Burning Crosses & Crucifying Birds

In preparation for some upcoming sculptures I've been doing some small experimental pieces so that I can test out the visual effects of various combinations of resin, hair and fire on wood. 

 

Burnt Cross Test Pieces/Maquettes, 2020, by artist, Wayne Chisnall

I had started off the test procedure by building small wooden frame structures to work from but soon realised that this was too time consuming and unnecessary so instead opted for simple cross structures.

'Crucified Bird' (Burnt Cross Test Piece/Maquette), 2020, by artist, Wayne Chisnall

This proved a much better option as I was able to knock-up (the English, as opposed to the American, usage of the phrase) loads of test structures and try out a wider variety of hair and resin mixtures - as well as other materials, as is evident with the 'Crucified Bird' piece. I will state at this point, that I never kill animals for use in my artwork. The bird in this piece was a gift from a neighbour's cat, and well and truly dead before it go to me.

Burnt Cross Test Pieces/Maquettes, 2020, by artist, Wayne Chisnall

Because of the rather toxic fumes and smoke given off by the burning of resin, I conducted my experiments outdoors, in my garden - all the time, trying not to dwell on the rather negative connotations of burning crosses in gardens.

'Unlockdown' Collaboration, Piece 1 (Completed)

A tad more complex than I'd originally intended; this first piece in the collaboration project (now titled 'Unlockdown') between myself and the talented artist, Sharon Griffin, is finally complete. Whilst documenting the sculpture I was surprised at how drastically its outline changed when photographed from different viewpoints. So here are a few pics of it, from those different viewpoints.

1st sculpture from 2020 collaboration project between British artists, Sharon Griffin & Wayne Chisnall

My earlier posts about our collaboration cover the nature of the project and how it works. I was tempted to simply cut and paste in those details from an earlier post about our project but as I'd already done that at least once before I thought it best not to, to keep from going over old ground. If you are interested however, please feel free to check out any of my earlier Collaboration posts.

1st sculpture from 2020 collaboration project between British artists, Sharon Griffin & Wayne Chisnall

Throughout many of the project discussions that Sharon and I had, one of the themes that kept coming up concerned the notion of 'the self'. I don't know if it was with this in mind, or whether I just started reading more into the work as it developed, but I came to view the piece's external framework (and internal to an extent, as the oak battens penetrate the body of the central ceramic figure, locking it in place) as a form of cage. This provoked me to consider the potential loss or imprisonment of the self, through the cages that we build around ourselves; similar to how we conform to, and are restricted by, the stories of our own lives. Stories we tell ourselves and stories told about us.

1st sculpture (detail) from 2020 collaboration project between British artists, Sharon Griffin & Wayne Chisnall

1st sculpture from 2020 collaboration project between British artists, Sharon Griffin & Wayne Chisnall

One of the things I love about art (more so with sculpture) is the slow reveal of extra layers of meaning that frequently occurs during the creation process. I never truly know if these ideas are always unconsciously there, or whether it's a meaning that I impose upon the work because of the way its developing, and the visual suggestions it presents. Either way, the ideas and notions that are thrown up often go on to inform further work and future lines of enquiry.  

1st sculpture from 2020 collaboration project between British artists, Sharon Griffin & Wayne Chisnall

Black Lives Matter Fundraiser

Here's a selection of recently executed small oil paintings that I had previously offered for sale at £200 each (plus postage) as part of the #artistsupportpledge scheme. I'm re-offering them at the same price, and any money raised from their sale will be donated to Black Lives Matter causes/charities.

Small oil paintings by artist, Wayne Chisnall, on sale for £200 each, to raise funds for 'Black Lives Matter' causes

Please feel free to DM me via my Instagram or Twitter page if you are interested in any of the pieces. 

Small oil paintings by artist, Wayne Chisnall, on sale for £200 each, to raise funds for 'Black Lives Matter' causes

To view larger images of any of the paintings in the montage of images check them out my Instagram feed.

Here are the details of the available pieces -

1 Horse Rider & Poppies, 22.2 x 11.3 cm, oil on plywood.

4 Stroke Bunny, 24 x 15 cm, oil & charcoal on plywood.

5 Skull, 22.4 x 17 cm, oil on plywood.

13 Thames Embryo in Wonderland, 21 x 30 cm, oil on book cover.

15 Skull Boy, 22.3 x 17 cm, oil on plywood.

20 Tentacle Lovers, 16 x 23.4 cm, oil on chipboard.

27 Twigs in Wooden Nook, 19 x 14 cm, oil on plywood.

31 Skull & Cross Bones, 17 x 13.4 cm, oil on mount card.

33 Fig. 1., 21 x 17 cm, oil on mount card.

35 Blind Dinosaur, 19 x 29 cm, oil on book cover.

40 Blond Hair & Hand Bag, 18.4 x 10 cm, oil on mount card.

43 Hollow Dog Floundering, 19.4 x 15.8 cm, oil on mount card.

44 Rock Hopper Hollow Dog, 22.5 x 16.3 cm, oil on mount card.

46 Meaty Hair, 21.2 x 14.4 cm, oil on mount card.

50 Hollow Dog Carcass, 20 x 13.6 cm, oil on mount card.

51 Clown Nipple, 10 x 7.5 cm, oil on mount card.

54 Saintly Long Dog w Staff, 22 x 15.8 cm, oil on chipboard.

61 Death Loiters, 27 x 19 cm, oil on mount card.

66 Corona Currency, 16 x 20 cm, oil on mount card.

A Rose Tripod #2 (2018), 15 x 10.2 x 1.8 cm, oil on canvas & plywood.

B Leggit! (2018), 15 x 20 x 1.7 cm, oil on canvas & plywood.

C Gill Man (2018), 14.5 x10.3 x1.8 cm, oil on canvas & plywood.

As I am writing this, painting number 66 has just sold because of a post I put up on Instagram. So I'd like to say a big thank you to Eleanor for her kind purchase/donation.

Frankenstein's Log

The Frankenstein part of the work's title comes from the appearance of the join between the upper and lower halves of the sculpture. It reminds me of the creature from Mary Shelley's most famous novel; having been stitched together from different body parts. Although, my sculpture wasn't put together from parts of different trees. I just glued it back together after having accidentally smashed it two when I was trying to break off a section that I didn't want.

'Frankenstein's Log', 2020, sculpture by British artist, Wayne Chisnall

At the time I really should have realised that the weakest point in this hollow log was going to be across the "mouth" section. However, breaking it at that particular point did allow me sufficient enough access to work on creating the gums and inserting the teeth.

Detail from 'Frankenstein's Log', 2020, sculpture by British artist, Wayne Chisnall

When I glued the two halves of the piece back together I thought I'd accentuate join with the addition of handmade, rusty staples; giving it a look reminiscent of Boris Karloff's portrayal of the monster in the 1931, James Whale film version of Frankenstein. I do have a nostalgic fondness for those early black and white horror films.

Detil of staples from 'Frankenstein's Log', 2020, sculpture by British artist, Wayne Chisnall

The upper section of the piece originally had three branches but I rounded them off to create bulbous horns.

Rear view of 'Frankenstein's Log', 2020, sculpture by British artist, Wayne Chisnall

I think that, at some point, I'm gonna have to take a photograph of myself, cradling the piece in my arms, à la David Lynch's Log Lady from TwinPeaks.