Copper Leaf Studios

copper maps ~ custom copper artwork

Cuyahoga County Headquarters Installation

Last week was the official opening of the new County Administration building!  Despite the requisite nervousness, the artwork was safely delivered and installed, and now hangs for all to see on the 4th floor at the entrance of the Map Room.  I thought you’d enjoy some installation pics!

It took a dedicated (and patient) team of five to measure and hang the artwork, which had its challenges due to the non-rectangular shape and the overlapping sections.  Oh, and the fact that a smoke detector was installed in an unexpected location, low on the wall and slightly off-kilter to the right, making a centered piece appear off-center and potentially running into Bratenahl.  Adjustments were made and cities were spared, and I figure I’ll just make a Kelley’s Island-shaped smoke detector cover :)

 

Copper Leaf Studios Cuyahoga County map for headquarters

A lovely pic of the completed piece in its new home.

 

Which begs the question, what’s next?

 

There is always a bit of a depression after big projects end — not in the emotional sense, but more like pressing into a piece of clay and finally letting go.  It takes time to regain one’s natural shape once the pressure is released.  Time to breathe slowly again, time to find equilibrium, time for the stark emptiness of the studio to slowly be filled with new ideas and creative energy.  In the meantime, a bit of rest and some planning.  Finish a few small orders on my plate, and pick up and shake the dust off my shop.  Call a few friends and family I’ve been neglecting, and watch a few more sunsets.  And breathe a little more slowly and deeply.

Until next time, hug your loved ones~

Chris

Copper Art on a Grand Scale

I have an exciting piece to share with you today, one that has been in process for several months and in conversation for several years.  The owner originally found me at a show, and after emailing a handful of times over a few years, she returned to say that she had traveled much of the country and hadn’t seen anything quite like my work, and would I create a large scale piece for her home?  (An aside: the email came just days after I lost my job and was mustering up the courage to take my business full time.  That, my friends, is the sound of the Universe clicking into place.)

The piece is seven feet tall (just over 2 meters), so it currently ties for the largest piece I’ve created in metal.  (The COSE piece in the terminal tower beats it by a thread.)  The new piece is affectionately called “Red Tree”, because I couldn’t think of a better name.  It began as this thumbnail sketch:

It was designed to hang in a foyer — the straight side of the tree parallels a second floor opening, while the organic edge reaches over a nearby doorway.

Here are a few fun pics of the piece in progress:

The above photo shows the center section of the tree in progress — it will become the lower half of the red leaves.  I love this photo because it shows the various stages of the copper.  The blue square is a new piece of copper, with the protective film still on.  The pinkish squares are etched with maple leaves and scrubbed clean.  The orange squares have been given a heat patina, which helps create a more vibrant red color later.

The same middle section with the branches laid out:

Almost finished — using different thicknesses of backs to create the necessary layering:

Paying someone else to install it, priceless :)

My favorite detail shot, showing the layering and where the trunk peeks through the leaves:

On that note, I’m ready for a vacation!  My lovely man and I are heading up to Canada in a few days to enjoy a week of campfires and hiking and stargazing and nothing-doing before show season kicks in.  I’ll be closing down my shop and setting my email to autopilot Thursday evening, and will be offline until the end of May.

Take care, I’ll miss you all!!

Chris