LOCKDOWN JOURNAL: COVID-19.24 (Obie Butcher)
This sculpture took its inspiration from trying to introduce a new internal form within an existing three dimensional object The idea focused on a non linear transecting stepped tunnel through a sphere.
The mathematical issues were worked an out by my friend and then the sculpture itself was created at a furniture and creative design wood centre in Norwich. Layers of square poplar wood with a window cut through each were stacked to create a cube which was then glued together. The sphere was then made from the cube on a lathe. Finally the sphere was sprayed with a polyurethane paint in pearl night blue and the tunnel was painted white.
I was really pleased with the end result as I think the sculpture itself creates an unusual optical dislocation of the eye and is an interesting object to look at.
Obie Butcher
After completing a PhD in Behavioural Neuroscience Obie became an art teacher in Spain and then on his return to the U.K took his artistic interests into environmentally themed work. Between 2010-2012 he ran his own community art project business offering art activities to local communities and schools in the Norfolk area. During this time Obie also volunteered as an Environmental Education officer for the Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Lopham Fen in Suffolk and ran his own Marine and Coastal Wildlife Watch Group. Through the Suffolk Wildlife Trust Obie learnt about Forest Schools, carried out the level 3 training and then embarked on a new career as a Forest School Leader.