I’ve been holding onto this post for a long time, because of course, no sooner to than you want to declare that you’re done carving then you see some little details that you need to deal with. Finally I had to keep it under cover for about 3 weeks until I forgot exactly what it looked like, then I uncovered it could see it fresh. I was happily with what I saw. It’s a big raw thing, but I’m pleased with the amount of details verses the overall volume of the form. It seems balanced and even, and I’ve settled on it.

What an adventure making this has been. By adventure we think we mean climbing mountains, paddling rivers, or riding a moped to South America, an endeavor whose outcome is unknown, entailing possible risk. But this sculpture has been a journey to the unknown too. If people wonder how I can be so compelled to follow this through to the ending, it is because I do not know where the ending is, and it is a process of pure, joyful discovery. How often can you say that about life? A mountain is a hard thing to climb, but when you stand at the bottom, you are in fact in possession of everything you need to accomplish the task, and all else depends only on your will and enthusiasm. How often are you alone set to a task where you posses all the abilities and resources to accomplish it? “Truth is a pathless land…”, and can only be found by oneself. This sculpture is a journey for me to knowing the Truth, and I find it as fascinating, exciting, dangerous, and fun, and any mountain I’ve climbed or, or adventure I’ve had. If people say, that sculpture is so tedious to do, I say that tedium is made out of doing what you know already or looking for what you can expect to find. Such are most of the efforts of our lives, inevitably.

Anyway, and now, here is the completely carved figure.

One side:

The other side:

Close up:

So next, I’ll want to apply a finish, probably an oil varnish, to protect the wood and mellow the color and texture.