3D / Portraits

Portraits are created in commission and come in many different shapes and sizes and media. The examples here are only a snapshot of the possibilities.

The frame of each piece is carefully cut out of fine quality birch plywood and assembled. Often individual parts are bent to create an extra 3D effect, especially in the case of plants and flowers where delicate stems and leafs are bent to make the detail come to life.

Each animal portrait is custom made and is created after a visit with the owner to see the animal and hear about its personality and favorite activities. This way the piece is totally unique. Particular styles and colors present in the home may also be incorporated, as well as the intended space where the piece will hang.

Commissioned Portraits

Italian Horse - tempera on 1/2 inch birchplywood, double layer - 30 inch x 36 inch Click to enlarge

This piece was created in commission and features many personal elements of the client. The gray dog, the red car and the Italian landscape with Venice elements are all part of the life of this particular person. The horse and wolf were added by the artist.

Archeopterix & Dimetrodon (right) - Hall mirror - tempera on 1/2 inch birchplywood, double layer - 18+ inch x 46+ inch

This piece was created in commission and features two particular links in evolution theory. One from reptile to mammal, the other from reptile to bird. Shap resembles a fossilized cracked dinosaur egg. The inlaid mirror pieces are all slightly at a different angle. On the rim prehistoric plants and other animals. Parts are bent to add dimension.

 

Detail

Paintings often contain a great amount of detail. This piece features the actual home of the client and coat of arms of the town of residence The mirror weaves in and out of the frame in this work.

- Tempera on 1/4 inch birchplywood, double layer - 24 inch x 50 inch

Up In The Tree- Tempera on 1/4 inch single layer birch plywood, with the elbow and left paw and shoulder bent out of the surface

Cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, horses, cows. You name it... This mirror features a relaxed sleeping cat with soft grass painted on its body.

 

 

 

Glass

The options are much broader than I can show in these few images. For instance we can etch mirrors and make part of the mirror glass simply transparent.

Glass is often cut in a shape to resemble mountains or bodies of water.

We can also engrave portraits in very fine linework deep into the glass. Wheter a sheet of glass or for instance a large vase, we can discuss ideas and find a way to make happen!

 

 

The Draft Model

After a visit with the client, a draft, and often an intricate paper scale model will be presented (left) before the actual piece is cut and assembled. This particular one is about 6 inches tall.

The final piece as seen below (Montana) follows the model exactly unless ofcourse a change is requested. This way the client knows what to expect and there are no surprises!

Montana - Tempera on 3/4 inch birchplywood, single layer - 28 inch x 50 inch 3 panel with glass tray connecting the two side panels.

This mirror is a portrait of Montana wildlife. It was created as a hall piece, and features elk, cougar, whitetail, brown bear and cutthroat trout. The side panels fold forward. The glass tray (not seen on image) forms the water's edge along which the mother bear and cubs wander about, and where the trout swim below.

The mirror is cut in the shape of a mountain range with lines etched out of the silver.

Special Requests

Marlene's Pets- 16 inch wide by 18 inch tall double layer 1/4 inch, tempera on birch plywood.

The sweet little piece below is a simplified version of the side panel mirror as seen in the Montana mirror above.

 

The animals pictured on the top have already passsed on. This was a request and we have worked with old photos and stories from memory to bring them a little bit back to life...

Above shows again the paper draft, to the right the final piece showing the panels bending forward. The top animals bend with the panel, the bottom are in the same plane as the mirror glass. The glass is cut in the shape of the clouds