Sandhill Cranes - wood sculpture #112

I used to live in New Mexico and would watch the Sand Hill Cranes migrate each fall and at the end of winter. They are so beautiful and graceful. This piece is a Red Cedarwood sculpture on a stained mahogany base, with lemon oil & polyurethane finish. I collected the aged Cedar in the woodlands down the street from my home on Cape Cod. When I work wood with my rotary tools, the piece often shapes itself, meaning that certain rotted parts break away (And this piece had a lot of rot!). I'm never sure what will be revealed. After shaping and sanding the figure, I coat it with lemon oil to bring out the beautiful cedar colors. Then I spray it with polyurethane to preserve and protect the piece. That also saves you the trouble of having to re-oil every few months.

Eastern Red Cedar wood is widely known for its heartwood, which tends to be red or violet in color. Its sapwood is a pale yellow color and can appear throughout the heartwood as streaks and stripes. Known as the “Tree of Life” by Native Americans, the Eastern red cedar was and still is used in ceremonies.

I hope you love my art as much as I love making it.