The Koa People
These two sculptures are the first in a new line of activity for us: creative/artistic items that stand on their own as objects without any other function or "utility" than joy. For many of the items we make, we use "shorts", a.k.a cut-offs, from regional lumber yards. We get great satisfaction out of making items that add zest to the lives of others from materials that many other people consider "sub par". We take a democratic approach to our search for and use of materials. In our new sculpture line, we take it one step further: we are making art from the cut-offs of cut-offs! These pieces are made from the 'scraps' that we created in our own workshop in the process of making other things. We hope people get as much fun out of having them around as we do out of making them.
For our Koa People, the girl was the first one to materialize. Her body was a cut-off from the "Koa Slab Lamp" we made months ago, and her head/hair was a cut-off portion of a limb from an otherwise straight and flat piece of Koa used in a different lamp. Her "hair" was initially sliced away as we had thoughts of using the round portion on the lathe, but we opted not to do that and reattached her hair with copper wire, giving it an even more flowing look than the grain alone provided. Her copper arms are raised, she runs her fingers through her hair, feeling the wind. Thus, her name is "The Wind in Her Hair".
The guy materialized while she was in progress, with his body being formed as we cut away pieces for the frame of the Koa/Stained Glass Suspension Lamp. His head came to us in nearly its present shape, as it seemed someone at the lumber yard had already sliced and diced on it to form a strange pyramid. We simply cut off the top point, rounding it over nicely. He, too, has copper wire arms, and as we were forming them, the most natural position for this tall, lean guy in obvious motion was up at chest height, as he dances along. His name, accordingly, is "Walking on Air". The legs and necks for both of these items were scraps from our Koa Live Edge Lamp. The only pieces that were not twice cut are the bases, which we formed from two Koa slabs to add to the sense of motion and give them added support.
The Wind in Her Hair measures 17" tall x 13" long x 6" wide. Walking On Air measures 24" tall x 12" long x 6" wide.