Wood/Music Sculpture

Final Sculpture project was to interpret a piece of music using wood as the medium.

Music: Spaghetti Western - P.Sellers

The music has discordant qualities with multiple instruments joining in as the music spiraled. Ending with a solo piano echoing softly. I was successful in creating a piece with a visual connection to the music.
My piece was constructed from collected branches, a block of lumber, and toothpicks. One large curved and swirling branch was trimmed of extra branches and attached to the vertical standing block. The block of lumber was cut at an angle at the base to activate the work. This effectively addressed the discordant nature of the music and solved the issue of balancing the weight of the large branch. The large branch was attached to the block using glue and shims created from twigs. The twisting curve in the main branch represents the main melody of the music and creates movement as it spirals down to meet the block. The block grounds the work creating balance while representing the contrast of the flowing melody and the discordant sounds. Smaller twigs were debarked, pinned and glued to the bottom of the large branch at the transition point of the block and branch. The branch grows from the block and from this meeting of block and branch the smaller stripped branches sprout. The white color of these branches contrast with the main branch. Although the line and shape are repeated in these smaller branches they represent a shift and growth in the music as instruments are layered. Carved toothpicks were inserted at the points in the large branch where branches were trimmed. This again created contrast giving a thorny appearance to the flowing branch and emphasizing the discordance. Finally, branches were sliced into round disks. These were grouped together as if floating and climbing from the ground creating repetition and variety.




Yes. It was large and unweildy.

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Spaghetti Western website: http://spaghettiwesternmusic.com/