Mike Sorge ~ Woodturning In Flight
Spirit Birds
Wings of imagination, let your Spirit soar!
"What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.” ~ Napoleon Hill
"What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.” ~ Napoleon Hill
The woodturned Spirit Bird - sculptural art with engaging inspirational function. The warmth of the undulating wood wings combine with an artisan glass marble that I’ve carefully captured with tolerances that allow the marble to rotate and spin. The Spirit Bird's function is to tickle curiosity and inspire the imagination which naturally kindles the illimitable and inimitable potential (spirit) within each of us.
Curly Maple, Cherry & Black Walnut Spirit Birds w/ Captured Vortex Marbles
23" Wingspan, Black Walnut w/ Captured Vortex Marble
African Wenge Spirit Bird with Captured Galaxy Vortex Marble. 23" Wingspan. Closeup of Vortex Marble by Adam Smolensky
African Wenge Spirit Bird, 23" Wingspan, with Captured Dichroic Glass Marble by Phillip Nolley.
Tiger Maple Spirit Bird with Captured Galaxy Vortex Marble. 22.5" Wingspan. Close up of Vortex Marble.
Cherry Spirit Bird with Captured Galaxy Vortex Marble. 22.5" Wingspan. Closeup of Vortex Marble.
Black Walnut Spirit Bird with Captured Galaxy Vortex Marble. 22.5" Wingspan. Closeup of Vortex Marble by Adam Smolensky.
Spirit Bird & Dreamsphere unite to inspire the imagination. I designed and sculpted these Spirit Birds with raised center pedestal to set the colorful Dreamsphere upon. The warmth and beauty of the elegantly shaped wood wonderfully displays the brilliant iridescent colors of the radiant light sphere. The Dreamsphere is by artist John Lowe of the UK whose Palantir sphere was featured in The Lord of The Rings.
Cherry Spirit Bird. 23" Wingspan with 2-7/8" Dreamsphere. Dreamspheres available Clear or Smoky.
Black Walnut Spirit Bir. 22.5" Wingspan with 2-7/8" Dreamsphere. Dreamspheres available as Smoky or Clear.
Cherry Burl Sphere resting on 27" Wingspan Tiger Maple Spirit Bird set upon Cherry Burl Pedestal.
To sculpt and complete each Spirit Bird, I first cut timber into the outer shape of the Spirit Bird and attach it to the lathe. With well-placed super bright lights to better reveal “ghost imaging” I patiently sculpt the elegant wings with hand held cutting tools at about 2000 rpm, exhilarating! I then hollow out the center wood bowl with an undercut rim to perfect depth and diameter to receive the artisan marble and sand the entire piece to a very smooth surface before capturing the marble. At last I sign each piece and finish with clear organic oil. Each artisan glass marble is selected to correspond with the Spirit Bird wood color/type.
Curiosity & imagination inspires one to explore, experience & evolve.
"Without this playing with fantasy no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we owe to the play of the imagination is incalculable." ~ Carl Jung
"Without this playing with fantasy no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we owe to the play of the imagination is incalculable." ~ Carl Jung