Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture

[Jammer]

Sculpture is really coming together, you made a big difference adding more to those areas and shaping things up. I like the drawing of the "fragmented" statue, That would look great... Ghost of the Woods!

On a commission like that, is it ok to make as many as you want for yourself or others? I imagine it's written in the contract somewhere. I could see some of the big outdoor stores wanting one for a display. But, you might get so many orders it would be crazy.

I agree, it should be bronze, you don't want dumb people thinking it's from Mexico. I just talked to some of the guys from Polytek, I was asking them some questions online and they invited me to a concrete convention in Nashville. We went and had a great time, saw some neat equipment if your into concrete, also talked to an Iron foundry guy from Indiana and got an invite to the foundry if I'm in Indianapolis. He laughed at me when I said I was going to try some Ductile Iron at home, so now I have to do it. Actually everyone laughs but who cares. They'll all crap when I make high alloy steel at home.

[F.C.]

There is no contract with this bear sculpture other than a verbal one whereas I agreed to give them 30% commission off whatever the sale price ends up being negotiated. But... I told them all galleries charge 30%, at least, to sell artwork for artists. The operative word here is "Sell". They earn their commission by promoting an artist's work. I asked them whether they thought they influential enough to corporate money and other sources that might be interested in buying this work as an addition to their stock portfolio and the husband (the rich dude) said he was. He also took my portfolio and showed it to someone he does business with that promotes his wild hair projects quite often and he told me she said, "if this is any example of what he produces in art, hell yes... I can promote that bear and find a buyer. That said, it's now up to me to finish and for them to keep supplies come'n as demand requires. Once this piece sells, there is nothing stopping me from creating multiples off this same mold. I'd let them promote as many as they feel they can sell. I'd also abstract a fragmented design off this mold and see if that would sell, too. Anyone desiring this bear to be the one and only would have to pay three times the asking price of one of a limited addition.

Yeah, Polytek is a cool outfit for sure. I get newsletters from them all the time. I'd love to be able to go visit them someday and attend some of their instructional training.

[latzanimal]

Looking good Frank....

[Jammer]

Hey Frank, how's everything going? Even if your not in the foundry, just pop in and say Hi. I can imagine you've been riding your bike around the mountains.

[F.C.]

Sorry I've been so absent of late. I check in daily, just had nothing worthwhile to post. As for the bear, my wife's attorney notified my attorney ask'n when she expected this bear to be done (in other words, she's look'n to attach half in the settlement). When that awareness occurred I had no choice but to notify the investor and he immediately said, ... "I'm OUT!!" So, the bear's progress stopped in its tracks. Haven't done shit with it for over a month. I have since notified my wife that her greed just fucked us both, particularly (moreso) ME as now I have no means of income other than my SS and VA disability checks which added up barely breaks 1,400/mo. The mortgage is 1273/mo... so you can imagine there's not much left for me to eat and pay utilities with. At this point I'm pushing back through my attorney. Last word I got from my wife was that she did not want this to go to court... that she decided she didn't want anything but what remaining personal effects she still had here at the house. She said the revised paperwork to that effect would be sent to me soon. That was over a week ago. I'll believe it when I see it. I ain't hold'n my breath.

Also note, the investor called me last Friday to tell me he only backed out to do me a favor. He said he spoke with my wife's attorney and told her there was no contract... that he was merely donating money to a budding artist to help him finish a project that's been in the works since 1997. At this stage, he said, the money he put toward materials was a "loan" to enable me to finish the work and help me get established as an artist in retirement. So, that debt is both my wife's and I's to bear. Now, it's making sense why the wife suddenly changed her demands. He also said that once the divorce is final he'd be "back onboard" with the verbal agreement we had before and he'll contribute the next installment for materials then. So... here I sit... bored shitless... barely scrape'n by, while my wife enjoys life with her new boyfriend who's pay'n all her overhead including her attorney fees. That shit's about to change dramatically for her, though... I've instructed my attorney to give her two options: A.. honor what she last wrote stating she wanted nothing but my signature on the divorce to set her free and whatever personal effects she still has here in the house... or B.. I'll be hit'n her for financial maintenance till the day I drop dead (which her boyfriend will have to pay since she's not working). Let's see how much he appreciates having to pay to get laid each month. Plus, i'll hit her for half the mortgages I've paid since the day she left, plus the repairs necessary for the home's septic failure last month I had to deal with out of savings. I'm also going to add to that the cost of health insurance I can't afford because I've always been on her insurance she's had benefit from while working in the medical industry for many decades. Oh, and half the bluebook value on our only truck she left with claiming it's HER'S as she paid the last 2K out of her savings to pay it off (regardless the fact my income carried the burden of it over the years since 2004)

