Meet Sylvia the stainless sea turtle! I find sea turtles to be incredibly beautiful, kind creatures and creating a sea turtle sculpture has been near the top of my list for a while. Luckily I was approached by a dear friend to make a Christmas gift for his wife, and after speaking for a while about what she may like we settled on a sea turtle. Later I was asked to make a smaller version by multiple galleries, and those can be seen below!

I was very excited to have the opportunity to create one, especially since it was for someone I care about.

The shell was my favorite part to create and where this metal sea turtle really came to life. I colored it blue first and then went back and forth between grinding and coloring to create layered colors that give the shell real depth and have it really pop! I then ground the final silver highlights to give it that extra shine. The effect is almost like looking into shallow tropical water where the light plays off the surface.

The most difficult part was creating the head and face. Making a three dimensional head that was viewable from all sides with compound curves was a fun challenge. Stainless steel does not want to bend in two directions at once, so every curve is a negotiation between what I want and what the metal will tolerate. The only way I could find to hide my welds was to make them part of the design aesthetic. I also had to sneak a spoon in there to flesh out part of it. Can you find the spoon?

Overall I love how this piece turned out and I am happy to know she is in a loving home!

This metal sea turtle sculpture is wall hanging, made entirely of stainless steel, colored using only heat patinas, and is safe to be kept outdoors!