Tesserae serai

Tesserae serai, originally uploaded by andiwolfe.

I finally have invested in some home studio gear (backdrop kit, extra strobe, umbrella and stand for my first purchases). I gave it a tryout last night to photograph my latest carved turning. I had one strobe up high and to the left, reflected off an umbrella. A second strobe was placed for fill slightly in front and to the left, at the same level as the object. Comments on my first studio attempt will be greatly appreciated. Comments on the sculpture are also welcomed. Thanks.

My inspiration for this carved turning comes from the microscopic landscape of seed coats. The outer cellular wall of some seeds collapse during drying, which forms a mosaic of three dimensional spaces. The name I selected loosely translates to 'mosaic palace.'

Material: spalted maple
Turned, carved, and bleached.

10.5 X 7.5 inches.

This will be on display at the North Carolina Arboretum June - September 2011. The exhibit is "The Fine Art of Wood: an international invitational exhibit of woodturning."

Progress pics of this piece being made are posted HERE (emerging patterns project).

Update:  I just did another photo shoot, this time to capture the cellular pattern of the shadows.