Morph XIV

Morph XIV, last of the “Romans”

Morph XIV is a hybrid, incorporating elements from Morph IX and Morph VI. The cantilevered curl-over in this sculpture was made possible by the wood’s natural, internal grain structure.  This piece is also a mobius like Morph IX and turned out to be the last sculpture in the Morph Series.  (Rumor has it, I discontinued the Series to be finished with Roman numerals.  You’ve probably read elsewhere on this site that I’ll never number my work like that again.  Confusing to both you and me!)

Blending one era into the start of another

I had already begun creating glass sculptures, but was still scheduled to show my wood art with del Mano Gallery at SOFA Chicago 2010.  And I was very much looking forward to it, even though I was now between two worlds.

While I was creating Morph XIV, I found myself wondering whether this cantilevered curl-over design would be possible in glass.  Would it translate at all into my new medium?  Well, it did. Morph XIV became part of the inspiration for my glass piece, Ode to Morph, unveiled at the end of June 2013.  A second sculpture, Morph VI, gets double influence credit — for this piece and for Ode to Morph.

Being inspired by your own work is not plagiarism. It’s building on the past, incrementally.