Oblate "Mace case"

My good fathers at Obate school of Theology ask me to design a structure to hold their processional “Mace ” when not in use. They opened the gates of creativity to me giving me artistic freedom. I build everything they need all across their southern providence; so their confidence in me meant no rules and higher levels of creativity. I summoned my courage and chose to fly with a round case patterned after the Pantheon in Rome but cut short a full circle round to have a flat facade of columns and ornaments like a church. With a round base I began to assemble the high arching ribs to the roof center to carry and hold the laminated curved walls and curved roof section all connecting to one center post or keystone with a finial on top. Bewilderment was abounding trying to figure the connections of curved sections to angled ribs using only 45 degree stop dado’s to accept angled curved walls . I then assembled the door to the arched opening using a slight bevel for a 1/16’‘clearance to open without rubbing. The next step of adornment was to show strength by using tall columns and sectioning them in two at the center to break up the tall length with matching base capitols . This was intended to break the mass with proportioning . The front arched facade was a tricky one for I couldn’t figure out what would work to compliment all the element for I was designing as I went at this point. Like all problems they swirl around in my hopper until all the answers finally drop and problem solved. I made a 3/4’‘thick arch free standing landing on top of the columns with a turned round capitol underneath . I felt I needed texture so I devised a router gig with a v groove bit that rose up so I had a 1/4’’ groove on the inside arch that faded down to a 1/2’’ v groove cut at the back arch so it looked like a sunburst to catch your eye and bring it down to the center of the case where the Mase was sitting inside on a turned wood base. I then used gold gesso for accent on several rounds to pick up the gold on the Mace for balance. Sometimes working on this I felt like a spirit was working thru me for the working flo I felt was unbridled . The Oblates said when I delivered ” Let the community rejoice ” because “Its all this and Heaven too.

-- "The hand is the cutting edge of the mind but the wind and sun are the healing factors of the heart