Chris Harvan

The Squid, Custom Infant Urn

Chris Harvan — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:20:37 +0000

The only way I know how to make any sense of death is to make something beautiful to commemorate the life lost. I hope this work helps my friends continue to heal from the tragedy they experienced and still struggle with. The process forced me to think about Dylan and process the event more than I would have otherwise.

Dylan Lucas Mathews was referred affectionately as “The Squid” while in utero. The choice to focus on this seemed obvious, but I don’t normally work so subjectively. Keeping the approach respectful and beautiful was imperative to keep it from becoming comic or kraken like.

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Squid and Ink Dry Run

Chris Harvan — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:43:00 +0000

Final sanding and finishing is all that remains.

Squid Ink and Tentacles

Chris Harvan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:15:28 +0000

Started roughing out the tentacles on the squid and have the first phase of the walnut “ink”. The walnut is from the tree we took down to build the garage shop.

Turning Ink

Chris Harvan — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 00:51:36 +0000

So, yeah. This walnut wad is a little bigger than my lathe likes, but shooting chips that hit ceiling is always fun.

This will be the bottom half of an urn for one of my closest friends. The top half is a squid. This part is intended to become the “ink” that projects the little guy to the heavens.

Jenkins Mantle

Chris Harvan — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:07:08 +0000

Just realized that I have no images of this project on this site. Since I am now forwarding TheAlternativeObject.com to this domain, I will need to get more of these and other furniture projects here and in a proper portfolio.

Say “aghhhhh”, Squid.

Chris Harvan — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:43:34 +0000

Opened this guy up. About to hollow him out further. Cannot wait to sculpt the tentacles.

Squid En Route

Chris Harvan — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:47:22 +0000

This piece of Holly is sooooo precious. Fits the subject. Now just to walk the fine line of not exploding it on the lathe.

Live Edge Cherry Mantle

Chris Harvan — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 12:40:07 +0000

Made this for my uncle from a cherry tree in his back yard that was struck by lighting.

Hew Hefner Part 2 – Cheaterpants

Chris Harvan — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:36:54 +0000

Hewed a whole side by hand but wasn’t getting the kind of results with the broad axe that I wanted. We would have had too much clean up. So I switched to the chain saw and “Beam Machine” and milled the two sides that way.

Might have been a technique issue or I might just not be man enough to swing a broad axe, but I did realize on the drive home that I was holding a right hand axe setup like a lefty. Would have resulted in more knuckle comfort and maybe better results. Also, a previous owner of the axe head put too much back bevel on the backside of the blade and it tended to wander away from the cut. Plus, I should have made that handle longer. Anxious to try again.

Hew Hefner Part 2

Chris Harvan — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:09:42 +0000

GAH! Realized after the fact that I was using this lefty.