Sculptor's Adze

Sculptor's adze.

My very good friend, Jonathan Mahood, gave me a deal on his old sculptor's adze today. I plan to use it in my attempt to make the dugout canoe for the SunBurn winter solstice celebration on Dec. 21st.

Jonathan is a masterful artist with a rare talent which awed me the first time I saw his work over 20 years ago at art school. He creates such amazing work in whatever medium he chooses, I might be jealous if he wasn't also one of the greatest guys in the world.

He's decided to focus on comics with his Bleeker daily and doesn't work wood much anymore. The adze is practically new. He told me a story a while ago. He made a wonderful, monumental wood sculpture years ago for the local high school. It was placed outside the school for all to enjoy. But one person complained about the creosote in the wood - the stuff they coat railway ties with to preserve them - and the sculpture was taken down. With all the lack of contemporary understanding and appreciation for fine visual arts, I understand why artists decide not to continue producing fine works. I could rant for hours and hour about this stuff, but I'm just gonna stop.

Check out his Bleeker blog (here) and his comics.

I hope I can do justice to this tool that a master has used.