the ramsdell collection

[mongrell]

giday all , thought yas might be interested in having a look at jack ramsdells work , he was a sawmiller at nowa nowa for most of his life and started doing these works in 1958 untill 1980 , he died in 1982 i think . most of the timbers are locally sourced red gum , blackwood , messmate and various gums, and are finished in a beeswax mixture which he made himself .they are housed in a small exhibition at the mingling waters resurant /cafe /caravan park in the centre of nowa nowa which is between orbost and lakes entrance , so if ya travelling through its well worth a visit , and the caravan park there is one of those forgotton little jems that has lake frontage and great fishing . i visit the collection fairly regulary and its always been a great inspiration .theres also a gemstone collection there which jack put together in his travels throught oz . i would have loved to have met jack as we have very similar interests .

[mongrell]

a few more pics .the main attraction at mingling waters is ra which was the last and greatest work jack did just before he died , unfortunately the pic i took was ratty so ill do another thread on it when i get a scanned pic of a postcard prolly in a day or two

[wheelinround]

Think I have visited this collection in the 80's whilest touring there used to be a doll collection some where near by also.

Good to know the collection still exists

[underfoot]

I've never been really keen on this type of polished root sculpture,

but I've now changed my mind,
had to go back and look again a few times,
these are really special
thanks for the pics Mongrell

[SPIRIT]

not for me ! can't see the art in it just shows me they have a lot of time to sand

[Frank&Earnest]

not for me ! can't see the art in it just shows me they have a lot of time to sand

What is the art you can see, then? Most of the time I agree with you, a polished root is a polished root. Nice, bot does not "mean" anything. On the other hand, there is no rule that you have to start from a square block of material, if nature has already roughed the piece like you would have done with a big rotary carving tool, what's the difference?

This said, none of those roots tells me much, but I can see that some pieces, like the one in the last photo, could have been created by an abstract artist from whatever starting material. Still would not buy it, though!

[underfoot]

I see these as being much more considered than your garden variety polished root sculpture,
most that I see are just the result of just shinying up what is there,
these I think are the result of a more purposeful manipulation,
I keep needing to go back and have another look,
and I'm still convinced that this Jack Ramsdell fellow had "the eye"

[SPIRIT]

sorry
have had a look again still don't like them much but it was a bit unfair of me to say it's not art .If l think of a great photo l can see the art in that light, shapes ect so in the same way a tree root is art not in the makeing of it but seeing the art in natures form

l was more thinking like a carver which l could not call the roots as carvings

[Frank&Earnest]

Let's compare notes, then. The pieces where "the eye" is more apparent to me are 3 and 15, with a bit of good will 6, 13 and 14. The others do not talk to me at all, mostly I find them just messy. What are your preferences?

[chris 71]

ive seen some glass tables made of similar root type pieces very nice. i would love to do a carving in something like these. but the work to get them that clean most be quite the job

[SPIRIT]

Let's compare notes, then. The pieces where "the eye" is more apparent to me are 3 and 15, with a bit of good will 6, 13 and 14. The others do not talk to me at all, mostly I find them just messy. What are your preferences?

look you are stretching me now they all look crappy (sorry)#6 l woulds stop too look at, nice grain and colour,,,,, #15YUK boring

[SPIRIT]

ive seen some glass tables made of similar root type pieces very nice. i would love to do a carving in something like these. but the work to get them that clean most be quite the job

glass tables well l hate them as well ,that glass sitting on a root stump is so ----how do you say it tacky

[Matt88s]

Oooo, very nice. I see many, many beautiful pen blanks.

oops, did I say that out loud?

[keju]

All right you guys..... I had to laugh at the comments.. very entertaining , but seriously.... we all know that art is in the eye of the beholder..... putting "art" aside tho....
We all enjoy wood.... in all it's forms.... at least I assume we do.
Haven't you ever picked up a piece of wood.... and played with it? I mean without tools.....
Admired the grain patterns and enjoyed the nice smooth feel that made you touch it over and over? Shoot.... I even pick wood up just to smell it! lol

Juvy

[echnidna]

Occaisionally a nice stump turns up that gives opportunities.
Though generally I'm not mad on really rustic stuff

Here are some of mine
Wip coffee table
Finished
Various stumps
More