From Wax to Metal - the snake bolo tie's evolution

I have spent a long time working on this design and am so ecited it has finally come to life. From having a hard time figuring out that “bolo” connection, to multiple failed attempts at carving a snakes head and rattle, this design has taken over 2 years. But it’s here and I think it’s perfect.

One of the main issues I had was the carving of the wax. I am still learning this technique and do not consider myself very skilled at creating life like wax models. Don’t get me wrong, I can make a weird organic shape like a boss, it’s the life like stuff that is way more tricky for me. I tried repeatedly to create a life like snake head and rattle using the hard carving wax (that’s the blue parts you can see in the images). I have been taught this is the wax to use. I tried and tried. But just couldnt get it “right” so I started experimenting - I decided to add a softer wax (the red parts in the images) which is “technically” not for carving, and voila, I was able to get the line accuracy, smoothness nad “life like” quality I was looking for. Once I got my carving dialed in it didn’t take too long for me to create the final pieces - ok realistically it took me 8 hours to create the rattle and 5 to make the head…

Here’s the snake head fresh off the bench.

Here’s a different angle of her at my photoshoot.

And here’s the wax head alongside the brass one.

My anatomically correct snake rattle. I am very proud of this.

The rattle making it’s debut at my photoshoot.

The rattle in both wax and metal show side by side.

Alongside my carving attempts I was also researching snakes and rattles and their mythology and cultural significance. I spent hours doodling snakes and their twisty bodies and strange rattles.

I scoured the internet and spent a lot of time at the library, I even purchased some of my own books on the subject and did a deep dive into my collection of National Geographic magazines. Snakes are REALLY cool friends, like whoa, so fascinating, weird and unsettling. They are found as deities in almost all ancient cultures, they show up in every major religion, they are shown as representations of BOTH good and evil. They are symbols of transformation, wisdom, creativity, fertility, rebirth and intution. They are seen as holders of knowledge, strength and renewal. In Tarot they are guardians of unawakened magic and creative potential! How cool is that?

PLUS these creatures are truly ANCIENT. Did you know that they evolved around a 100 million years ago (we only evolved around 200,000 and 300,000 years ago,) during the Cretaceous period? And that they can be found in the sea and on every continent except Antarctica? They smell with their tongues and some snakes (rattle snakes in particular) have infared-senstive receptors and are able to detect minute temperature changes as small as one-third of a degree Fahrenheit!

AND they are one of the only wild creatures that DO NOT retreat when threatened.

I could go on and on….my point is, not ony are tehy prolofic in all sorts of aspects of our lives but they are pretty fascinating and magical!

Do you have any thoughts or comments on learning something new or even about snakes? I know it’s generally a love or hate thing with those fascinating creatures.

XO Sam