Up on a Tightrope

We're all touched by addiction at one time or another, directly or indirectly. 

Scroll down to see how "Up on a Tightrope" began.

At this point I needed to extend the tightrope so she did not appear to be walking into a wall.  The extension needed to be precise in measurement so I had my friend, Doyle Harbaugh, turn a piece of antler to a precision of .004" and carefully drilled a hole through the center of the existing 'rope' to insert the new piece.

More refinement....calla lilies leading up  the right border and narrowing the design up the center from the 'walker' to the young women.  Also adding a twist to the center design similar to the way a road banks rounding a bend.
With over half the original antler material removed, the piece is becoming very light.

Working around the perimeter of the piece, making the border more uniform.  The large tine above the young boy above was reduced in thickness to minimize 'topheaviness' and the curvature changed to more closely harmonize with that of the tine below.
Space was opened behind the boy helping define his image and adding more negative space  to the top of the sculpture.

Adding more detail-refining her left leg, both arms, border and base.

On the right, the natural color has been removed  in preparation for adding detail.

Refining the images at the base so I don't wind up with a pile of Mike & Ike's & a bottle of wine.

"One pill makes you larger....and one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you...don't do anything at all
Go ask Alice...when she's ten feet tall."

                                                               'White Rabbit'-Jefferson Airplane

Minus a lathe, it's amazing how long it can take to construct a simple bottle of vodka.

The pathway to the tightrope needed more airiness....added 4 steps on the way up.
  
Step 4 in the Big Book "Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves."

The tightrope begins to unfurl.

3 young women raise their hopes...........as their brother looks down at their mother.

The hand position was changed to offer help if the walker chooses, but not to enable.  The antler palm on the right was designed to lighten the image.  

Dragonflies emerge after a life spent mostly under water as delicate creatures of exceptional beauty, similar to the metamorphosis of the recovering addict.

The hand position began with fingers up, but appeared to support the tightrope walker. 
 

Due to the unique structure of this antler, it was possible to extend the arm under the frame of one palm into the second, providing an unusual dimension not often possible.

 A hand is beginning to emerge on the right.

The first image I see is that of the tightrope walker.  
Began defining the image by drilling starter holes which will be expanded by the jigsaw. 

I chose this atypical antler  because it presents not one but two faces for expression.

"Anyone who has an addiction knows that you carry the secret demon within you and it colors everything you do, at certain times more than others.  That's the thing about addictions: They occasionally take phony leaves of absence, which trick you into believing you have it all under control, only to return and whack you across the back of your knees.  And down you go.  No one sees this, of course.  It's the soft inner you that's been brought down, not the perfect, efficient, in-charge, outer container that seems to manage life so well."  Jane Fonda