In Support of my sisters struggle with Breast Cancer

Posted by The Artist on November 21, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

This subject  is close to my heart so when I made three Christmas ornaments

My sister with her Large Breast Cancer Christmas Ornament.

for my Sister that resemble the breast cancer awareness ribbon as a birthday gift yesterday. I know this is something I could do to help. My sister found out in July about her up coming (now on going) struggle with breast cancer. It was because of this I decided to make the first three ornaments as a gift for her.

Doing my part to give a helping hand to Breast Cancer Awareness

As I was form folding the reclaimed copper I stated to think of the interesting symbolism in these ornament. First they are made from copper scrap that Nielco Roofing would have otherwise just recycled. I purchase the scrap copper from them and up cycle it into art. In this case I made the breast cancer  ribbon. This is not like the emotional struggle I have watched her going through but after all of the self pain she will end up shining and beautiful as ever knowing she beat something very difficult! It is like the mythological Phoenix rising from the ashes of the fire.  It is hard to see in these pictures but I was able to get the copper to have some shimmers of pink to make the feeling complete

I will be selling these through Christmas on my Etsy Site and will donate a total of 50% of the purchase price to Breast Cancer 25% will be in the name of my sister and 25% will be in the name of who ever you designate (send me an email letting me know who you want me to name for the donation, if you don’t have anyone I will do that 25% in the name of my sister.) I will send you a copy of the receipt along with your order so you can see that the donation was made.

These come in small medium and Large check them out on my Etsy Page by Clicking on this picture.

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Opus One Hundred Thirty Two is ready for delivery

Posted by The Artist on October 18, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Last summer I was invloved in a fundraiser in McCall Idaho called Charlie’s Garden. I sold two pieces that night. I delivered OpusSeventyTwo to Bill and Suzanne but the piece was too wide for the location they wanted it to hang so I agreed to create a smaller version of the weaved copper sculpture. OpusOneHundredThirtyTwo is the culmination of that commision. I tried to stay true to the mountain sceen but I used my own personal input to create something that was original and not just a copy of OpusOneHundredSeventyTwo. I will be delivering this sculpture to McCall on Friday morning and hope they are as pleased with it as I am.

Click on Image to see more pictures of OpusOneHundredThirtyTwo

Click on Image to see more pictures of OpusSeventyTwo The original piece purchased at McCall's Charlie's Garden Art show and Fund Raiser.

This is the phot that was used to create both OpusSeventyTwo and OpusOneHundredThirtyTwo

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Dennis N. Duce used fold forming to create “Prairie Dog” for the up coming fundraiser Mission Pawsible

Posted by The Artist on August 9, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Lalovee my Great Dane Puppy together with "Prairie Dog"

So here he is in all his fold formed glory. Reclaimed Copper was used to create a wonderfull sculpture that shows off the beauty and versatility of Fold forming.

Click on Image to see more pictures of OpusOneHundedSixteen "Prairie Dog"

Click on image to see more pictures of OpusOneHundredSixteen "Prairie Dog"

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First picture of almost finished Mission Pawsible Dog

Posted by The Artist on August 9, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

So I have been working HARD all week end to get “Prarie Dog” finished. There are a few touch ups still to do but this is a good first look and what I have done with the “Grass” I made. I will get more pictures up tonight when I am finished and have more to show but I thought I would give you all a sneak peek. This dog was made from reclaimed copper  which I form folded and then heat treated and finished with green patina. It will be shipped to Whitefish Montana for the Mission Pawsible fundraiser. As a copper artist I am glad to be a part of this fundraiser and to be able to give back to the community.

OpusOneHundredSixteen (Prairie Dog)


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Mission Pawsible dog name changes from “Dog Bath” to “Prairie Dog”

Posted by The Artist on August 5, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

The logistics of getting my Dog to Whitefish with the tree intact was more that I was able to fit in this year so I have been trying to come up with another idea for a few months. I told my wife the other day over lunch that I was having a hard time getting inspiration on this piece. She knows I am really enjoying playing around with Fold Forming and came up with the idea to use fold forming to create “Grass” under his feet. I have worked up two of the f sculptures that will go under his feet and took some pictures of them.

This one was the first one create to go under one of the Legs and is made from a single piece of copper. The working title is Leg One

Leg One

Leg One

Leg One

This was the Second one finished. It is made from pieces of copper that are weaved together at the bottom. The working title is Leg Two for now.

Leg Two

Leg Two

Leg Two


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Charlie’s Garden 2010

Posted by The Artist on August 2, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

This was a great even. It was my first time being involved in this event but it was verry well organized and perfectly suited to the artist who wants to give back. I am already planing on being a part of this auction next year I think I will spend a little more time in McCall with my family though. What a great town!

OpusSeventyTwo at Charlie's Garden

Bill and Suzan with OpusSeventyTwo right after purchasing it

Bill and Suzan purchased OpusSeventyFour at the auction. I took it over to their house after the show and we installed it. Turns out it was too big so we agreed to have me create another piece just a bit smaller. With all of the commission I have lined up I will have to make it in early Sept and deliver it back up then. Tough I have to go back to that beautiful town to spend another wonderful week end. Thanks Bill and Suzan for your trust and the support of such a great cause.

Mike and Tamara right after buying OpusNinty (Happy Anniversary!)

