Andrew Whitehead Sculptures in Urana, New South Wales | Art

Andrew Whitehead Sculptures

Locality: Urana, New South Wales

Phone: +61 2 6920 8433

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25.01.2022 QUILTING THE TRUNK I have started adding the 'bark' to level 3 of the tree trunk . The square and rectangle frames will have laser cut names and business logos added much later . On the left and right sides are tree 'scars' that house representations of both Platypus and Broad Shelled Turtle. (these animals have significance to local indigenous folk. On the other (Rotary Badge) side I am yet to add a possum in a hollow and a hole for a tree python to emerge.

24.01.2022 CHECK MATE. I just completed 1 of 4 modules for level 2 . The design is a simple and repetitive checker board style as I want the unique name plates and business logos ( yet to be added) to be the star of the show .

24.01.2022 FELICITY FINISHED! I completed Felicity Fruit Bat today . The outer wing was a bit tricky given available space between the folded wings but I think its OK. Thanks everyone for the encouraging words and having now studied the animal and then created it, I have a new respect for these cute critters. More pics in next post.

23.01.2022 Last pics of Felicity Fruit Bat

23.01.2022 KATIE LOVES THE OXIDES! I have put Katie out in the weather to develop patina . On the galvanized iron I used phosphoric acid and on the non gal I used Zinc Chloride AKA Bakers soldering fluid . In time , frosty white and orange brown colours will enhance this beautiful Australian.

23.01.2022 TREE MODS. The good folk at SIBIO Engineering have made some subtle mods to the tree design to improve aesthetics and flow in the piece. I am looking forward to bringing it home and assembling my giant "Meccano Set" once they have built it. Then to start the design of the outer cladding .Watch this space for progress images.

23.01.2022 FROM AN IDEA TO REALITY The good folk at SIBIO Engineering have made my tree inner frame and done a great job! . There is another level of triple branches bolted on top as well as a multi layered leaf canopy. When it arrives I will start planning the outer layer which this frame will support. Only then can I position my new friends: Kenny Koala, Katie Kookaburra, Penelope Platypus and Felicity Fruit Bat. and 8 others TBA. cheers.

23.01.2022 MY FILM DEBUT LOL

22.01.2022 MORE SPINES FOR ERIC the ECHIDNA! I found some more so tomorrow I should finish Eric's spiny coat . This should make him look a bit closer to the real thing

22.01.2022 SHOWS END. Rained most of the day as Wollombi show ended today. Thanks to the good people who had a chat today and yesterday it makes it all worthwhile. Home tomorrow!

22.01.2022 more of Felicity Fruit Bat wing construction

22.01.2022 ERIC ECHIDNA................IT BEGINS! . I chose larger eyes than proportional to make Eric look more appealing to the kids ( it is also my cartoon style for these critters ). I am going to put a curly tongue in his mouth ,( that's what that cavity is for.) He will be positioned at ground level so his eyes are set looking upward to make eye to eye contact with the viewer. ( This seems to work for this sort of thing). 3 more pics in next post in 10 min . Once the spikes are on, he will be more recognizable as an Echidna.

21.01.2022 ERIC THE ECHIDNA DONE ! I finished my spiny anteater today. It will also go into the Mooroopna Community Tree Project some time next year TBA.. I think the kids will love him. What do you reckon? more pics in 5 minutes.

20.01.2022 A PRESSING TIME I had to manufacture 2 matching curved steel forms so I can press the frames and matching laser cut name plates into a uniform curvature to match the trees' circumference. This will take a while . I spent the last few days grinding the blue paint off the upper tree limbs and now waiting for the rust to happen prior to a ' penetrol ' bath.

20.01.2022 LEVEL 3 BARK COMPLETE Looking forward to finishing the "Quilting" process so I can make a start on the remaining animal sculptures . ( small creatures take lots of time to get right ). Next step is to quilt level 2 . then the triple branch limbs at level 4. Beer time !

20.01.2022 WRISTS , ELBOWS & (backward facing) KNEE CAPS.! . The work on our beautiful Felicity Fruit Bat continues . There is some tricky geometry yet to happen to make this work!!!!

