HAPPY 4th JULY 2024

From all the creatures of Katydom to all of you, may you have a happy and fun July 4th.

Some of the large insects shown here also participate in the Annual Insect Race that happens in Katydom, a fictional world where humans are small, and insects are large. The rules that govern this annual event ensure that all contestants compete on an equal footing and accordingly all are restricted to ambulatory rather than aerial participation. The Katydids are the custodians of these rules and of other historical matters that are recorded on the wings of the Katydid elders.

The story of Katydom is evolving and we will be providing updates during the year as well as when we celebrate July 4th.

The Stag Beetle below is a major force to be reckoned with in the annual insect race.

The Katydids are custodians but also competitors in the Annual Insect Race

Dung Beetle Types

The insect and humanoid collection of sculptures continues to evolve with new pieces in development. The additions are part of a narrative that will explain the relationship between the members of this fantasy realm and their lifestyles. The dung beetles’ ball building talent and the different uses the balls can be put to is the current focus. Not all dung beetles make dung balls or roll them and their different methods of building nests for eggs are a characteristic that separates and defines the different dung beetle species. Telecoprids shape dung into a ball and then roll it away from the dung source. Female telecoprids typically shape the dung into a big ball that is rolled to a brooding spot where she lays a single egg inside the ball. The brooding ball acts as a home and food source for the egg as it changes to a larvae and pupates to emerge as a young adult. Male telecoprids make smaller dung balls that they use as food for themselves and for their female mates but they also make larger balls to display their competence when seeking a female mate.

 Most of the dung beetles in our fantasy world are based on telecoprids but the paracoprid or dwelling dung beetles and the endocoprid or tunnelers and their social burrowing  ways have clearly impacted our telecoprids as they re-purpose their dung balls.

The concept drawing here is showing a humanoid on a swing with a young adult beetle inside a repurposed dung ball that has become the creche for young creatures. This will become a bronze sculpture soon and Martin has begun sculpting the ball pattern. The new piece will be smaller than the bronze ball that is available with a female telecoprid.

The telecoprid female rolls her brood dung ball, a feat that shows her engineering skills , navigational aptitude and formidable strength.

A Guide to Welding Sculpture

The skill set developed in  creating bronze and steel door handles has proven an invaluable foundation for Martin Pierce’s art work. However, until we recently met Maria Ramirez-Adams we were unable to document the welding and patina techniques used in both hardware and art. Maria’s skill in capturing these moments will be the focus of this and other posts.
For those unfamiliar with the different types of welding www.thecrucible.org provides some very accessible well written pieces as well as instructional courses.
To assemble the components parts of a door handle we use the TIG welding method which does have a slow learning curve but is well suited to welding different thicknesses of metal and to welding very small pieces that need just enough weld to form a tight small bond. TIG welding can be used to weld either our 316 marine grade stainless steel or our silicon bronze castings. The abbreviation TIG stands for Tungsten inert gas also known as tungsten gas arc welding. TIG welding works by heating up the areas of metal to be connected and by inserting a welding rod of the same metal in this area to create a pool of melted metal that will form a connection or weld. The welding torch has a tungsten electrode that, on contact with metal, sparks to form an arc. While the electrode receives a constant current of power the voltage is controlled by a foot pedal which when depressed shortens and intensifies the heat of the electric arc.

Photography Courtesy Maria Ramirez-Adams

Argon gas plays an interesting role, it’s purpose being to protect the welding process from contamination. The gas passes through the welding torch and shrouds the arc of the torch thereby preventing the weld area from being degraded by oxygen and other elements that could impact the integrity and strength of the weld. Argon gas is inert or inactive so it does not combine with elements in the air or work area so works perfectly as a shield.

To see Martin in action welding visit this informative video by Maria Ramirez-Adams.

The Hornet on Apple is a limited edition of 30 and is part of a collection of larger-than-life insects and diminished scale humans. The piece weighs 32lbs, measures 13"W x 10"D x 13"H and is a welding challenge. To attach the human to the apple the surface of the apple is heated first and then the welding torch is brought closer and closer to the human and apple and a small area of the foot and apple are melded or tacked together to form a temporary connection. The welding rod is then melted to fill in the remaining gap between the foot and apple.

In door hardware the non-operative door trim typically the requires fine TIG welding. For example, the operative Hedgerow passageway set has moving non-fixed parts and is assembled with through bolts and a spindle that activates the door latch. By comparison,  non-operative version is fixed in place and the lever is welded to the backplate using the fine TIG technique.

Left: Showing weld before clean-up Center: Buffed Right: Operative Form

A simple and complicated mold for lost wax casting

  A simple and complicated mold for lost wax casting

 Martin’s art journey continues and the story line of the insect world of giant insects is evolving as he begins to depict the dung beetle’s family life.

In nature many dung beetles have been photographed  moving their prized dung balls with alacritous backward leg movement. The dung ball is prized as it can be used as a food source or as a site for the female dung beetle to lay her eggs in which is called a brood ball.

In Martin’s fictional world he has opted to create a more faceted airy dung ball and one with organic hollows that will eventually be populated with offspring or dung beetle artifacts.

The patterns has been created, 3 molds have been made and the first red wax replicas have been poured.

The dung ball pattern began with a turned round wooden ball. A hollow fiberglass shell was molded over the ball by applying successive layers of fiberglass cloth sandwiched together with resin. Once set, the fiberglass ball was cut and removed from the wooden ball leaving a hollow shell. An organic design was drawn onto the face of the shell, and using a Dremel, sections were cut out and removed. The fiberglass shell was coated with three layers of gesso which was sanded to soften the edges. The shell was sprayed with primer and work on the mold began.

While the mold was made using simple compounds the process was complicated and time consuming. Layers of liquid rubber were built up inside the perforated shell. To prevent the rubber from pouring through, the holes of the shell were filled in with pieces of modelling clay molded by hand to fit each irregular hole. The outside of the shell was then coated with coats of liquid rubber and once set the rubberized outer shell was hardened with successive applications of fiberglass cloth and resin. Prior to the mold being made the pattern was treated with a release agent to prevent the mold material from forming a permanent bond. The end result is a 2-part hollow mold that is now used to make red wax replicas of the original pattern.

Happy Labor Day

While we humans may get a break from work those in the larger animal kingdom will still be buzzing and digging as they toil to create  honey and dung balls!

Our new sculptures include a dung beetle and Martin is currently creating an artistic portrayal of dung  beetle ball which will be the latest addition to his bug themed sculpture  series.

Our bees are still thriving in bronze and those who follow this blog know that we have recently added a bee cabinet knob to our flying creature collection of cabinet pulls.

Our fascination with bees was piqued by a book we are reading “An Immense World” by Ed Yong in which he devotes a chapter to the electrical world we live in. The planet’s daily thunderstorms are prolific running into the thousands and they create a massive electric circuit where the earth is a negative  and the air a positive charge. Bees buzz in this electric field passing by flowers who because they contain water are rendered negative or grounded. As bees fly through the air, they assume the positive charge of the air around them and when they land on a flower to suck nectar the negative pollen is attracted to the bees negative force and literally rises up towards the bee. For those able to remember their early science classes, this electric attraction is similar to what we observed as children when a magnet was used to pick-up iron filings.

Returning to the theme of this blog, labor day is not a holiday celebrated by bees or dung beetles both of which will be working overtime during this 3-day holiday.