the humdrum and the plans

Back in the smoke, symposium over and it is back to the 'busy' of regular life. I had a fantastic time in America, the symposium sculptors were amazing and I met some wonderful people. It was lovely that so many people that I met in previous visits turned up at CAI.
College is starting, some short courses are under way and the long courses start properly next week which is  always exciting, new students, fresh ideas and plenty of enthusiasm to start the new term. Meanwhile back in the studio it is turmoil, I dare not show photos of the studio as it is now, far too embarrassing! I think I will "just sort out this bit, get only part way through and move back to the sculpture. Today I found a small bronze that needed finishing so that was the end of sorting out for the day, I worked outside and listened to geese flying overhead.
I am meant to be having a massive clear out, I have promised myself that sculptures will be boxed, labelled and stored and I will be organised…..that is the plan anyway. It is always good to have a plan

Do not eat the soup

I am running a short 'taster' course in carving bone and horn, these needed cleaning up so out came the handy camping stove into the back garden. Polly the ever attentive spaniel thought her birthday and christmas all at once but she was the only one who was keen, the smell was so vile I thought I would have the environmental health team round - either them or the police thinking I was boiling up human body parts!

Hot news

The Discerning Eye, a major exhibition of smaller works has accepted 'Esclise' to be shown at the Mall galleries shortly! Just when I thought I had my feet back on the ground after my trip to CAI in Massachusetts, I find myself flying again

Chipmunk city

Out in Wyoming and up in the Curt Gowdy State Park close to Cheyenne and a vertigo alert at 7000' above sea level; chipmunks under our feet running everywhere, hurrah, deer, big birds, cactus, decomposing and crumbly granite and quaking aspen.

 bear scratch marks possibly, on the aspen

 lots of sky and space!!!

 

 spot the deer ears 

 big rocks

 a view

 very big rock

 

 cactus

 big bird with white tummy

wrestling granite, the closing

It has been a great three weeks, the sun has shone on four artists wrestling granite in the fabulous Contemporary Arts International, Acton Massachusetts. The closing ceremony brought in some lovely people and it was so good to see so many friendly faces from my previous visits to New England. It perhaps is not a 'closing' but a gathering of friends before the next time we meet. I thank all those able to get along and make the day so much fun. 

                 The stone ready to move

in position in the "New Archaeology" underneath, Andy Moerlein's 'skull'

Yin Peet, director, Viktor Lois, artistic director, four artists-: Alexandra Harley, Andy Morelein (US), Wu Te He (Taiwan), Tamás Mosonyi (Hungary)

www.contemporaryartsinternational.org

andymoerlein.blogspot.com

email Te He gogogoart123@yahoo.com.tw

www.mosonyitamas.hu

last day

Last day and it is off to the quarry for a little light dusting and re arranging the furniture.

From this, my stone is at the base and had to be moved so I was not working directly beneath Andy Moerlein, to this …….

 and all done. Three glorious weeks in excellent company, great food in a beautiful setting. Perfect.

fun in the quarry

I was going to call this 'Fun with  4" grinder' but thought better of it. Not much left to do and the closing knees up is on Saturday

 Washed …..

  …… drying out a wee bit, the stone is quite warm so it didn't take long

 A really poor photo of a woodchuck in front of the rock pile, Tim de Christopher's 'man' is in the background. I stayed and watched the woodchuck patrolling ziz-zag across the grass for as long as I could bear the mozzies, but as soon as I moved it shot away into the rock pile.