Art

Item Description

You are bidding on a solid copper Chinook salmon design  23 inches long by 10 inches high, and finished in a raku-style patina!

The Chinook has special meaning for the Pacific Northwest. It's an indicator species for the health of our oceans and the costal rivers and streams. The fish is named after the native people that once lived along the Columbia River and is often portrayed in native artistic designs. The Chinook is by far the largest of the Pacific salmon with the heaviest recorded at 126 pounds!

The sculpture is hand shaped and formed from a thick copper sheet using metalworking chisels, punches, hammers, and mallets. The copper is repurposed and was originally used for roof flashing.

The hammered copper surface is heated with a flame, treated with a patina solution to create the reflective red-orange and blue green patina, and sprayed with a Permalac clear coating to preserve the color and finish. This piece can show inside or out. It looks great on a wall or an outside space. The Permalac protective coating has UV protection and has been tested to last at least 10 years outdoors.

A copper wire is attached for hanging. Signed on the back along with the name and date. Includes a signed artist’s sheet showing how he created this metal art.

Ocean Futures Society feels so lucky to be able to offer you a chance to bid on this very special Chinook salmon scuplture donated by our friend, Mark Noll. It will look great hanging on your wall or in your garden!

About Mark's Artistic Process:
"Your metal nature sculpture is made from a sheet of solid copper or aluminum. The metal is repurposed, originally to be used for roof flashing. Sometimes, I use naturally-aged pieces of copper that may have been tucked away in a corner somewhere for many years.

First, I draw the rough shape on the metal and cut it out with aviation snips. Chisels, punches, hammers, and mallets bring the form to life. After polishing the surface with ultrafine steel wool, I etch it with a patina solution or wipe on an antiquing wax.

Finally, the piece is sprayed with a clear coat to preserve the colors and finish, and a glass taxidermy eye is added on some pieces. I’m self-taught and use a blend of tools from traditional metalworking, autobody work, and woodworking."

About Mark Noll, Nature Art Studios:
Mark Noll from Nature Art Studios grew up on Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts. As a boy, the shoreline and ocean were his constant companions.

Fascinated by the Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, he attended the local college intent on becoming a marine biologist. As fate would have it, the research vessel, an old fishing boat, was always broken down and getting an internship at Woods Hole was nearly impossible! To help pay for college expenses, he began creating marine animal sculptures that made their way to the New England and Baltimore Aquariums’ gift shops.

After college, he and his bride Wendy made the journey to Oregon and he put his art on hold to pursue a professional career and raise a family. The need to make art persisted and he has now found a home creating nature sculptures using repurposed metals.

He’s been creating this metal art for a few years now and loves to experiment with different designs, tools, and patina finishes. In that short time, the fish, marine mammal, bird, dragonfly, butterfly, and guitar pieces have made their way to patrons all over the country and around the world. Ironically, his most famous patron is the legendary rock guitarist Slash. His wife Perla recently gave him a Les Paul guitar sculpture for their tenth anniversary, and it hangs in his home studio.

A family affair, wife Wendy does the calligraphy lettering on the metal signs and son Ethan has learned to make copper fish and cool masks, and is learning to build acoustic and electric guitars.

Item Special Note

"Chinook salmon" measures 23 inches long by 10 inches high.

A copper wire is attached for hanging. Signed on the back along with the name and date. Includes a signed artist’s sheet showing how he created this metal art.

Bidder is responsible for Shipping, Handling and insurance fees, which will be added to the winning bid amount. Items will be shipped from Ocean Futures Society in California via USPS Flat rate box and billed at standard industry rates. Shipments originating at Ocean Futures Society are carbon neutral. (If shipment is international, Bidder will also be responsible for any customs fees.)