In the Studio: Arabesque Finds Her Range, A New Fountain Takes Shape
Arabesque, at home
With the sculptural door Cruisin’ now installed in Flagstaff, Arizona (see for yourself in Cruisin’s photo gallery), Kevin has turned his attention to two other commissions that appeal to the senses….
Arabesque, an 8-foot-tall sound sculpture with three bells, is now installed in the yard of a home near South Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona. “I’m really pleased with this piece,” Kevin says. Despite the size of the bells, Arabesque’s sound is low yet not loud.
After seeing the water feature Dripping Springs at the Fairmont Scottsdale resort, a North Carolina couple commissioned Kevin to create a fountain for their home.
The interaction began with a simple message sent through the contact form on Kevin’s site. “Then they sent a photo of their front entry and we chatted,” Kevin says. Next, he created some designs and inserted them into the photograph they had sent. “We put the designs in a private area for them on the Web site, and they chose their favorite.”
Duality, during testing at the studio
Based on their choice, Kevin then put together an agreement that spelled out what he was creating, when it would be ready, what it would cost, and other details. “It’s important that patrons feel comfortable about the process, especially when they live far away,” Kevin observes.
In 2006, Kevin purchased a 59-year-old central Phoenix auto repair shop, which he immediately began converting into his studio – while he created sculpture. He also began renovating the space. He replaced electrical wiring and plumbing, expanded the tool room, remodeled the office, and relocated the work sink.
The east face of the studio
Perhaps most important is Kevin’s efforts to enclose the large workspace. “I thought having shade would be enough,” Kevin says. It became clear, though, that being able to better control the temperature and airflow would be an important improvement to allow him to create larger and more sophisticated sculptures. Accordingly, Kevin has, slowly but surely, added doors and walls.
Nearly four years to the day since he purchased the property, Kevin enclosed the last section of the work area. “It’s a great feeling,” Kevin acknowledges.
There is still plenty to do, however. Kevin continues to work on controlling the temperature. “I doubt I’ll ever have air conditioning in this space,” he admits. His next improvement is adding insulation to mitigate the summer heat and winter chill. Says Kevin: “It’s a work in progress.”
Creating a sculpture is seldom a linear process. In his latest video, “Finessing a Sculpture,” Kevin talks about the painstaking work on his sculptural Klein bottle. View it in the Video section of Kevin’s site.
WHAT’S THAT?
So often, people see something in Kevin’s arsenal and say – well, you know. “What’s That?” focuses on a subject that is dear to many people’s hearts: tools….
Just Cut It
By now, you probably know that Kevin has many tools for specific uses. This issue, we focus on a tool that can cut almost anything.
A Sawzall
Popularly known as a Sawzall (the name is a trademark of the Milwaukee Tool Company, but it is often used generically), a reciprocating saw cuts on both the in and out strokes. It has a slender blade that is open on one end, letting you slip it into difficult spots.
For example, Kevin recently took his Sawzall along during the installation of the sound sculpture Arabesque to slice off the top of the bolts that hold her to the foundation. He’s also used it to reach into the intricate frame of the Klein bottle to remove small sections to accommodate new cross pieces.
The Sawzall is also good for mundane tasks such as cutting up scrap wood. “It’s just an all-around handy tool,” Kevin says. His version requires an extension cord, but you also can get cordless versions that can be used more easily out in the field. “If I could only have a handful of tools on the proverbial desert island,” says Kevin, “this would be one of them -providing the island had electricity.”
If you’d like to
know more about a specific tool, material or process, let us know. Email
us at info@kevincaron.com
SOMETHING SPECIAL JUST FOR YOU
Looking for a way to
make life more joyful and peaceful for yourself or a
friend who seems to have everything? A sculpture, fountain or
garden bell might just be the answer. Besides, you have an
“in” – you know the artist!
And it’s easy: Just
email info@kevincaron.com or
call 602-952-8767 to arrange for a private complimentary consultation. Or contact us if you would simply like to visit Kevin’s studio – he’d love to give you a personal tour.
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For more frequent
news, sights and sounds, keep an eye on Kevin’s Web site at www.kevincaron.com, which
we update often.
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issue of MUSeINGS, or you know someone who is looking for a
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CONTACT US: Kevin Caron – 5831 N. 46th Pl. –
Phoenix AZ 85018-1236 – 602-952-8767 – info@kevincaron.com –
www.kevincaron.com
