T.J. McDermott is an artist-craftsman living in wilds of Maine. Trained as a wooden boat builder, he ran his own boatbuilding shop in Yarmouth Maine for ten years, until the lack of those economics became untenable. So he started carving name-boards for boats, and name-boards soon became its own business, as TJ began carving signs, nationally and internationally, for townships, municipal buildings, and specialty retailers. Well known brands such as Cole Haan and Tommy Hillfiger, to name just a few. Signs led to carving weathervanes. His carved signs, and one-of-a-kind weathervanes, grace homes, and businesses throughout this country and around the globe. At some point TJ got his snoot full, having to deal with egomaniacal art directors, on the carved signage, so he has focused his work in recent years on creating one-of-a-kind pieces of art. Sculptures in wood, stone, multi media, and yes, Bugs! As he was cleaning up his studio one day, he found some old, desiccated insects among the wood chips and dust. One beetle caught his eye: the colors were fantastic, and so he was off and running. Hooked up with a specimen seller in the Philippines and would get these gorgeous, dried, and carefully wrapped beetles, dragonflies, grasshoppers, et al., usually destined for entomological researchers and collectors. He found, with experimentation, that if he rehydrated the bugs, he could gently move their legs, wings into various positions, then pin them to a board, until they were completely dry again.., and voilà, the compositions presented themselves. Who would’ve believed the fantastic color array? Who has ever seen a grasshopper’s wing, to make out the delicate and subtle colorations? All done with almost an anthropomorphic sense of humor, by having bugs surrounding a stone, or other object, and seemingly either protecting or scrambling for it. Please note that each one of the pieces shown, are one-of-a-kind pieces. If we are sold out of a given piece, just tell us whether you want a two-bug, three-bug, or almost any variable, and we’ll have TJ make it for you.
(Side Note): As TJ McDermott’s representatives, we’d like to welcome you to take a peek at all of his wonderful and crazily diverse art at: www.tjmcdermott.com
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Hummel Figures
Hand-Painted Bone Buttons
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