20.01.2022 GOING BATTY Work continues on Felicity Fruit Bat. Slow and steady as she goes .

19.01.2022 Wow..... such an impressive fellow is Andrew Whitehead! He came to embrace our community, share his art, encourage collaboration of local artists and community ...and introduce the concept of his commemorative sculpture: Flamin' Hell. He did all the above in spades and gave us a few laughs! Overall, our first Conversations From The Couch series was a little atypical but very engaging and successful! Thank you to Andrew for sharing, Mumma J's for fabulous food, Rotary for assisting with food service and Border Trust and Murrumbidgee Health for assisting with funding these events for our community! Sooooo happy! Pictures are a bit dodgy cos I was star struck!! See more

19.01.2022 DEFINING THE BARK EDGE . Level 1 comprises 4 drop in modules. Each can be removed for ease of adding other components such as laser cut name plates and graphic community logos as well as scrap items . Level 2 comprises 2 bolt on modules, (Platypus and Turtle) plus I will be adding a possum (or two) and a non venomous snake. Tomorrow I will pick up the metal plasma cut fruit and name plate frames from Buraja Bush Designs . Once I have the frames I can start filling in the tree bark . I will add the name plates to the frames once I locate all the frames and fill in the gaps with scrap items.

17.01.2022 More of ERIC ECHIDNA construction progress.

17.01.2022 TAKING SHAPE. Felicity Fruit Bat is coming along nicely. The Farrier's rasps seem to work well as fur and the ears were cut from an old pipe . I better start studying her skeleton soon.

16.01.2022 CALM BEFORE THE FIRESTORM Having a contemplative moment prior to delivering a 1 hour Audio visual presentation to 50 members of the fire affected cross- border communities of Walwa and Jingellic The aims were: 1. talk about the benefits of public artworks and 2 . seek advice from the local Victorian and NSW fire team members and leaders on what they would like their volunteer fireman sculpture to look like. One of their members died in tragic circumstances fighting the big fires earlier this year. The community are donating metal artifacts reclaimed from the ashes for inclusion in the artwork. Thank you Janice and Trevor for great hospitality and Upper Murray Holiday Resort & Cottages for 5 star accommodation with a view hard to surpass.

16.01.2022 MEET FELICITY. Thanks everyone for those great name suggestions , much appreciated . I have chosen 'Felicity Fruit Bat ' as it has a staccato rhythm to it (much like their noisy chatter). Thank you Teri Klik for the suggestion. Isn't she a cutie ???? . I will get stuck into the nose today (please note how it is different from a dog's nose ) and also try to mount the eyes .. I think the wings will be a lot of work! cheers folks.

16.01.2022 MORE BITZ AND PIECES Today I welded up the fruit and veg that Buraja Bush Designs plasma cut for me. These apples, stone fruit, pears, grapes, cherries capsicums and tomatoes will go in the Mooroopna Community tree to represent some of the food grown in this region. I have chosen to suspend them from chains hanging from the upper limbs .This will make them easier to recognize and add more depth to the canopy.

16.01.2022 MAKING FUR! I am cooking a few Farrier's rasps in one of my gas forges to soften or 'anneal" this very hard metal. Once done I can cut and shape this beautiful textured finish into the curved portions of Felicity's curved hairy head. Should look sweet!. I will also have a crack at her ears tomorrow .

16.01.2022 THANK YOU ABC LANDLINE My " Sky Puppy" AKA Felicity Fruit Bat is getting some good numbers on the Landline FB Page. I have received many requests to build more but I am busy until Sep next year with larger projects.. Thank You to the crew at ABC Landline

15.01.2022 NEXT CRITTER ! The process begins again: Learn the subject in 3D, then search for scrap elements in the bone yard , decide on size and attitude = sleepless nights mixed with excitement , satisfaction and fatigue. (The joy of trying to live the life of an artist ) This creature ( the Broad Shelled Turtle) is to be included in my Mooroopna Community Tree Project in recognition that it has great cultural significance to the local Indigenous Yorta Yorta Nation .

15.01.2022 NEEDS A NAME........ This is my next project . The Mooroopna area is famous for its fruit so I think there may be a few of these critters lurking around in the trees . I need a name for this cutie? Any suggestions?

14.01.2022 Dead Weight? Started on Felicity Fruit Bat's inner folded wing ( LEFT) . As most of this wing is concealed by the other wing I didn't bother making the whole wing . The 'skin' is made from lead sheeting from the plumber's shop ,and secured by pop rivets . Each wing can be unbolted to facilitate work on the inside. I like the way lead can be molded around the wing ' bones' to reveal the anatomy of the bat. .

13.01.2022 WEATHER WONDER The rain and sun and (a bit of chemical assistance) has improved Katie Kookaburra's patina . by selecting different metals, the 2 contrasting colours are created by oxidation.

