"Drifter" - A Fish Story ... Bronze on Bamboo

    Have been busy getting some new pieces finished for the upcoming show season at Saltwater Artists Gallery in New Harbor. As has been my habit of late, I pulled out a few items that I had stashed away for use at a future date. Turned out that now was the 'future date' for a bronze fish ( an unused "extra" from an earlier bronze piece), 2 small pieces of driftwood, and the backing of a dismembered bamboo knife rack. 
    First I had to determine where I would place the driftwood on the bamboo and then the fish on top of the driftwood. Next I tackled the challenge of how I would attach these elements to the bamboo backing. I started by adding small wooden pegs on the bottom side of each piece of driftwood that would eventually be inserted into corresponding holes in the bamboo. I then added a short length of threaded rod to the back of the fish and drilled a hole through the section of driftwood where the fish was going to be positioned (and through the bamboo beneath). 

...last of the bronze fish

...small driftwood pieces

...bamboo knife rack backing

... drilled and pegged driftwood

...creating Wenge fish

     Additional elements would be needed to enhance and complete this relief composition, and I decided on making several smaller fish that would be "swimming" in the opposite direction. I cut out and shaped 4 much smaller fish (about 3 1/2" long) from a 3/16" thick strip of Wenge wood. The dark color of the smaller fish created a great contrast to the light color of the bamboo, the bronze fish, and the driftwood. Before attaching the relief elements, I added hanging wire & eyelets on the backside, and a wooden "bumper" along the lower strip of bamboo to help the piece hang flat against the wall.

...backing holes drilled & Wenge fish attached

...driftwood attached

     I started the final assembly by gluing the 4 smaller fish to the bamboo and, once they were secure, I glued the 2 driftwood pieces into position. The last step was to place the bronze fish into place with its threaded rod through the driftwood and bamboo, then tighten the nut and washer. Voila! The piece was complete! On to the next...

" Drifter" - completed (14" x 5 1/2" x 3/4")