Flying Warthog

Here's something different I made, started in the 1980's, finished yesterday.  The head and tail was carved in the 1980's from local cherry wood from my dad's wood lot.  The log of wood had a shape that reminded me of the warthog, so the carving was suggested to me and not much wood had to be removed.  I have another log with a similar shape that could be Mrs. Warthog down the road.  Somewhere I became interested in wooden machines that articulate and have hinges etc.  This sculpture can be adjusted manually to move its tail, wings, legs, and midsection.  It hangs from parachute cord rated to hold 500 pounds.  This thing probably weighs in the neighborhood of 30 pounds.  The midsedction legs and body are made from applewood that I cut locally, and the wings are pine.  It has taken on a disjointed look with parts relating to each other rather abstractly, who's really checking to see it is like the real flying warthog in nature? Last year I brought this project to a workshop at Haystack School of Crafts in Deer Isle where I had the use of the wood shop and some helpful advice from a woodworking teacher.  People looked at me with their faces screwed up and asked, "What are you making?" and I replied, "A flying warthog of course, what else?" The big sanding machines really helped me create the round shapes and to flare the wings which vary in thickness from a sharp edge to about 7/8 inch.  The band saw and large drill press helped to create the mortise and tendon mid section.  The leg joints are doweled and have been tighted with wedges just enough so the legs will hold position but are moveable.  The observer can interact with the piece, choose what position the parts will take.  The black cords are tied to allow for some movement with pulleys or to be retied at a different length.  I like the techy aspect to this peice in that you see the dowels and metal hardware and black cord as part of the whole machine, it reminds me of a medievil catapult or something.  Sculpture like this takes a long time to make, is a fairly big commitment to undertake.  And a flying warthog doesn't usually take high priority in most people's lives, but I'm a little "different" as you might have gathered.  I had to find black cord that I wanted on the internet, and found some tiny hinges and other hardware at the local building supply store.  The hinges for the wings are attached to a maple block that is screwed to the neck area.  The maple block came from some lumber I had made from logs I cut.  This project has gotten personal. The hinges are antique, recycled from a renovation project,  and I have stored them with the head since the 80's waiting for now.  This bit of detail, how to attach the wings, not to mention the rest of it, took me a while to figure out how to manage.  In the end it worked out just right as far as I am concerned.  Funny, strange that time shrank to be continuous motion for this piece.  A few decades are like a flash in the night and a sculpture is born.  Should it be any other way?