Tamara was checking out at the end of the auction and got into a conversion with Suzan about what they had purchased. That is when Tamara decided to purchase OpusNity for her husband. It is their anniversary so she bought it. I am so glad to have been able to help out with the McCall Arts and Humanities Council. Charlie’s Garden was a wonderful night and I will defiantly be back next year.

Click on Image to see more pictures of OpusNinty

Click on Image of OpusSeventyFour to see more pictures

OpusSeventyTwo Later in the night notice how the piece changes

Full Show display from the other direction

OpusEightyEight and OpusSixtyNine

Another View of OpusEightyEight

OpusSixtyNine

OpusSeventyFour and OpusNinty

Opusninty

Me and my full show at Charlie's Garden

OpusSeventyFour

OpusEightyEight

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Sharon Woodbury responds to the delivery of OpusOneHundredTwo

Posted by The Artist on June 22, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

After the delivery of OpusOneHundredTwo to the Park City Board of Realtors I got a very nice email from Sharon and she agreed to let me share it here.

Dennis N. Duce with OpusOneHundredTwo

“Dennis,

“Your sculpture is unbelievable.. It is so beautiful and looks great in our lobby… We have had so many comments about your work.. I just read your write up about the piece and you are very articulate and kind…. What you wrote is as beautiful as the piece of art.

“Your generosity towards the Peace House will be felt in many ways….

“Thanks so much!

Click on Image to see more pictures of OpusOneHunderTwo

“Sincerely,
Sharon Woodbury
Chief Executive Officer
Park City Board of REALTORS®”

Thanks for being so kind I am very glad to be a part of Luxury Home Tour and Peace House.


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Opus One Hundred The Story and the Inspiration

Posted by The Artist on June 22, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

This has been a great week for the Luxury Home Tour. We had interviews on KPCW and PCTV as well as a photo shoot for the Park Record Cover Story. After all the publicity I went over to the Park City Board of Realtors office and hung Opus One Hundred along with a piece of paper that has the following words on it

“I took a walk through the Gardens of Le Caille early this spring and was inspired by the peacocks roaming the grounds. I started working on a piece to represent the beauty and majesty of the peacock but could not find a counter weave for the feathers.

Click on Image to see more pictures of OpusOneHundredTwo

“Until I was asked to create the featured art piece for the 2010 Luxury Home Tour I was creatively stumped. I was given one directive; “Make it represent your feelings about Peace House.” Immediately I knew the counter weave needed to come from the Logo for Peace House. This gave me the basic workings for the piece. Over the next few days the depth of meaning appeared.

“The logo was less obvious than I had hoped, and then I realized that is how we want it. Peace House helps woman overcome the past. Through this process their inner beauty can glow. Once the transformation is made what you see is the woman and her beauty and not a permanent impression from the experience at Peace House.

“All of the materials in this piece are scraps which I worked into a beautiful piece of art. The transformation was made because of skill and vision. This is how Peace House transforms the lives of the women they touch.

“We can all do our part to help Jane and her staff by getting involved in the Luxury Home Tour. Purchase tickets to the Auction and make sure you get involved in the bidding of the items most interesting to you. Peace House needs your help to be able to turn around the lives of those torn apart by domestic violence. Your generosity at the auction can help this next year be life changing.”

Dennis N. Duce, Reclaimed Metal Artist June 2010


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OpusOneHundredTwo Delivered, Accepted and Loved

Posted by The Artist on June 10, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

I delivered the “Featured Art” to Jane Patten and her staff at the Peace House this afternoon and they could not have been more over joyed. It was so fun to see them get involved finding symbolism in the peace. Kara Cody pointed out how it is the male Peacock that has the bright feathers but how fitting it is that in order for us to make real change in domestic violence we need to not only change and help the woman but also the men. Many times domestic violence is considered a woman’s issue but the woman at Peace House understand how much men need help both as the abusers (to become better people) but also as the abused. Though this is not the current direction of Peace House to help men but Kara liked to see the symbol it represents.

For me the material is all reclaimed (Just more garbage) which I take and turn into something beautiful. This is a lot like the work Peace House Does helping women and families that feel like they have no worth to overcome the problems that they find in their life and turn into beautiful members of society. I also like how if you look hard you can see the logo of Peace House in this piece but it is not in your face. The implication here is that there will always be an imprint on the people who come through the doors of Peace House but it will only be there in the back ground. What you will really see is a beautiful woman or child who is now able to grow and blossom thanks to the help of Jane and her team of volunteers.

We found a small strip of red right in the middle of the chest of the part of the logo that represents a woman. It was pointed out that she has a heart and is able to love again. I don’t think there is anything more difficult or important for these victims then to be able to love and trust.

I love Peace House, I love what they do and what they stand for and am very glad to be able to be the featured artist for the 2010 Luxury Home Tour in support of Peace House. I hop I get a chance to do this again.

Jessica Wall, Kara Cody, Dennis N. Duce and Jane Patten Pose with OpusOneHundredTwo

Click on Image to see more pictures of OpusOneHunderedTwo


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Featured Art for the Luxury Home Tour is completed.

Posted by The Artist on June 9, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

I am taking OpusOneHundredTwo in to Peace House Tomorrow to let then see this peace and aprove it so until they see it I am not going post full pictures but I thought you might like to see this. I am so glad to be able to be a part of the Luxury Home Tour and a real honor to be the “Featured Artist” Once I unvail this piece fully I will explain what it means to me and why it is the Featured Piece. For now enjoy the picture.

Close up of OpusOneHunderTwo


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