Creative Kids Museum Sculpture Finished

The Collaborative Sculpture for the Creative Kids Museum at TELUS World of Science - Calgary is now complete. Here is the first picture of it. It's not hanging up in these images. I have it placed on the concrete patio area in our back yard. One of the guests at the museum, named Elizabeth, suggested that the girl and boy are looking at a caterpillar. Elizabeth said that because the girl was made of butterflies she was wondering where she came from. I liked the idea and so added the caterpillar. Thank you Elizabeth!

This is a detail of the leaves on the boy and above is detail of the butterflies on the girl. I hope you are able to see the different textures hammered into each leaf and butterfly in these pictures.

Artist Space and CKM scupture - The Boy

I have now welded on the textured leaves on the Creative Kids Museum's collaborative sculpture. I am putting pads on the back of the sculpture and spraying on a protective coating today.

This is the first part video of the my set up at Artist Space at the Creative Kids Museum at the TELUS World of Science, Calgary. Corinne, my wife, is narrating. Sorry, we are just filming on a little digital camera. Short videos and poor sound quality, but it does give you an idea of what I was doing at the CKM, if you didn't get a chance to visit.

I will be in on Dec 9, 10 and 11 for my final 3 days at the CKM.

It's been an incredible experience. Thank you to all that stopped by while I was there. Thank you to The Creative Kids Museum for accepting my proposal to be a short term artist-in-residence. I highly recommend the experience for other artists. I have come away having learned to work under observation, how to do workshops with small groups and have increased my comfort level talking to people of all ages. I have been inspired by the interest, curiousity and questions posed to me during my residency. Thank you again to the CKM and the incredible families that visit!

Fisherman's Dream Completed

Fisherman's Dream was a commission I completed for special clients that have been long time supporters of mine. I appreciated the opportunity to do this sculpture. It was made from sheets of 16 gauge steel, and the base was 3/16 plate.

It took approximately 200 hours to complete.

Change in Artist schedule at Creative Kids Museum at TELUS World of Science - Calgary

On Friday, November 30, 2007 I will be at the Creative Kids Museum at TELUS World of Science - Calgary from 5-9 pm during the members only Christmas party. If you are going to be at the party, please stop by the Artist Space. Cheers! Geoff

I'll be at CKM Nov 26, 27, 30 and Dec 1 & 2

Doodle by Kierra, March 2007

Fighting Potatoes by Geoff Sandhurst, 2007

I have had such inspiration from my children. They love to challenge me to take their doodles and turn them into a coloured pencil drawing. They try to doodle something difficult to try to stump me. I have examples of these drawings and doodles at the Creative Kids Museum at TELUS World of Science artist space. Come on down and see if you can match the doodle to the drawing it inspired!

Schedule for this week at the Creative Kids Museum at TELUS World of Science, Calgary

I'll be in the Artist Space this week for 4 hours each day on Nov 19, 20, 22,23,24 2007. The collaborative sculpture is about 40 % completed now with help from visitors to the CKM. Here are some answers to frequent questions I have:

1. How many pieces are there to texture for the CKM collaborative sculpture?
There are 200 pieces to texture to make 100 butterflies. There are 100 pieces to texture to make leaves. There is approximately 60% left to texture.

2. What kind of leaves?
The leaves are based on trees that grow in Alberta - oak, ash, maple, and poplar

3. What kind of butterfly?
The butterflies are based on Painted Lady butterflies that are found in Alberta.

3. How long did it take to make the hammers?
The 4 texturing hammers used to texture the butterfly wings and leaves took me 40 hours to make.

4. Can I help hammer the textures on the leaves and wings?
If you are over 13 years old and can follow instructions carefully. This particular project is using 16 gauge steel and was created for adults to hammer at the CKM Birthday party fund raising event. The tree stump at the artist space is quite tall. The hammers can be damaged if they are not used properly, so please listen to the demonstration carefully and then you can help create the sculpture. My wife runs the demonstrations and will be there on Saturday.

5. Can a sculpture be designed that children younger than 13 can work on? Yes, a shorter tree stump and thinner gauge metal can be used to create a sculpture. If your organization is interested in commissioning a collaborative sculpture, please contact me to work out the details.

6. What have you been working on at the Artist Space?
I have been grinding the bodies for the butterflies. They are all finished now. Time to start welding them all on to the wings.

That's it's for now. Please stop by and visit me at CKM!

Progress on the Collaborative Sculpture for the CKM

Here are some pictures of the progress to date on the Collaborative Sculpture for the Creative Kids Museum at TELUS World of Science – Calgary . These pieces were textured by guests that the 1st birthday party and then I sanded back and formed them. These formed butterflies and leaves will be welded to the wire mesh frames of the sculpture of the boy and girl looking through a magnifying glass, when all the pieces have been textured.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE DAY 1 Creative Kids Museum at TELUS World of Science – Calgary

Day 1 in The Artist Space at the Creative Kids Museum at TELUS World of Science – Calgary . My wife, Corinne and our children, Caelin and Kierra, helped get everything organized and packed up to take over. Corinne and I set up at the musuem yesterday.

Today our wonderful kids helped us with the finishing touches and then explored the wonderful museum and science centre.

Our artist workshop involved cutting out paper butterflies and leaf rubbings from textured cardboard pieces. These textures were previously hammered onto the cardboard using the same hammers that areused to texture the metal butterflies and leaves for the CKM Birthday sculpture. The children were able to chose to keep the butterflies or leaves or stick them onto a paper replica of the CKM Sculpture. Thank you to the group of kids and parents we worked with for this very first session!

