcPnT066gl9TDg5jSgHzuWfMPLXk_tefR8/s400/horsechestnut1+s.jpg" /></a><br /><br />For those who are familiar with my work, it is clear that I enjoy nuts as subject matter. I've done ginko nuts, hickory nuts, acorns and chestnuts. This is the second horse chestnut I've carved- the first was years ago and was sold at the 2005 International Netsuke Society Convention fund raising auction. I think it may have changed hands since then as well. The title was "Retired Conker".<br /><br />Rather than letting my mind wander too much for this one, I settled on a straight-forward representational carving. If you look closely at these nuts- really close- there are enough textures and subtleties to keep one very busy and puzzled as to how to best convey such things. There's the beautiful contrast between the waxy, slightly greasy surface (not quite smooth- almost like leather) covering the bulk of the nut, and the matte, rougher area at the top.<br />The finished piece is in boxwood, with some subtle texturing and coloring steps added. It measures about 3.5 cm at the widest; same as the real McCoy.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4dM_cm767PcoZ1t8XBzwhYF4hteEC20j0LlYwKcvucJrREveXtsQsINxZHtsX4HvdqqRthh5HiJ2wnU1fz-SXLBDXHMowxLsu5Xvxy3K0JmMxJ2jhvBNPVAUz2A1VeydFttGxoIdNypX/s1600/horsechestnut2+s.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4dM_cm767PcoZ1t8XBzwhYF4hteEC20j0LlYwKcvucJrREveXtsQsINxZHtsX4HvdqqRthh5HiJ2wnU1fz-SXLBDXHMowxLsu5Xvxy3K0JmMxJ2jhvBNPVAUz2A1VeydFttGxoIdNypX/s400/horsechestnut2+s.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559664876385816482" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueDy5z0Y0W3owgBhIPEKJiua07OdeFOtwSGTfhIpI278S8rWAsdolw74vvwZ6KxqtJweXe8EDrMHgLg01soxZFxqzCvmEgTxk-s-IJ5FUOZDf2eIqIKUReVGpE6Sm1lN2Z2uXXMo9pIJJ/s1600/horsechestnut3+s.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 328px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueDy5z0Y0W3owgBhIPEKJiua07OdeFOtwSGTfhIpI278S8rWAsdolw74vvwZ6KxqtJweXe8EDrMHgLg01soxZFxqzCvmEgTxk-s-IJ5FUOZDf2eIqIKUReVGpE6Sm1lN2Z2uXXMo9pIJJ/s400/horsechestnut3+s.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559665071546270546" /></a>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-47206962130038353462011-01-07T22:37:00.013-05:002011-01-08T15:17:18.002-05:00Newt and dragonIt's the New Year, and after much travel, busy-ness and a new computer, I've gotten around to taking some shots of work completed the past couple of months. In an earlier post I mentioned being intrigued by the kozuka form. I wanted to try to incorporate it into a netsuke that was functional, and had a bit more interest than just an oblong piece with some low relief carving. I hit on the idea of depicting a newt crawling over the surface of one.<br />The puzzle was what imagery to use on the kozuka itself. I started with ideas of geese, to offer a contrast of sky dwelling and terrestrial creatures. It didn't seem quite right, so my thoughts went to a contrast of scales and I sketched out a couple of mountain scenes. That all seemed too detailed and fussy. Finally I hit upon a dragon. At first I was a bit worried about it being <em>the</em> cliche choice, but once begun, it fit just fine. I like the contrast between a mythical creature and his more reality-based cousin. The contrast of scale is also a success, I think.<br /><br />It's carved in ebony, with black-lip pearl shell accents. Measuring just over 10cm in length, it would be classed as a <em>sashi netsuke</em>, with the cord attachment through the newt's tail, and the entire piece thrust behind one's obi.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqs0o3IIQeC0yMuBN1eXng7xUyW8ii10hi-MxtIqz0NS_xRiLsLjmfEGwDk6OpZ35PDr83JO-zq5GbVxCWpWDxipA0lYUb-peQxcVk-FtPf_KfgnFPNLiBOzodIXLIixnohMp37PVWLW1A/s1600/salamander+r+s.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqs0o3IIQeC0yMuBN1eXng7xUyW8ii10hi-MxtIqz0NS_xRiLsLjmfEGwDk6OpZ35PDr83JO-zq5GbVxCWpWDxipA0lYUb-peQxcVk-FtPf_KfgnFPNLiBOzodIXLIixnohMp37PVWLW1A/s400/salamander+r+s.