Concrete Faux Bois for the Garden...

18 years ago

Hello Group...I'm a regular at the Hypertufa Forum, but just found you guys and wondered if any of you had an interest in creating concrete garden art. The fancy French term for one of the styles I do is "Faux Bois", which just means "false wood". Usually in the form of garden tables, chairs, benches and such, but I just finished something a little different. I just installed a dedication plaque post in the form of a small Cypress stump with knees for the Mercer Arboretum in Houston, Texas...and, along the way I recorded the process for crafting such pieces to share with the folks in the Hypertufa Group. If anyone here is interested, just take a look at the Photo Album titled "Mercer Arboretum Plaque Post" on the link below. Hope this is a reasonable fit for the group, as I look forward to checking in from time to time now that I've found you.

All my best...

Here is a link that might be useful: Mercer Arboretum Plaque Post

Comments (6)

princess_mimi
18 years ago
Oh My Goodness! That's Gawjous Stuff!!!! I love it! You're quite the artist in your unusual medium. Keep on posting pics for us.

I have a BFA that I blame for my "Garden Junk" that I create. Currently I'm posting mostly on the forum with the same name. What I do is more design than "art" but it satisfies the creative urge.

I'm impressed with your creativity that took those mundane objects and made them so unusually lovely.

~~Mimi
tango88
Original Author
18 years ago
Thank you. Cement really is kinda' mystical stuff to work with. Very plastic. I'm about to start on a series of highly contemporary sculptural pieces that will be quite a departure from the rustic Faux Bois. Will try to post a few things as I go.
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kbecalamity
18 years ago
Tango88, I am "beyond" interested in learning this technique. All info and pictures will be gone over with great relish. Love the garden furniture and MUST find out how to make it. Whenever you are ready??????
tango88
Original Author
18 years ago
kbe --- try a search on the "Hypertufa" forum for either my handle (tango88) or "faux bois". I've posted quite a lot of info there over the last year or so. I am also working on a "How To" book on the subject and just got a huge boost yesterday. Friend & fellow sculptor by the name of Carlos Cortes has agreed to collaborate on the project. He is the third generation heir to a family that has collectively done the best work ever produced. And a really nice guy. Today he is the reigning master of the art and has created original commission works for people like Martha Stewart. If you would like to see some of the pieces his family has produced over the last 80 years or so, I just added about 25 pix to a new album at the link below (see the album titled Carlos Cortes). Some were taken at his studio in San Antonio, Texas and others at an exhibition going on now at The Botanical Gardens there. The show is titled "Trabajo Rustico" (Rustic Work). Enjoy. If you have trouble pulling up the old posts, let me know and I'll see if I have saved copies I could forward.

PS ...Been having trouble with Yahoo Photos all day. You may have to keep checking back (?).

All my best

Here is a link that might be useful: See Album
tango88
Original Author
18 years ago
Not sure what the problem is with Yahoo Photos, but here is another try at linking to the "Album" page. See the one titled "Carlos Cortes" for some amazing garden art Faux Bois sculptures.

Here is a link that might be useful: Another Attempt to Link to Albums
myback_garden
18 years ago
Hi Tango and everyone on the Garden Art Forum..I have been having a peek at all the forums on the Garden Web to-day and I came across your forum ...I already know that Tango is an awesome artist...as I go on the Hypertufa forum where Tango gives us tons of inspiration and expertise on hypertufa..and Faux Bois..so finding Tango here..(not a surprise) :) but as well I wanted to say..your water colours--oils---scetches and all the other things I have looked at(I think I've seen all the pics) are fabulous...in fact I'm jealous...YOU FOLKS ARE GOOD..I'll be stopping in now and again just to have a look..I enjoyed all the pictures of everyones work..Thanks Deb