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Tormento del Viento

This is the piece that I blasted through this week. 38 hours over 5 days (as well as the day job). This piece was made to be a background piece in a independent film that an associate if shooting this weekend. He was nice enough to offer to place my piece in a key scene to help promote my work if I turned something cool for him.

7 1/2" tall x 4" wide, sycamore. Turned, carved, bleached (3 times), sanding sealer and 2 coat lacquer finish buffed to a satin sheen.

The name literally translates to torment of the wind, but is also a phrase translated to Thoughts that Torment me. The scene in the movie is a very intimate (non-sexually) and emotional one where essentially a man is with the woman he has recently fallen in love with in her last moments. My initial thought was a piece that celebrated the "happiness" of the moment as they are together, just being in this place but then during the carving stages I realized the duality of the moment, he's in love and happy to be able to be with her in these moments, but at the same time he must be in torment over the knowledge that he will lose her in this life when the moment ends. The thorns represent his torment, twisted and entwined with his happiness, fighting in duality while the soft white exterior represents the purity and innocence of the moment they are sharing.

Photo Details

Chris Wright

Registered: November 2004
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 1,684

0

Date: Sun August 13, 2006
Views: 3,380
Keywords: tormento del viento

Comments

Junior Adams

So this is why i dont have wood yet... Just kidding bro!

AMAZING piece. I think you nailed it. A very strong symbol of the moment. I wonder if anyone watching the movie (other than us) will pick up on it? The only thing more amazing is the short time frame you did it in! Congrats on the MAJOR promo!!! Pack it up tight for delivery!!!

Let us know what, and when the movie is!! I know i will be buying a copy!!!

#1 Sun August 13, 2006 7:05am

Chris Wright

Thanks Junior, yes this is pretty much what's been keeping me...don't worry though, your box is on it's way along with Tony's.

I hand delivered it today and the actors were pretty amazed. They first thought it was ceramic sculpture until they looked closely and saw the grain running through it (it's turned end grain by the way). As for the movie, don't know if it will be available for sale, it's a small indy film, but I'll ask. I want to get screen shots of the scene for posting... Wink

#2 Sun August 13, 2006 7:10am

wheelie

did you make this with your fancy carving tool?

#3 Sun August 13, 2006 8:41am

Dave Bowers

This really turned out well, especially for the time crunch conditions. I find it's sooooo much easier to make a mistake, er...I mean design opportunity on my carved turnings when there's a deadline fast approaching. So why the bleach 3 times? Did it not get white enough the first 2 times or was it for better penetration of the bleach?

#4 Sun August 13, 2006 11:27am

Ugly Duck

Lee Goehring

Pretty awesome, Chris. When you do a carving on a piece, do you draw out the shapes first on paper or the wood, then carve it in, or just design as you go and trust your artistic self to get it right?

#5 Sun August 13, 2006 12:22pm

Gary Ljostad

Chris this is wonderfull. Leaps and bounds above your last carved piece. I really like the randomness of the carving and the overall form is right on. The only problem is, how do you get better then this? Well done.

#6 Sun August 13, 2006 1:13pm

big red

outstanding piece, you out did yourself again

#7 Sun August 13, 2006 1:28pm

cfuller

That's just beautiful Chris! It blows me away when I think of the patience and skill involved here, let alone the artistic creativity. My first thought before reading your description was of something growing from a coral reef. But Tormento del Viento is very fitting.

#8 Sun August 13, 2006 2:48pm

jdmathis

I really like this piece Chris. Great carving especially considering the time frame.

#9 Sun August 13, 2006 3:58pm

Chris Wright

Thanks everyone, as for getting better, I already know and can see ways/places I could have done better and will for the next one, mainly in the overlaps and the inside. This was done with a dremel and the TurboCarver II, I used a large kerf saw blade in the dremel to outline and remove the larger areas that would require a big opening, then the rest was with the TurboCarver. It was great as a first major project for the TC as I already have a list of burrs to buy for the next one.

Dave, I did the bleach 3 times to try and get it consistent. Some spots absorb more than others resulting in a better white while others appeared splotchy. It could have been my eyesight at 5am, but I figure why take the chance that I was right. Wink

Lee, I did start out by drawing a grid for reference, then after having no luck sketching it, I erased it all and just started carving. Once I had about an inch worth that I was very happy with, I then drew out the next section and then carved it, working in sections of about 25% the surface area at a time, that way if inspiration hit me, I could simply adjust part way through. This really contributed to the randomness of the piece.

Gary, better than this, well, bigger for one...these little ones are a pain! Wink

#10 Sun August 13, 2006 5:19pm

Not too bad for an amatour; ya ever thought about bein' professional? Yeah, yeah, I know, lad, the day job pays the bills.

I don't have the patience for this kinda thing. If I can't be done w/a piece in six hrs then I probably won't tackle it. old age? could be but doubtful, just laid-back

#11 Sun August 13, 2006 11:09pm

Kevin Denny

Amazing piece Chris. Your passion and love of wood really comes out in pieces like this one.

#12 Mon August 14, 2006 1:17am

stirlo

bloody hell that is one fantastic peice.

#13 Mon August 14, 2006 8:50am

Chris Wright

Thanks for the great comments Smile

I decided to enter this in the WC Decorated Vessels contest, we'll see how it does. Smile

#14 Mon August 14, 2006 11:10am

Chris Wright

I'm officially entered, ID 363. Some stiff competition though, every entry looks like a winner. http://207.35.224.157/EntryIndex.aspx?Contest=4

#15 Mon August 14, 2006 6:47pm

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