Wildlife Art Cáceres 2014

Cover of catalogue: 4th Exhibition Wildlife Art Cáceres 2014 

Sorry for not updating my blog as often as I'd like to but my family, my job and the proyects I'm working on don't allow me to do it.
I take this opportunity to invite you to visit Cáceres in the next weeks. From the 16th to the 25th of May you can enjoy a new event of `Wildlife Art  Cáceres´ at the exhibition halls of the Historical Archive - The Toledo-Moctezumas Palace, coordinated by  D. Juan Varela Simó.
This exhibition is included in the `Birds Cáceres Festival' events.

Link to the catalogue.
Link to the programme.

74th International Contest of Visual Arts in Valdepeñas

Nostalgia, Motacilla alba

Bronze on old plough and wood, 89x120x70 cm.

Inscription: ' To my father, heir of a culture which is almos lost-'

Nostalgia, Motacilla alba (Detail)

This sculpture is the result of my second casting. It has been selected for the 74th International Contest of Visual Arts in Valdepeñas.. If you remember, last edition, I was also selected by my work Alba.  

Cover of the catalogue

Page of the catalogue where the selected work appears 

Pictures of the opening

From left to right: D. Manuel López Rodríguez, Deputy Mayor and responsible for Culture, Commerce and Tourism Area of Valdepeñas Town Hall; Dª. Tania Blanco, Gold Medal of the Exhibition; D. Dis Berlín, guest artist and member of the jury in  the present edition; D. Felipe Garín Llombart, Art History Professor and museographer, ex-director of El Prado Museum and Spain Academy in Rome, and current Director of the Museum Consortium in Valencian Community and the Arts Institute El Carmen and member of the jury and D. Jesús Martin Rodríguez-Caro, Mayor of Valdepeñas, during the opening  ceremony of the exhibition. 

Images of the opening 

My little daughter, Andrea Gaia, and me next to the work 

Third casting

Casting wax:  From left to right:my father, my brother-in-law, me and José 'Picanio'.

During these summer weeks and with a trip to Lisbon in-between, I have melt by myself for the third time. My mates Ándres and Lolita couldn't come this time, so I felt like facing final  exams. I have been alone during the whole process; well, that's not really the truth as my brother-in-law, my father and  José 'Picanio'have been there giving me a hand when it was needed.

Removing casting wax

All the moulds after casting wax 

I've recorded some videos of the melting but they're not high-quality.

All the pieces after melting 

This time I've melted eleven micros (direct technique with crucible of ceramics shell incorporated). Three of them will be part of a new work and the rest are proofs and part of pieces which didn't turn out well in previous castings and which I'll use to repair them.

Here is my new work: 'PRIVATE HUNTING PRESERVE, Athene noctua - Smerinthus ocellatus'.

Sketches and studies of the work 

Wax model of Athene noctua

Wax model of Smerinthus ocellatus

I'd also like to show you the casting tree of the main piece (the little owl). I've divided it in two micros in order to facilitate the casting process.

The Living River II, Alcedo atthis

The Living River II, Alcedo atthis
Bronze, Iron and wood, 95x61x61 cm.

Details

The Living River II, Alcedo atthis
Bronze, Iron and wood, 95x61x61 cm.

First of all, I have to apologize... I haven´t much time to create and spread my sculptures. Despite that, I´ve been working a little...
Description of the process of creation:

 After making the main piece in bronze and preparing the wood which will be part of the structure of the work, I prepare a model in cardboard.

 After that, I cut the pieces of iron sheet, I smooth down the edges, weld and assemble all the pieces and colour the main piece.

I´d like to thank my neighbour and master in everything which has to do with iron and welding, Manolito `Perú´, who lends me his workshop every time I go to Rociana. Thank you, my friend!

Project Landscape

I want to show you the other project I´m running. This one belongs to the category of paintings.
 If you click on the above picture, you´ll be lead to the website of the project. This same image is placed on the column at the right.
 I´m looking forward to reading your comments.

Wetlands' Day

Female Black-necked Grebe, Podiceps nigricollis
Wax model, real size

In this post, I want you to see the wax models which will be part of an sculptural ensemble in process of creation. Last August, my friends Ándres Naranjo, Lolita Paz, Luis Cordero and me prepared the models of, among others, these works. We haven´t  melt them yet.
The sculptural ensemble is based on a scene I saw at the Navaseca Lagoon, near the National Park of Las Tablas de Daimiel.
Today, Wetlands' Day, I´d like to congratulate all those people who make an effort to save lakes and lagoons and their immense biologic diversity. I also congratulate those who enjoy watching these places, including me.

Male Black-necked Grebe, Podiceps nigricollis

Wax model, real size

 Black-necked Grebe chick, Podiceps nigricollis
Wax model, real size

Male and chick of Black-necked Grebe, Podiceps nigricollis

Sketch. Graphite pencil on paper, 25 x 50 cm.

Female Black-necked Grebe, Podiceps nigricollis

Sketch. Graphite pencil on paper, 25 x 50 cm.

