Cattleya Orchid Plant Sculpture Complete

Here is the completed Cattleya Orchid Plant Sculpture. The remaining air roots have beed added and the (brass)columns are also added to the blossoms. The steel components have been finished with Blueing and then clear enameled, and finally dulled with fine steel wool. The copper blossoms have been given a clear enamel coating as well.

Cattleya Orchid Plant Sculpture

A new fascination with orchids has brought me to the Cattleya. These orchids are utilized in many hybrid form because of their showy blossoms. The plant itself caught my attention, specifically as it would exist in it's natural habitat, high in a South American rain forest canopy where lots of sun and less water and nutrients are to be exploited. That explains the thickened stalk or pseudo-bulb, a storage system. This sculpture is incomplete, but the general theme carries. My intent is to include many stages along one rhizome, so there is one with just a hint of life peeking out of the bract, then one with several buds, one with a bud and two blooms, one with a stem but the blooms are past, and finally (hidden in this view) a leafless back bulb.
The blossoms are created using a recycled 1 1/2" heavy walled copper fire line from a steam plant. There was lots of annealing needed to shape the 1/16 " thick copper, something new for me. The remainder of the plant is basically mild steel sheet, and rod. The pseudo-bulbs are made in half and welded together, the buds are made in thirds, like an orange peel. There will be considerably more air roots, and the missing column in the blooms will hide the nut.
I'm happy with the color of the copper flower parts, but the steel needs color, maybe a light rust and then BLO to seal it.

Copper Orchid Progress

Unhappy with what seemed to be a sterile work , out came the torch and a bit of natural shape added. I'm much happier now. The surface of the copper is less polished too.

New Copper Orchid

This Orchid bloom is made from a recycled 1 1/2" ID copper pipe with a thickness of approximately 1/16". The pipe was once a wet fire protection line in a sawmill steam plant. I cut the pipe in sections , then made a lengthwise cut. After heating the copper with an OA torch, I opened it up to make a sheet. I traced the outline of each component on the copper, and cut it out. I had to had to heat and quench the copper several times to properly shape the metal. My anvils were made of hard wood. My hammers were made from various sizes of steel rod and old car springs. I also used a rubber hammer. The thicker copper is similar to steel in the way it shapes. Of course I had to keep annealing the copper, where I usually cold forge sheet steel. The longest dimension of this bloom is 13" and it weighs at least a pound. I'll probably finish this sculpture as a wall hanger using mild steel for the remainder of the piece. I'll take suggestions if they are prompt.
Frank

Finito

All the metal work is completed. There is now a keiki, a bud and a partially open blossom added to the Moth Orchid.

Moth Orchid with Blossoms

Not done yet, but here's a picture of the sculpture with the blossoms mounted.

Moth Orchid with leaves

Just got the leaves welded on;and pleased with the results. Next comes welding on the stainless screws to attach the blossoms.