“The Journey” - a sculpture of a humpback whale with her calf carved from black walnut by Mark Pilkington.
Mark Pilkington – Sculptor
Mark Pilkington’s interest in sculpture began many years ago while living on the Scottish coast as a young man. He started out as a child by carving the tops of walking sticks, and then later custom gunstocks.
He has always appreciated the beauty of the natural grain of wood and not just use it as a medium. He is self-taught and prides himself in using hand tools and minimizing power tools. Each piece is a slow and concise effort as the work gradually appears. The work is all done by eye and feel making each piece unique. His goal is to show the beauty of the wood and the subject simultaneously.
All the materials are found around his home in the foothills of Northern California. On this particular piece, the mother and calf are carved from the same block of local Black Walnut. The sculpture is mounted on a rock that Mark found in a river near his studio.
Mark continues to draw from his wealth of experiences to continuously create unique pieces of carved beauty to last for generations to come. These works aren’t just beautiful embodiments. They are time capsules that provide a unique glimpse of the natural world through the eyes of an artist.
There are many projects that still have to be created in the mind of the artist, but still commissions for the carving of similar subjects are available. Contact Mark by phone or text at: 530-306-4648.