Project Nostalgia

Lately I´ve been a bit tied up with being a father and my creative side is being ignored... in all its facets. My 'blogger I' was demanding attention...
With the beginning of 2013, I show you the webpage of one of the expositive projects I have in process.
If you click on the above picture, you´ll be lead to the website of the project. This same image is placed on the column at the right.
I´m looking forward to reading your comments.
I would also like to wish you a Happy New Year.

Views of landscape: Art and Nature

Organized by Daniel Marías,  professor at Carlos III University in Madrid, the exhibition "Views of landscape: Art and Nature" was opened last Monday 10th December. It will be opened til 21st December at the Miguel de Unamuno building in Colmenarejo campus. There it is possible to watch a selection of images of some of the works of artists such as Antonio Ojea, Juan Luis Alcalde, Gerardo Orellana, Santiago Osácar y José A. Sencianes, together with  Arturo de Miguel, Javier Grijalbo, Alejandra Rivas Nussbaum and mine, too.

I take advantage of this opportunity to thank Daniel´s effort. Organizing an exhibition with various artists is a challenge not everybody dares to take on.

61st International Autumn Exhibition

Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 6th, at 18.00,  the 61st International Autumn Exhibition will be opened. It is organized by Santa Isabel de Hungría Royal Academy of Fine Arts in the Villegas showroom, Casa de los Pinelo (Abades, 14- Seville). 

The little hunter

The little hunter  -Lanius senator

Bronze and iron, 120x57x57 cm.

Detail

This is my last bronze work; it has been chosen for the LXI Autumn Exhibition of Santa Isabel de Hungría Fine Arts Academy in Seville.
It will be opened next November 6th at José Villegas temporary exhibition hall  in the Pinelo´s House, 14 Abades Street , in Seville.
I´m sorry I can´t go; my daughter-to-be , Andrea Gaia, will be born around those days. My friends Andrés and Lolita will be there on my behalf (thank you, guys).

Picture of the leaflet 

Last activities

73th  International Contest of Visual Arts in Valdepeñas 

Alba
Bronze, iron and wood, 200 x 87 x 52 cm.

Alba (Detail)

Barn owl -Tyto alba

Alba (Detail)
Base of the work where we can see a shrew - Crocidura russula

I show you again the work (once finished) I made last year at the Course on Drawing and Bronze sculpture of Priego de Córdoba. 

Picture of the International Exhibition of Visual Arts in Valdepeñas.

I´m happy to tell you that this work was chosen for the exhibition at the 73th International Contest of Visual Arts in Valdepeñas, one of the most prestigious art contests in our country. The opening was on September 2nd  at the Cultural Centre "La Confianza" in Valdepeñas (Ciudad Real) and will be open until September 7th, from 9:30 to 13:30 and 18:00 to 21:00 (Monday- Saturday) and  11:00 to 14:00 on Sundays.

Pictures of the opening

D. Antón Patiño, guest artist and member of the jury during the opening.

 Me with Gael, David and David H.P. next to the selected work.

'Mythology' - Art Exhibit in Mota del Cuervo (Cultural Association 'Pequeña Mancha')

Ahtenea´s eyes, Athene noctua 
Graphite pencil and oil painting on wood, 60x42 cm.

Ahtena´s eyes, Athene noctua (Detail)
Graphite pencil and oil painting on wood, 60x42 cm.

I´d like also to show you this work, part of its creation process I showed you in a previous post. The above said work has been shown in the exhibition MYTHOLOGY at La Tercia exhinition hall in Mota del Cuervo (Cuenca), organized by the Cultural Association `Pequeña Mancha´, from August 26th to September 2nd.

Poster of the exhibition `MYTHOLOGY´.

I couldn´t go to it because of medical problems. I´ll try to link with the blog of the `Pequeña Mancha´ Association  when they give pictures of the opening. 

Second casting
I also spent part of August to cast some pieces. We met again in my parents´ village. This time, Luis Cordero came with us. We spent four days (and almost four nights) with the casting trees, baths and removing wax. 

 Improvised workshop of wax in my parents´ kitchen. We had brought the works modelled and spent two days and its nights repairing small damages after the journey and assembling the casting trees.

Some samples of works with casting trees.

 Andrés y Lolita beginning the process of bathing. It was about  11p.m. We decided to start so late in ordere to take advantage of the the cool of the night.

Assembling of the removing wax hood.

 L. Cordero controlling the gas.

The fire. The heat shock allows us to remove the wax and leave the moulds of ceramics shell cleared. 

Panorama of the moulds: 9 big pieces (3-6 kg) for direct pouring and 11 small pieces (less than 1´5 kg) of ceramics shell with built-in crucible.

 Later, alone (Lolita and Andrés had to leave because of work reasons), I casted three pieces. In the picture, weighing the bronze and putting it in the crucible.

 Casting workshop at the top floor in my sister´s house.

 The kiln with one of the pieces inside.

 Taking out one of the pieces. My brother-in-law helps me in case of leaks.

My niece, captivated by the beauty of the incandescence of the casting process.

Partially clean pieces. Except for small `rechupes´,the casting was almost perfect.

More information:
The first casting (creation and casting process). 
The long creation process (creating the works).