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559658110887136946" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQguPQKdyaBgVRlS3hLLGLzB5aofZU6Ou7q8NORgGapuk1IgC-lrp1XOTrHEDDohZCmBX0fjfSq__oe1kJ1zGT5QROGrM-CCce4npl7X8BlIrvHlqXILgeVvgtfHPly0-5x7Ha_DSINDQ/s1600/salamander+r2+s.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQguPQKdyaBgVRlS3hLLGLzB5aofZU6Ou7q8NORgGapuk1IgC-lrp1XOTrHEDDohZCmBX0fjfSq__oe1kJ1zGT5QROGrM-CCce4npl7X8BlIrvHlqXILgeVvgtfHPly0-5x7Ha_DSINDQ/s400/salamander+r2+s.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559658482798364946" border="0" /></a>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-8066773102128799422010-12-01T20:39:00.001-05:002010-12-01T20:41:14.612-05:00DemonstrationI've got a picture essay going right now over on the <a href="http://www.followingtheironbrush.org/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=1980">Iron Brush Forum</a> for a carving I've been working on the past two weeks. Please have a look if you're interested in seeing how a design evolves.Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-66379081409182288752010-11-29T18:44:00.002-05:002010-11-29T19:13:10.462-05:00The Naked [Wood] TruthA lot of the small-scale carvings I create can be considered netsuke, in terms of size, and function- though probably not in terms of getting much active wear (both meanings of the word intended) as examples from the past can claim. Now of course artists are free to do what pleases them, and the world, albeit small, of contemporary netsuke contains all sorts of styles and trends. One that I'd like to comment on is what I see to be the growing habit of coloring netsuke- either with lacquer or various modern synthetic dyes and paints. To me, they look jarring to the eye and lack the subtle beauty found in the coloration of natural materials- wood, horn, antler, amber to name a few materials.<br /><br />I've spent time thinking about the change that occurs when you color a sculpture in a 'realistic' sense. Those thoughts were hard to put into words until I came across a book recently about the late Gothic sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider. Many of his carvings were painted in a very realistic manner at the time (by a separate group of craftsmen)- as was habit, but others were left without <em>apparent</em> coatings. This sculptural period was one in flux. Author Michael Baxandall in "Tilman Riemenschneider / Master Sculptor of the Late Middle Ages" says it all with clarity:<br /><br />"What are we to make of Riemenschneider's crucial move from colored sculpture to monochrome sculpture? It is important to keep in mind that, through monochrome, the sculpture was not just bare wood: it was varnished with a unifying brown compound; and a few details, such as lips and the pupils of eyes, were still pigmented [...] but these matters apart, what are the perceptual consequences of the new monochromy?<br />For us, accustomed to seeing unpigmented sculpture, there is not as great a jolt of strangeness as there must have been in the 1490's. But a basic shift in experience can still be appreciated. In polychrome sculpture we tend to see the statue as a surrogate person [<em>or bird, or frog or apple</em>]. In monochrome sculpture we see a figure in a worked material; we are more aware of the substance of the sculpture, and so of the work as representation. We are, and must be, more active in our address to monochrome sculpture: we contribute more to the perception. We see it as wood, for example, and we know it is a carving; we project the human figure into it more energetically and enjoy our part in the transaction. And since we ourselves have had much to do with creating the human being in the wood, our experience of it is stronger. Estrangement stimulates projection."