I do get in an occasional ride now and then on the Harley. Have to ration food for a week or so to afford the gas and a few glasses of beer on such opportunities. To keep from goin nuts I volunteer to help seniors in town clean up around their properties, and been power washing decades of moss off the masonic lodge (100 yr old 2 story brick structure) and repainting window frames around the exterior. I don't get paid nuth'n... 'cept good company and something to eat on lunch break. Keeps me from goin stir crazy around the house.

Hopefully this nightmare will be over with soon... fingers crossed.

[Jammer]

Sounds like my ex, she wanted everything and got most of it. I was still working and so was she but she quit and I had to pay more support. Oh well, life goes on.

[mite5255]

Frank none one of us can be with you face to face to offer support, but I'll bet my balls that everyone here wishes you the best and hope you get to pull this as unscathed as possible, we're all thinking about you mate and we all care.

[F.C.]

I think we're soon down to the wire. Been a few days, now, of being 5 months since this shitstorm hit. She's not worked a day since she left which in this State (if you were in business and making a good reliable income, and/or have a sound resume that proves you have skills, education, and a long history of working at any or a variety of fields, you will be held in contempt of court for refusing to work as once this goes to court she'll have to prove she exhausted all opportunities to obtain employment. I am retired and on VA disability. This "IS" my income. She caused my secondary income (the sculpture) to end by greedily trying to attach it's potential profit thereby running off my investor. Last volley I fired in her corner was two options: A) walk away, sign off this title so I can re-finance and lower my mortgage payment, thereby allowing me to eat three meals a day rather than ration food at one meal every two days so I can afford gas in my motorcycle to actually be able to run to town to do erands, etc. By doing this she'll have the ability to at least attach a lien on this property (without interest, at "only" the value of equity the property had the day she left and will not increase a dime... Or B) keep stonewalling the situation demanding half equity in this home now (without her being obligated to contribute half of each month I've paid the past five months) and I'll hit her for maintenance for as long as it takes for me to get back on my feet financially. She's kept me financially destitute, now, for 5 months which I've endured with hardships-o-plenty, the entire time she's not worked an hour in any job (but you know full well she's been work'n her massage practice under the table and not reporting any income). This will bite her in the ass in court and she'll get absolutely NOTHING but what I'm willing to give her out of the kindness of my heart... which that boat sailed the day after what she did and posted a photo of her and him in bed together laugh'n at the camera intended for me to see but our boys saw it first and called me to ask WTF!?!?!?!?!

Anyway.... she's run out of options. The more she pitches a fit and tries to twist her demands for her self benefit the tighter my demands get and my attorney makes it clear to her she's dig'n herself a hole she'll bury herself in. She should have done more research other than just stop at realizing this is a "NO FAULT" divorce state, meaning, nothing matters. If you don't want to be married you can end it and each party is forced to pay half and share half for all they possess. However.... there's a clause... if you leave a retired senior citizen in divorce you may very well be obligated to pay them maintenance... especially if they have any disability, and there's no work available to them in their community suited for their background, skills, and career history. There is none here for me, thus, my artwork was all I had and she run that off in attempt to gouge that for profit. And based on the fact she's not recorded a single paycheck earned will put her in contempt of court and she'll lose it all and may very well be obligated to pay my attorney fees as well. Such is the life of an idiot.

I sense this may be close to the end of this nightmare. I should know by the end of this month. Fingers crossed. Wish me luck, fellas.

Fc

[mite5255]

Fingers and toes mate

[Jammer]

I hope you fair better than I did.

Have someone go up and get a massage, take a couple pictures and turn her in.