SCULPTED PAINTINGS of Killarney and the North Channel, Georgian Bay · Aug 16, 07:35 pm

We are working up a storm this August! While I paint our Sculpted Piece 067, based on a Rolling Rock landscape of Killarney, Stu is multi-tasking and getting ready to lay in the reinforcing rods for Sculpted piece 069 by sanding and measuring, and once the coatings are applied to that piece’s surface, he will glue up the next large panel of Sculpted Piece 070!

What does all this mean? For details, follow our menu to Claustro and visit the Piece’s number (ie, 067, 069, 070) where you will see progress photos.

This also means that VERY SOON our private commissions will be completed (once 071 is completed in October 2011) and we will be creating pieces for the One of a Kind Show in Toronto November, 2011. In fact, I already have the sketches ready for the next 6 Sculpted Pieces!!!! VERY EXCITING work coming ahead!

We will give a sneak peak at each upcoming piece next month.

Click thumbnail to enlarge each image

  • Sculpted Painting, Primed and ready for Paint, August 2011, Sculpted Piece 067
  • Sculpted Painting, First coats of paint, August 2011, Sculpted Piece 067
  • Stu sanding out the epoxy to level the surface of the mahogany panel, 44 x 60
  • Stu getting ready to cut channels for rods, Sculpted Piece 069.
  • Just after cutting all mahogany pieces to length prior to laminating, Piece 070

— Carol Currie


Sculpted Painting Installation a huge success! OUR TALLEST and HEAVIEST! · Jul 15, 05:26 pm

This installation was no easy task … but a breeze for Stu the magician! Seriously, I could not have considered even transporting this piece to our client’s home, let alone hanging it on their wall.

Why? This sculpted painting was our tallest at 107 inches, that’s pretty much 9 feet tall. PLUS, the piece weighed in at an even 80 pounds .. not so easy to maneuvre to say the least.

How does one hang an 80 pound sculpted painting to ensure it doesn’t fall ??? Aside from a very good bracketing system secured to the back of the painting, the wall should be prepared properly as well … nope … I couldn’t contemplate it. (I just make things look pretty – haha)

But Stu did a tremendous job !!!!!!!! From creating a crate for our 8 foot truck to transport the piece safely … to engineering oak braces secured to the back of the painting … to installing the mirrored oak brackets on the client’s wall.

I think it took nearly an hour just to unload all the tools and ladders (and sculpted painting of course) from the truck before even starting the math to install the oak hanging brackets onto the wall.

Stu carefully measured and calculated to install the 5 oak braces on the client’s wall … he found drywall, lathe and plaster, and wood beams throughout the process, and nearly 6 hours later, came the REAL TEST.

… the test AND task of lifting the 80 pound sculpted painting onto the installed bracing. Would it fit? Would they hold? MAJOR DRUM ROLL!

And I couldn’t believe it (well yes I can, because Stu is that awesome!) … the piece fit PERFECTLY and held firmly as if this piece had been there for years!

Champagne was opened to celebrate this glorious occasion!

Cheers to the clients and to Stu! (and Cheers to me too!)

Click thumbnail to enlarge each image

  • Tall Sculpted Piece
    Back bracing for purposes of installation.
  • To show its height, check out Stu holding this 80 pound sculpted painting, while I take photos.
  • Stu preparing to install our tallest at 107 inches, and heaviest at 80 pounds sculpted painting.
  • Stu anchoring the first of three oak braces. Note the sculpted painting on the left of the photo (profile).
  • Stu preparing to install the sculpted painting.
  • Sneak Peak of Stu installing wall anchors from the back of the sculpted painting.
  • Cool shot of the profile of the painting while standing on the ground ... I can imagine a piece like this as a room divider.
  • Tree Carving Closeup Primed
  • Tree Carving Closeup Before painting
  • Closeup of Carved Tree Painted of sculpted painting entitled, Balancing Boulder, July 2011.
  • If you look careefully, you will see 'double shadows' within the sculpted painting ... one real shadow from the carving, and the other a painted shadow
  • Hallway taken from Entranceway, BEFORE installation of the sculpted painting.
  • Hallway taken from entrance AFTER sculpted painting was installed.
  • Hallway as viewed from the top of the stairs, BEFORE installation.
  • Hallway as viewed from the top of the stairs, AFTER installation of the sculpted painting.
  • Installation of Sculpted Painting entitled Balancing Boulder, Toronto, July 2011, 26 x 107.
  • Installation of Sculpted Painting entitled Balancing Boulder, as viewed from mid-staircase.
  • Balancing Boulder
    Sculpted Painting
    26 x 107
    Private commission, July 2011
  • Artists, Stu and Carol, in front of the installed Sculpted Painting entitled "Balancing Boulder", 2011
  • Balancing Boulder
    Sculpted Painting
    Installation July 2011

— Carol Currie


SCULPTED PAINTING installation MAY 2011 - Lil Rock, Big Rock, Tree of Killarney · Jun 4, 06:31 pm

So we picked the HOTTEST MUGGIEST 37 degree day to drive to Toronto to install our most recently completed Sculpted Painting!