13.01.2022 OK, SO I JUST BUILT A BAT SCULPTURE ! So I thought this was appropriate LOL

10.01.2022 I picked up my tree yesterday! The good folk at Sibio Engineering did a great job . " Random" is very hard to do as ' art wise' as we always want to follow patterns and sequences . I am trying to achieve " Random" in the lower limb structure BUT uniform displacement of the leaf canopy ( which is what naturally occurs. ) we shall see if it works out.

07.01.2022 ROAD KILL REMEMBRANCE ? Not really . I am just finishing off Eric Echidna's undercarriage. Another day or two and I will post the final reveal. Very happy how he is progressing. Cheers folks and, thank you for supporting (and sharing) the sculpture process. Mooroopna Community Tree Rocks!!!!!!!

06.01.2022 JUST HANGIN' AROUND Using wheat bag hooks I collected over the years I fashioned one clawed ' foot ' for Felicity Fruit Bat . Strange physiology as their legs seem to be on backwards (knees bend the other way and the toes or claws can curl the tree limb from behind underneath (the opposite of a monkey )with all 5 digits on the same side. Felicity will be hanging from one foot only so she can groom herself with the other.

06.01.2022 ERIC ECHIDNA? Having a play with Eric's form and what sort of personality I give him.

05.01.2022 SPINY ANTEATER - ECHIDNA Eric has about 30% of his 'spines' done. ( I will need over 100). They are the replaceable tool bit teeth from a big bitumen road eating machine. (Like a giant rotary hoe ) these teeth wear out in less than a day . Once Eric's chest and front legs with claws are in place he will be more recognizable. When I finally place him on the ground I will locate then drill 2 small holes for the eye pupils ( A La Homer Simpson ) this will clearly identify where Eric is looking = in the eyes of the viewer.

04.01.2022 MORE OF KATIE KOOKABURRA mmmmm I think I might have to shorten the tail feathers.

04.01.2022 Bogan BBQ. A wood fire , a shopping trolley and a heap of chrome spanners. Getting rid of chrome and encouraging rust.

03.01.2022 TIM FISCHER MEMORIAL INSTALLATION ON HOLD AGAIN! Due to COVID19 and related logistic dramas, the installation of my Tim Fischer Memorial at Boree Creek NSW will not be until (maybe) August next year. This will be the second anniversary of his passing . All good things take time . see you there . cheers Andrew

03.01.2022 LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS GIG ! Meeting some amazing Walwa / Jingellic community members, talking about Art , and discussing local ideas about their own community art project. "Flamin' Hell" ( a volunteer tribute ) which I will build in 2021.

03.01.2022 IT BEGINS! trying to capture the vulnerable teary eyes in the previous photo image. I am playing round with the snout length . this will determine whether adult or juvenile ( and therefore the cute factor ) The eyes were difficult as they had to be set 'almond like' as well as pointing slightly outward in relation to each other. brew time!

02.01.2022 KATIE KOOKABURRA ROCKS! I am now waiting for a dark patina to form on the rusty elements using phosphoric acid .This should contrast well against the galvanized bits. (The white blotches that may appear are desired and will mimic the plumage pattern to a degree ,I hope ) After that I will Penetrol this pretty girl . 4 more pics of Katie from different views will be in my next post in 5 min. NEXT PROJECT = a cute Fruit Bat AKA "Flying Fox"

02.01.2022 PEEK- A BOO Today I made and installed 2 detachable housings on level 3 of the Mooroopna Community Tree project. These will accomodate a possum and python . Can you suggest some names? I am yet to build these 2 critters as well as cow ,sheep , Dethridge wheel , spider , butterfly and more .

02.01.2022 WORKING THE EDGES! While I think about how to tackle 'Myrtle The Turtle' I tried out my new MIG welder . I gave my lovely wife Daphne a brief lesson and in no time she was helping me weld up 36 quad stems, each with 3 gum leaves and one flower attached . These quads will be positioned directly under each of the 36 , 350mm Dia plasma cut leaf bunches in order to give some depth to the tree canopy. Once completed ,each leaf bunch will be part of 12, triple stem limbs and have further twin stems with leaves and gum nuts added. (what a mouthful) Anyway this post is titled' ' working the edges' because this tree is like a giant JIGSAW puzzle. So I have to start on the edges and work my way back to the centre. cheers (mmm now about that turtle shell ???????????)

01.01.2022 FOREVER HOME FOUND Today I installed my Freedom Run horse sculpture at Wollombi in the Hunter Valley. Is was purchased by the Turnbull Family who donated it to the community Thank you Yvonne and Andrew. Also thanks to son Joshua and Wife Daphne for help in the installation. It is located at Anzac Park Wollombi NSW.