Delivered two pieces to the Royal Academy today and managed to get soaking wet for my endeavours, I get the result in a couple of weeks apparently. I don't think I shall be easy to live with until then. I did take the opportunity of wandering around Cork Street and looking in on a couple of shows. Jane McAdam Freud showing family portraits was interesting. A show of Rodin was appallingly badly lit, squashed  and a bit strange - all the works were editions of 11. The Chillida prints were fab and the Jilly Sutton carvings are as good as always. A worthwhile visit and all within 50 yards of each other. Being on my feet all day I am glad to put my feet up.

filing

Back to school for the summer term and the first week has been fab. Some new faces and some familiar ones and I was pleased to see some people that I haven't seen for some time. Judging by the warm hug as I entered the lift, I think one of my students was pleased to see me too. I like my job! 
When I wasn't getting students carving, I was filing/sanding a piece of stone ready to take to the Royal Academy next week. Both pieces have been shortlisted which I am really happy about but I shall wait for the final result with butterflies. There is never enough time to 'finish' something and I think I just keep finding something to do to the stone right up to the deadline. When I checked the letter I found that I need to deliver on Wednesday - hurrah ! As I thought it was Monday for the hand in I now have two more days  sitting in the garden, dodging the rain, listening to the radio and sanding. At least I got the dates wrong the right way round, otherwise I would be sobbing into the keyboard later in the week.
Today I took a small break from all the stone rubbing (sadly no genies yet) and popped round to a couple of very good chums and excellent sculptors, fellow members of the Royal British Society of Sculptors who have signed my nomination form, thankyou Chrysty Symington and Sheila Vollmer. I have decided to stand for election to Council which sounds very grown up. I shall be lobbying, so watch out Ken and Boris, the London Mayoral elections have nothing on this! 
Meanwhile back to the wet and dry ......

Istanbul

I had a last minute decision to get away, Turkey beckoned and I have been luxuriating in the delights of Istanbul. There is not so much modern public sculpture unless you count the hundreds of 'Ataturk's'  everywhere but the mosques, camii as I learnt to call them, are amazing. The weather was so good that I spent most of the time wandering around gawping and being amazed by the contrasts, the beautiful alongside the derelict and satellite dishes on 2000 year old walls. I was privileged to stay with Cemre who plays on and was the editor for this amazing music
doga icin cal 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3OwxXw0v9c&list=PL3E85345102C14249&index=4&feature=plcp
 Ataturk at the train station.

Down beneath the streets in the Basilica Cistern to find a pair of Medusa heads.










Extraordinarily tumbling down wooden houses in the Fatih district next to the Suleymaniye camii, full of small workshops making sieves and furniture. 

 Sinan the architect buried here, a very      under-       rated chap

One of the very few contemporary works. The plate shown here is  attached to the sculpture above, my Turkish isn't that good yet so I leave that translation to others.












The studio beckons and hundreds of applications to do but if I had the chance I would be back in Istanbul like a shot

Hat trick

What a fab last few days! I have the Taiwan show, then came the Bath Society Open and now 2 works shortlisted for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition! Hurrah! 
I also went to an afternoon at the Victoria and Albert Museum dealing with residencies. Their events are always good and hearing from previous V and A artists in residence was particularly helpful, not all aimed at the museum either. There was a lot of useful info that goes for all applications. 
So my plans for applications continues......but will have to wait for a few days while I enjoy soaking up the culture in Istanbul.

Big head

What a week, first an email which didn't quite seem a scam but I wasn't sure, turns out to be an invitation to show three sculptures in Taiwan and tonight I hear that two small stone pieces have been accepted for the Bath Society Open. Please don't let me get big headed!

The archbishop - a photo this time

I don't think I was quite awake enough last night, here is a photo of the fabulous Archbishop Tutu. 

Desmond Tutu and some photos

A very busy day with amazing Paul who takes fab photos. Somehow I was still trying to finish off this morning as he arrived even though I had convinced myself that I was ready two weeks ago when I booked him! Against a lovely clean background the sculptures really get a 'lift' - images next week when I get them.
Lovely Jean does my website and I have just sent through a pile of very old photos as well as some more recent ones that I haven't got round to dealing with. She has given me some ideas about how to use these images on the site and best of all she does it in a way that I can understand- I am easily confused by tekkie stuff! The upshot is I have been writing a paragraph or two about a commission for a Peace Pole in honour of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and how he gives the best hugs in the world. This will be up on the site very soon. www.alexandraharley.co.uk
Desmond Tutu's name cropped up again this week when I was interviewed by Hotcourses, the guide for adult education courses.  
Hotcourses.com/study-guide/wood-carving-classes/16180339/0/expertview.htm 
The interview asks about my teaching at the City Lit and about life as a sculptor. I mentioned the meeting the Archbishop as one of the highlights of my career and quite honestly he really does give the best hugs ever.