Joe Rundell still sculpting (and engraving)

[rod]

Joe sent me an update letter, and some newspaper clips from "The Flint Journal", which is his local newspaper. I went into the newspaper's web and downloaded the photos he sent me in the cuttings, and have posted some here to let you know that he continues to be engrossed in his huge commission to sculpt in life size, a series of US auto industries heroes, to be cast in bronze. His region is connected with General Motors, he worked with them for many a year. His subjects will not all be local heroes, because Mr Chevrolet was Swiss born, and Mr Buick was a Scot, from Arbroath. These two gentlemen have already been sculpted by Joe. The full size Chevrolet is bronze cast, as is the head of Buick.

Joe is also picking up his gravers from time to time, and doing some commissions concurrently with his big stuff. So listen up you young whipper snappers, if you had any thoughts of retiring in your sixties, to drink six packs on some tropical beach, forget about that, Joe's got his second wind, and looks like they want quite a few more bronze auto heroes after these two.

Working in the arts lasts a lifetime, when you have the passion.

Rock on , Joe!

Rod

 

[mtgraver]

Rod
Inspiration indeed! Keep it up Joe, love the photos and be interesting to see the next batch of sculptures.
Thanks for the update, Rod.
Mark

 

[rod]

He is indeed an inspiration, Mark, you are too, good buddy!

Quite frankly, I would not mind a few beers on a tropical beach, ideally a sabbatical year would be nice, to catch my breath, I have been at it 24/7 since the early seventies when I shifted from a 'proper job' to the life of a starving artisan. Been sweating over a hot lathe, Mark, and finally got two new flutes into the mail yesterday, bound for Portugal, where they will be uplifted by a Brazilian musician, currently on a concert tour of Europe, and taken back to his home town of Manaus on the Amazon River. Complicated, but that is the best way to do it. Otherwise, life is routine, that is, apart from getting a skunk out of the crawl space of our house...

How is it with you?

best

Rod

 

[monk]

that's total talent from the inside out

 

[Tira]

Thanks for posting the pictures. Joe looks like he is in his element!

 

[mtgraver]

Rod,
I've only been at it 20 years without the proper job, lol, and wouldn't look back. Thank you for the kindness, I feel the idea of inspiration is the passion stirred in the soul to take that piece and build. I'm behind the proverbial 8 ball with two rifles to complete in short order. One is in support of our local historical society and the other for an old friend. Completely different styles of work but both offer the fun of embellishment that is the reason I love what I do for an existence. I am always in awe of those that can make a truly realistic rendition of a person in whatever medium.
I suppose I've wasted enough time enjoying the works of others so I should be get back to the dungeon .......... but man! is it a gorgeous day, good thing it's too cold to fish or I'd be thinking of a way to get an extension on a deadline, lol.
Be well my friend and enjoy the day, our leisure time is the charging mode for the next drop of blood we give to our passion.
Best regards,
Mark

 

[mtgraver]

Rod,
I've only been at it 20 years without the proper job, lol, and wouldn't look back. Thank you for the kindness, I feel the idea of inspiration is the passion stirred in the soul to take that piece and build. I'm behind the proverbial 8 ball with two rifles to complete in short order. One is in support of our local historical society and the other for an old friend. Completely different styles of work but both offer the fun of embellishment that is the reason I love what I do for an existence. I am always in awe of those that can make a truly realistic rendition of a person in whatever medium.
I suppose I've wasted enough time enjoying the works of others so I should be get back to the dungeon .......... but man! is it a gorgeous day, good thing it's too cold to fish or I'd be thinking of a way to get an extension on a deadline, lol.
Be well my friend and enjoy the day, our leisure time is the charging mode for the next drop of blood we give to our passion.
Best regards,
Mark