Ah yes, I am sure everyone remembers Tuesday May 31st, 2011 as a record breaking hot day!

But a great day nonetheless!

Stu did a tremendous job installing this beautiful triptych, while I sat back and enjoyed a nice glass of specialty dessert wine offered by our client.

Okay, yes, Stu got some too … of course, once all his important measuring was complete!

I have to say though … our client lived very close to the new face of the AGO and what a gorgeous addition that is! Toronto is really getting some beautiful architectural buildings – the AGO, OCAD, and I absolutely love the addition to the ROM! SWEET!

Click thumbnail to enlarge each image

  • Little Rock, Big Rock, Tree
    Sculpted Painting
    34 x 46 Triptych Acrylics on bas relief cedar panel Private Commission
  • Entrance Wall, BEFORE installation of Sculpted Painting, May 2011
  • Entrance Wall AFTER Installation of Sculpted Painting, May 2011
  • Stu working on an Installation in Toronto for Sculpted Piece, May 2011
  • Stu getting out his tools for the installation - bracket one of three installed!
  • Stu demonstrating to client about hanging brackets ... two of three Sculpted Paintings installed, May 2011
  • Client and Stu admiring the Installation of the Sculpted Painting, Toronto, May 2011
  • A nice mirrored reflection of the Sculpted Painting as you as enter the foyer.
  • View of Sculpted Painting from the staircase, Toronto, May 2011

— Carol Currie


Relief Carving of Killarney, Georgian Bay - SANDING and COATING and CUTTING our most recent sculpted painting · Mar 28, 08:56 pm

Stu is working on our latest Sculpted Painting commission of Killarney Georgian Bay. At this stage, Stu has completed the carving and as shown, has to sand every crevice of the wood surface to get ready to start coating the piece to seal the wood.

Stu continues to work on the piece as a single panel until the piece has been fully coated (front and back).

This piece will be a triptych installed at 34 × 46.

To view the whole wood process from start to finish, visit this link from our Claustro site Claustro Studio Process

Click thumbnail to enlarge each image

  • After completing the carving, Stu spends hours and hours of fine sanding the work using several tools and techniques. Here, Stu is using one of his larger sanders.
  • The sky on this piece however requires patience and skill in fine sanding with a much smaller tool. It's crazy hard!
  • Closeup of how Stu uses this smaller sanding tool carefully in each crevice.
  • Stu applying the final coating before priming and cutting to size.
  • Stu brushing on epoxy left to right to seal the surface of the wood.
  • Stu pooring and brushing the epoxy onto the wood surface ensuring the epoxy is soaked into every crevice.
  • Closeup of Stu applying the second coat of marine quality epoxy to seal the wood surface.
  • Getting ready to cut the panel into a triptych.
  • Laying the lines to make the rough cuts to size.
  • The panel is flipped on its back and clamped to the table to allow an accurate straight cut with the handsaw. HERE WE GO!
  • No turning back now! Stu is making his second cut.
  • And that's a *thumb's up*! The single panel is now a rough sized triptych.
  • Stu suiting up to use the heavy handtools. He's very safety oriented. yah think?
  • Once the template is placed on the panel, Stu uses a handsaw to make a closer cut before using the router.
  • Stu using the router to get the accurate cut alongside the template.
  • Closeup of the wood panel on the bottom and the template clamped on top ... the router created the perfect final cut.
  • Carol measuring the spacing between panels to ensure accuracy of composition.
  • And there it is ... the final triptych. Now Stu will coat the freshly cut edges and put the final coatings on the piece before it goes to Carol's studio.

— Carol Currie

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PROCESS of LAMINATING THE WOOD fo our sculpted paintings (relief carvings) · Mar 28, 08:46 pm

Below are photos of how our mahogany wood has transformed from planks of wood, to a refined panel.

It takes hours of careful planning to choose the wood pieces that will fit perfectly together … where each piece has to be lightly sanded to ensure a tight seal.

A ‘dry run’ is performed of each piece into the clamps so that the system is ready to rock when the wood pieces are wet with epoxy where there is no room for error.

Well over 3 Litres of marine quality epoxy is used, mixed one cup at a time on a per use basis. Time is of the essence while the epoxy kicks.

Stu has the patience of a master carver that’s for sure! I am better at staying back and acting as camera man.

To view the whole wood process from start to finish, visit this link from our Claustro site Claustro Studio Process

Click thumbnail to enlarge each image

  • Stu Leggett starting CLAUSTRO Sculpted Painting #066 - 1" x 26" x 107".
  • The mahogany strips get a 'dry run' of their clamping procedure before any epoxy is used.
  • Stu mixing epoxy - this is the first cup of what will be well over 3 Litres of boat builder's quality epoxy resin used to glue up this panel.
  • Stu brushing the epoxy resin on to the mahogany strips.
  • Stu placing each piece into the clamps.
  • Ready to tighten the clamps.
  • The piece is clamped and the curing process has begun. The piece will stay in the clamps for several days.
  • View of clamping from the end - awesome joints!

— Carol Currie

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