Sculpture by Roane

Catching The Wind

"Catching The Wind," American Black Walnut, 46 inches high and 23 inches wide.

Catching The Wind is a highly-stylized, almost abstract eagle in flight. I really like this on ebecause it is very "arty". As a kid in Eastern Montana I watched many a hawk and eagle catch the wind in a thermal over a dark summer-fallow field and soar into the heavens. For some reason we were always taught to watch them so they didn't swoop down and carry off a chicken. I never did see it happen (though I once shot a sunk that was sucking eggs in the hen-house).

I cut this sculpture from a forty-year old walnut log that I had kept around for just the right inspiration. This eagle had been waiting for me to free it. I did this one "freehand"; that is, I didn't create a small maquette or model first out of clay and then transfer the design to the larger log. In fact, I didn't even draw a sketch for it. I really enjoy going for abstract form that has a strong suggestion of recognizable form. While I was shaping this one, the upper wing reminded me of a sail that suddenly snaps full and carries the boat forward: this is the real reason for the title "Catching The Wind".

Catching The Wind is one in a series of birds I am sculpting. Here I have tried to capture the beauty and majesty of great birds such as hawks and eagles as they take flight with powerful wings and fly away. This piece has some wonderful grain in the rich, walnut wood, and is accented with a few worm holes and natural wood markings. The sculpture turns out to be very light, but I have to say that even though the log was well-cured and dried out, it was much too heavy to lift. Chain saw and sculpting tools removed most of the weight and gave the log the fluid lines that made it possible to catch the wind and take flight.

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