Lustrous and hard-wearing, epoxy resin has risen in popularity among contemporary artists. Its versatility comes from being able to be combined with other ingredients such as pigment powders or even other objects like flowers and sand. In the case of Blake McFarland‘s work, he prefers to pair resin with different wood varieties. Since retiring from baseball, he works full-time as an artist, creating stunning sculptures of animals like wolves, bears, and beyond.
His elegant approach merges the robust qualities of wood with the glass-like finish of resin. While the majority of these animal sculptures are composed of mixed woods, he leaves key areas like the head or back of the subject to be filled in by transparent resin. This adds a sparkly finish to the pieces.
In each work, McFarland begins with a block of wood and resin. He then uses various power tools to sand it down to the desired form, always with finesse. The wooden composites feature different varieties like Cherry, Curly Maple Buckeye Burl, and many more, adding to the intricate aesthetic. “I love working with new materials and always challenging myself to learn something new,” he says.
You can commission a sculpture and find available work for purchase via McFarland’s website. Scroll down to see more amazing art and be sure to follow the artist on Instagram to keep up to date with his latest projects.
Retired baseball-player-turned-artist Blake McFarland creates sculptures of animals out of wood and resin.
He mixes different varieties of wood, including Walnut, Mangowood, and Zebrawood to form his creations.
His subjects include everything from magnificent rhinos to graceful swans.
Part of the sculpture is more wood-heavy, while the other features the glassy finish of epoxy resin.
He begins each piece with a block of wood and resin an then sands it down with power tools.
The results of his hard work are well worth the effort.
Blake McFarland: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Blake McFarland.
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