EGG SHELL SCULPTURES - AN ANCIENT ART FORM

Egg Shell Sculptures by

Blackhawk

About the Photo . . .

Three sculptures are displayed against a showroom window. From left to right:

"Dragon's Flight of Fantasy" ~ Goose Egg Shell Sculpture ~ an intricate pagoda (shown) and a dragon in flight (back - not shown), entwined in a delicate lace of bamboo. (sold)

"Global Relief" ~ Ostrich Egg Shell Sculpture ~ The world atop a trio of brass elephants. Detailed relief work of major rivers and mountain ranges ~ reflecting the true delicacy of our world. (Note: this is the original piece - replications available)

"Enchantment" ~ Duck Egg Shell Sculpture ~ featuring an enchanting fairy princess resting on a spider web, done primarily in relief. (This was a commissioned piece - sold)

About the Artist . . .

Blackhawk moved west with his family when he was young. The inspiring scenery of the Inland Northwest drew him to Spokane in 1988. There, his art evolved into a custom engraving business, which is still successful today. His mastery of engraving includes fine crystal, deep stage engraving, mirror art and intricate designs popular for weddings.

The desire to expand his artistic horizons led Blackhawk to explore a little known art form - Egg Shell Sculpting. This art form dates back to ancient times.

An Ancient Art Form . . .

Egg shell sculpting originated centuries ago in the Far East ~ exotic and delicate, this art had been all but lost to the world. Only a few master sculptors possess the delicate touch and artistic ability necessary to sculpt this material. Blackhawk is one such sculptor.

Using an array of tools he is able to recapture the beauty that time nearly forgot. Though modern equipment is used in his approach, he still creates each sculpture by hand.

Nature's Most Fragile Canvas - Transformed . . .

The process commences ~ Once the design, egg type, shape, stand and base are selected, extreme care is taken selecting the canvas - ensuring the shell is of nature's finest quality. As only non-fertile eggs are candidates, natures intent of recreating beauty is soon fulfilled. The shell is emptied, cleaned and prepared for transformation.

Blackhawk begins the transformation when he pencils the chosen design onto the shell. There are no templates used - all the artwork is designed and applied freehand.

Surgical precision is required as the selected portions of the shell are cautiously removed. A steady, delicate touch is called upon as the relief (lightly working design into the shell without breaking through) work begins. As the intricate process evolves, the desired image appears.

At the Most Fragile Stage . . .

Once sculpting is completed, pencils lines and topical imperfections must be removed. To do so, Blackhawk cradles the sculpture in one hand, applies an abrasive powder and with a soft brush scrubs the surface clean.

Still intact, purification begins - removing any interior discoloration. Candling, followed by magnified examination, detects any possible flaws and determines whether the sculpture will be completed.

Pleasing the Artist's Critical Eye . . .

Passing intense scrutiny, the sculpture is finally hardened with an acrylic coating, preserving its timeless beauty. The final steps include mounting the sculpture to the chosen stand and base, then being permanently sealed under glass.

As Rare As They Are Beautiful . . .

Composition alone establishes these sculptures as unique treasures. Blackhawk assures this status by individually numbering, registering and initialing his work. The discriminating collector will appreciated the Certificate Of Authenticity provided with their acquisition.

Variety Adds To Rarity . . .

Nature has provided a stunning array of canvases. Blackhawk has transformed dove, duck, turkey, goose, swan, emu, rhea and ostrich shells into treasured works. The sizes, shapes and colors vary greatly.

Serious attention is given to selecting the stand and base to complete the sculpture. Imagination alone limits the possibilities for subject & design. Combinations are endless.

Thank you for stopping at this page! Hope you enjoyed! Check back from time to time, we will feature other egg shell sculptures that Blackhawk has done or is working on!