More Matches More

Now that summer vacation has finally arrived (accompanied by the usual catch-up chores that need to be attended to around the farmhouse) I can devote more time to the carving of the large match sticks. I prefer to complete the hatchet/plane/sanding work outside while the weather is warm and the air free of bugs (the deer flies nearly carried me away in July!), as the pine shavings and debris are dusty and substantial. Besides, when else am I going to get any sun this year?


The obvious theme present in these works is both one of scale (taking a small, insignificant object and transforming it to a larger proportion) along with burning and consumption; these matches could be metaphors for concepts, places and even individuals who are consumed by their own nature.

Later in the year I will carve out detailed match heads and masks that will further solidify the identities of these ideas. I have set aside a stout chunk of white cedar that was recently cut down by a road crew, and I can probably get at least 4 faces/heads from it. Ofcourse I will again attempt to burn and blacken the roughened areas of the sticks when the snow has covered the ground.