<br /><br />There are apparently a number of theories why this shift occured- not the least of which was the dissemenation of black/white pictorial prints - think Durer and Schongauer- that enabled people to appreciate the subtlety of light and shadow and monochrome. What is interesting to consider is why are netsuke now being colored so often, to me, in such an artifical and distracting manner?Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-77957803978573768402010-11-28T11:03:00.005-05:002010-11-28T11:33:03.703-05:00KozukaI look alot at Japanese sword fittings, <em>kodogu</em>, for ideas and solutions. Unfortunately most are made of metal and show colors and techniques that are difficult to reproduce in wood and other organic materials. The trick is to learn from the compositions and handling of subject matter, but translate them into effects inherent in the other materials with which I'm familiar. <a href="http://www.ncjsc.org/gloss_kozuka.htm">Kozuka</a> in particular present wonderful solutions to the challenge of a very long, narrow composition. Japanese pillar prints, <em><a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/search_results.aspx?objectId=786062&partId=1&searchText=Isoda+Koryusai&orig=%2fresearch%2fsearch_the_collection_database.aspx&numPages=10¤tPage=12&queryAll=Terms%2f!!%2fOR%2f!!%2f22264%2f!%2f%2f!%2fhashira-e%2f!%2f%2f!!%2f%2f!!!%2f&allCurrentPage=1">hashira-e</a></em>, also have this constrained format.<br /><br />Some, but very few kozuka have been made of organic materials such as antler, wood or horn. The difficulty is in the foming of the slot to fit the tang of the blade. It has to be about 2mm high, by 8mm wide and 75 mm deep. The walls around this are quite thin too. The metal ones are no problem- they're formed by folding a flat piece of metal to form the four sides with the final seam soldered. For wooden ones, I suspect the wood blank was mounted on a type of lathe, with a boring bit driven into it in places and then a long, thin chisel used to straighten up the pocket. Modern drill bits (at least those I've found) are too short, and tend to deviate off center as they're bored down into endgrain. Don't have the chisels either. I took the problem to the machine shop of the chemistry/physics department of the university where work and the old timers there couldn't figure out how to do it with modern milling equipment, leaving me at a dead end.<br /><br />So, long story short, I made a few blanks- box, antler and ebony, and worked up the latter just to see how one might go about it, minus the hole.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqu8qFHtd1hXbYCU51xeGe7rrGXlNQ5QIijhaFBZNi6ZQf_HIsPgLyn18yEYd57JEwYeRDHmBkb2LK1UjHZVbrug_Dz3kOjUUySP7Tdvz9OTULG_Krhz8LXe6_LAVqo0ha5lgyjmVOjz5/s1600/kozuka2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqu8qFHtd1hXbYCU51xeGe7rrGXlNQ5QIijhaFBZNi6ZQf_HIsPgLyn18yEYd57JEwYeRDHmBkb2LK1UjHZVbrug_Dz3kOjUUySP7Tdvz9OTULG_Krhz8LXe6_LAVqo0ha5lgyjmVOjz5/s400/kozuka2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544636295416321698" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUnqR2UYIR_UT4_xmfMwUpYyjIt9y4gai629D_hcLvwRizJNU3Zg4EIAw5OraFAsrH0gI3nE9FGckjY3nMWUXN0erOYjXyOxNuPjUwGyk_f5pWJms2wjk8otB7iLSaGhwKiD81mIJIwxs/s1600/kozuka1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUnqR2UYIR_UT4_xmfMwUpYyjIt9y4gai629D_hcLvwRizJNU3Zg4EIAw5OraFAsrH0gI3nE9FGckjY3nMWUXN0erOYjXyOxNuPjUwGyk_f5pWJms2wjk8otB7iLSaGhwKiD81mIJIwxs/s400/kozuka1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544636712825597602" /></a><br />The ebony one measures 9.8cm long, and is a copy of one in metal by Masayoshi Ishiguro, mid 19th century.<br />The exercise got me thinking about working in shallow relief to great detail and translating this into a functional netsuke as a functional kozuka is out of the question for me right now.Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-70380303476613243782010-11-28T10:55:00.005-05:002010-11-28T11:02:23.176-05:00Kneeling girl finished<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDdAipuhnqJsTIDw8l2Wd8F1abx2G61l0YorjA9rWD5DlLPZFE2dUCb-OEn5MmF1RQ305VmMCeCSS7crSf1fZ5ZS-43bN7yG79x3WtdcsZpd5cHEILCvLHktbYn9j9Px0BzcMGKJyDEhL/s1600/girl1f.