Retired Baseball Player Is Now an Artist Creating Resin and Wood Animal Sculptures

Retired baseball-player-turned-artist Blake McFarland creates sculptures of animals that are an enticing mixture of wood and epoxy resin. Combining the clear shine of resin with different colors of wood, the figures showcase the elegant beauty of the creatures’ forms while highlighting the materials and McFarland’s mastery of skills.

One of McFarland’s latest pieces is The Whale, a title that speaks for itself. The base of the majestic humpback whale is composed of wood while the top of it glistens with the transparent compound. “The Whale,” he tells My Modern Met, “consists of 11.5 gallons of epoxy resin and seven exotic hardwoods. I wanted to capture the essence of the ocean by using clear resin on the top portion of the whale while the bottom is all mixed woods.”

It took McFarland a staggering 100 hours to create his whale-inspired art. He started with a giant block of wood and resin. “I carved it down with various power tools and sanded all the way up to 5,000 grit,” he explains. “I love how it turned out.” Now that The Whale is complete, it will be at The Beacon, a restored 1920s venue in Topeka, Kansas.

Check out more of McFarland’s animal sculptures below. In addition to the photos, he creates videos of his process that are mesmerizing to watch. Scroll down to see those, too.