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Nature Centre Exhibit

By Vicki Gibson
Lethbridge, Canada

www.facebook.com/helenschulernaturecentre

 

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These pieces were made for the Helen Schuler Nature Centre in Lethbridge, Canada. They were specifically for a set on “Going Outside for Nature and Health.” They are made out of pink polystyrene insulation boards, which were glued together to build up a thick canvas on which to carve.

I used the Industrial Hot Knife that I saw the Halloween Lady use on her hell hound! I was inspired to start carving for the Nature Centre. I made a huge bumble bee that people still love. All my foam sculptures were carved with your Hot Knife. I especially like the shapeable blades so that I can scoop out the foam while carving.

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I like the flexible blades on the Industrial Hot Knife because I can shape the blades for more natural bark, grasses etc. Tip: Don’t force the Hot Knife! Let it get hot and go slower so it does the work for you. I used some Hot Wire Foam Factory All Purpose Foam Coat for the stones and sand area on the jack rabbit sculpture. The kids loved the carvings – one little person wanted to pet the rabbit!

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For the chickadee sculpture, the tree bark look was scooped to look like cotton wood bark and painted with acrylic.  These were my first carvings of a chickadee and a jack rabbit and it was fun! I enjoyed using your tools to make them and the tools made them so much easier to carve!


Suggested tools/materials for this project:

Industrial Hot Knife Kit • All Purpose Foam Coat • Foam Fusion