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 396px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544630598810469970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDdAipuhnqJsTIDw8l2Wd8F1abx2G61l0YorjA9rWD5DlLPZFE2dUCb-OEn5MmF1RQ305VmMCeCSS7crSf1fZ5ZS-43bN7yG79x3WtdcsZpd5cHEILCvLHktbYn9j9Px0BzcMGKJyDEhL/s400/girl1f.jpg" /></a><br />I finished this one months ago, but couldn't get a photo I was happy with. It's 3.7cm high in boxwood. I'd like to do a companion piece for her which I think will be a bead, so that it functions as a netsuke and ojime ensemble.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1B6nGFqMiyhp5M_HiglfQ0JVjPuBlZBslMgID4GONM6aZSN6E4SrmlAsk3cDnq5PAyGceoQ1g74pUpV0v-n91WKe7JoicnOUWiqbYx1_uDDkkh_XYmWmyJUy-JxcKTGhnKXq-xzJXYtH/s1600/girl2f.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 362px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544630761261322834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1B6nGFqMiyhp5M_HiglfQ0JVjPuBlZBslMgID4GONM6aZSN6E4SrmlAsk3cDnq5PAyGceoQ1g74pUpV0v-n91WKe7JoicnOUWiqbYx1_uDDkkh_XYmWmyJUy-JxcKTGhnKXq-xzJXYtH/s400/girl2f.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdINmYjscI2xhYFGnoDzNu3cgU_PMyvBn7DJMQUSkOPsybizgDN_fcUTa7v1-JU90NKiDTQuVKPgNfjfvn3tHGW8n9_ukVT9cuLpkggQgFA2SNJO-qOvlMnHuj1Lo6bPfOqvLgoOlJ6Ggn/s1600/girl3f.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 383px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544631189588306882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdINmYjscI2xhYFGnoDzNu3cgU_PMyvBn7DJMQUSkOPsybizgDN_fcUTa7v1-JU90NKiDTQuVKPgNfjfvn3tHGW8n9_ukVT9cuLpkggQgFA2SNJO-qOvlMnHuj1Lo6bPfOqvLgoOlJ6Ggn/s400/girl3f.jpg" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-72279249318473605052010-07-08T12:29:00.002-04:002010-07-08T12:43:00.260-04:00Gallery appearanceI'll be demonstrating some techniques of small-scale carving at the <a href="http://www.edgewoodorchard.com/content/index.cfm?fuseaction=page&filename=upcoming.html">Edgewood Orchard Gallery</a> in northern Wisconsin the afternoon of July 22nd. If anyone out there reading my blog lives in the area, please come and have a look. I'll have some carvings in a number of production stages ans will be happy to answer questions. Also on that day they've got a plein air painting festival going on, so it looks as though it will be lots to see and do.Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525223900751846973.post-65938316353669552142010-06-08T19:35:00.004-04:002010-06-08T19:42:22.358-04:00UpdatesWe got back from vacation in Norway a couple of weeks ago. Didn't bring much back in the way of souveniers, but I did come home with some ideas that will show up in carvings over the next year. Since returning, I've had to put aside further carving on the kneeling girl until I finish up a commissioned piece for a friend. Here's the progress on the girl...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZdlAKZelTlxhf2zbgz6P1jq1dFcqonXBvf-3RQ3_uyyUpSWAEQvaNnJA6u0ignXyPw1G2TfZNfUxTWL4cqtP4Rg8lOSsCFUnCM26HX-S2tq2bb4pEEmmmkDUPuaDLuWLbsp7bdyNFByr/s1600/girl1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZdlAKZelTlxhf2zbgz6P1jq1dFcqonXBvf-3RQ3_uyyUpSWAEQvaNnJA6u0ignXyPw1G2TfZNfUxTWL4cqtP4Rg8lOSsCFUnCM26HX-S2tq2bb4pEEmmmkDUPuaDLuWLbsp7bdyNFByr/s320/girl1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480552200975439826" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtFR4SpQt3Dd4jmliwqwQGXyNoSP7UjomfbWlc9krjzFhtsX31uFt3tTg35es8CXrwV1CEXtAQmgIQKh0eECpxFMYxaFx-cjeLCNPJpCrgk5mr9dmZRWDGKg4KDkNu6Gzwt-ReVM8WY1E/s1600/girl2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtFR4SpQt3Dd4jmliwqwQGXyNoSP7UjomfbWlc9krjzFhtsX31uFt3tTg35es8CXrwV1CEXtAQmgIQKh0eECpxFMYxaFx-cjeLCNPJpCrgk5mr9dmZRWDGKg4KDkNu6Gzwt-ReVM8WY1E/s320/girl2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480551259788841906" /></a>Doug Sandershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13387606345995925279noreply@blogger.com2