A Little Bit of History

In 2005, I completed a commission for a Calgary couple. It was a 11 1/2 ' w x 6 1/2' h wall map of three provinces with 6 symbols. along the bottom a train sat on a train track with trestle bridges. The oil pump jack and the train had moving parts, until I had to weld the moving wheels of the train to the train track. Pictured here are the full map and the 6 of the symbols.

I thought the sculpture would be finished in 6 months, but it took a year. At the time, I was working full time and creating sculpture after work in the evenings and weekends. I appreciated the couple's patience and kindness. Creating this sculpture was pivotal in convincing me that I was ready to sculpt full time. Thank you!

PHOTO CREDIT FOR SYMBOLS - DAVE CORRY - FILM FARM

Urban Encounters Tradeshow - Interior Designers of Alberta

Thank you to the Interior Designers of Alberta for the positive feedback at the Urban Encounters Trade Show. It was my first trade show and I appreciated the sharing ideas with the other exhibitors. Metal sculpture makes for a heavy load in and load out! We were the last ones to pack up and go. Thanks again to everyone that took time to stop by our booth and chat with my wife, Corinne, and I.

Alien III Completed

Alien I and III. Photo Credit - Guy Shulan.

Alien I, on the left, is in my personal collection. I sculpted Alien III , on the right, this year as a commission for a one of my clients.

Creative Kids Museum

It's time to load in at the Creative Kids Museum at TELUS World of Science – Calgary . I am looking forward to my time as the Artist in Residence from Nov 11 - Dec 13. Please stop by and visit!

I had a wonderful experience at the 1st Birthday for the Creative Kids Museum at TELUS World of Science – Calgary. We worked on a collaborative sculpture I designed to celebrate the first anniversary. Corinne (my wife) and I brought in 4 tree stumps generously donated by Aerial Tree Services in Calgary. Guests at the party helped me with the creation of the sculpture by texturing leaves and butterfly wings with texturing hammers I made for the evening. I am bringing the sculpture with me for my residency in Nov/Dec to have the last of the pieces textured. Then I will finish up welding the pieces on the sculpture frames dipicting the boy and girl looking through a magnifying glass. Once it is complete, I'll bring the sculpture back to the Creative Kids Museum. I think the sculpture goes on display at the Museum until the next birthday party and then it will be auctioned off at the fundraiser. Thank you to everyone that's helped out so far.

URBAN ENCOUNTERS TRADE SHOW

I am a sponsor and will have a booth display at the Interior Designers of Alberta “URBAN ENCOUNTERS” – a Table Top Trade Show on Wednesday October 24, 2007 at the Round-Up Centre, Stampede Park, Calgary, AB. If you are interested in attending, please contact me at geoff@sandhurstsculpture.ca as I have a limited number of invitations. Look forward to seeing you there!

I am excited to announce that I will be the Short Term Artist in Residence at the Artists Space at the Creative Kids Museum in Calgary, Alberta from Nov. 13 – Dec. 13, 2007. There will be opportunities for museum guests to work with, speak to or see demonstrations with me. I am looking forward to being inspired and hope to be a source of inspiration. Look forward to seeing you there! For location and more information please see www.creativekidsmuseum.com.
I am currently working on a T-Shirt project with the theme of inspiration. Please contact me for more information at geoffsandhurst@sandhurstsculpture.ca. Sculpture at left: T-Rex approx. 6' h 2007

I completed my contract with Calgary artist Jeff de Boer to assist in the creation of Jeff’s design of the Barbed Wire Horse for the Glenbow Museum for the permanent exhibit that opened March 24, 2007 called Mavericks: an Incorrigible History of Alberta. My work involved creating the head and the leg portions of the horse. Thanks Jeff for the opportunity to work on this project!

Sandhurst Sculpture Inc.

Geoff Sandhurst - Artist Bio

Geoff Sandhurst is passionate about sculpting with metal, combining meticulously formed and fascinating found pieces.

In 1994, Geoff placed first with his entry "Spawning Salmon" for the Friends of Carhenge (www.carhenge.com) sculpture contest.

In 1996, Geoff's focus shifted from found metal to metal forming, fastening and fine detailed craftsmanship after taking a workshop at Haystack Mountains School of Crafts taught by Silversmith, Tom Muir.

Starting in 2001, Geoff appreciated the opportunity to work for over three years as Technical Assistant to the talented Calgary artist, Jeff de Boer, interpreting some of Boer's creative designs into reality. Geoff has honed his skills with patience and diligence.

His experience in the theatrical industry involved props/sets for theater on the productions of Wicked, Annie, Little Women and Disney Hong Kong.

Geoff Sandhurst's sculptures reflect his personality. His work spans the serious, the humorous and the whimsical. He also recreates children's drawings into lasting heirloom sculptures. Twenty-Five years of coaxing and manipulating metal has strengthened Geoff's passion for creating unique metal sculptures for commercial and residential display.

To view Geoff’s work in person, please stop by:
Artspace Gallery
2nd Level at Crossroads Market
1235 - 26 Avenue S.E. Calgary, AB T2G 1R7
Ph: 403.269.4278 Fax: 403.291.0356 info@artspace.ca

Geoff is a member of Facebook and Blogger.com under Sandhurst Sculpture

For further information contact geoff@sandhurstsculpture.ca.