Plowhorse
 |  Some in progress shots and the finished piece at the gallery, along with my son. He prefers Are You My Mother? rather than Go Dog Go! but what can you do? |
Tilling the soil to cultivate young minds or some such thing. This was a fun project to do, despite the added stress it put on my busy behind. We only had a few weeks to come up with an idea and finish it, and being an artist I of course waited a week before I moved a muscle, but I did work smart and this came together very quickly. It's always better to regret something you have done then something you haven't done. But really, no regrets, the Little Free Libraries are a great cause, and a dose of art, craftsmanship, and reading into people's lives. Plus, it helps kids , which is easy to support. I made my own box for this using mdo plywood, a type of exterior plywood with a smooth paper facing to it. No grain! I painted it a blinding yellow color with a high gloss clear coat. Contrasting with that is the rough sawn cedar and the natural grass roof I put on. I carved the plowhorse out of cedar as well, which I was surprised at how well it carved, I anticipated a splintering disaster and a waste of $60 in material. I didn't turn the grain of the legs but drilled dowels through the bottom of the hoof going to the body to prevent the legs breaking along the grain. It has two threaded rod supports, I tried to hide them behind the legs and they're attached to a steel bar going under the grass. One rod is buried in his nuts and the other in his chest to hold him slightly above the grass so it has a chance to dry out after a rain or snowmelt and to help prevent theft.
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The trim around the top holds the grass inside and has a place for water to drain so it's not just an outside bathtub with books. Work smart!
Carving nearing completion...
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