Orbit

A new rendering recently finished, the change helps to engage my creative juices while I get other work finished.

'The Wall' Part 3

The days remaining were buzzing, all working together to get the wall finished. It is amazing how the time flies when you are having fun, how much can be completed when people work together; it was  however becoming evident that time was not a premium, and with a decision to lengthen the wall due to the size of gallery space in which it going to be house meant the working days started to lengthen.

                           The shaping, texturing and colouring of the main stones continued.

Emmet Kane scorching

Jacques Vesery, colouring one of the many objects for inclusion within the wall.

The carving of Master Xiang Dong Wang taking shape.

Myself power carving a stone into shape.

Liam O'Neill laying out and carving Ivy.

And the wall continued to grow, being expertly constructed by Brendan Hogg, Cillian Ó Súilleabháin, and John Lee

warmly referred to as Hogg and Sons. 

Once the wall sections had been built, eventually four in total, they were outside where John Lee sandblasted the stones to produce a consistent texture/ageing of the carved pieces so there was a smooth transition throughout the length of the wall.  

While Emmet Kane watched on. 

Soon the amount of work that needed to be completed meant the wall team decided to stay into the early hours of the morning (0100) hrs, to finish sand blasting so that the final colouring stages could be completed the final day.

To keep the sandblaster filled the sand was collected, sieved and recycled.

John Lee sandblasting the sections.

Throughout the entire event Roger Bennett was tasked as the scribe for the event. Roger worked tirelessly around, among and with us to detail in both writing and recording the event, as well as interviewing each artists and member of the group in order to obtain and record all our thoughts and experiences through the week. There is certainly a lot that goes on within a collaboration other than people making shavings to make it as positive an event as possible.  

Eventually the wall neared completion, final lichen and other colour accents added as well as the smaller items people had been making as found objects being first fixed to find the best locations for final setting in the gallery.

A small selection of the carved stones and objects added.

The Following day, Thursday the wall was complete and loaded into the vans for transporting to 'Visual' Gallery.

On arriving at the gallery it the wall was assembled with the found objects being added, a lighting hologram and finishing touches before the opening the next day.

Then it was back for a rest and to tidy up the workshops at Glenn's

Part 4 'The Showcase' coming soon, views of the gallery, wall a other exhibits. 

Noodle enough time to do anything.

I have not had time to finish part three of the wall thread, but it will be up soon.  Too much bread and butter stuff piled up for me on my return, gallery orders, commissions etc etc, the sculptural work is on a back burner while I finish off some orders for simple bowls etc etc.

This is a simple lidded bowl based on the noodle bowl design, as old as the hills but popular. Seeing it is BBQ weather you can never have too many occasional bowls, made in different sizes, they help to keep the insects and waspies out of the food while a few Pimm's are being enjoyed, the lid doubles up as a smaller bowl for a side salad, of just to pour olive oil and balsamic vinegar into for dipping of the bread.  :-)

'The Wall' Part 2

                                   

 Things are hectic here with work and not much time to blog, but 'The Wall' event was such a great experience it would be a shame for me not to finish what I started.

After the field trip and the inspiration it instilled in us all it was full ahead as their was a mountain of work in front of us.

Although we knew we had to produce a walland that it had to reflect Ireland, until this time we had been working in isolation within our own workshops, researching and gathering ideas for the wall, but somehow it had to all fit together.  The task now was to produce a coherent design to fit all of our ideas into, while producing an effective uncluttered end works. Some ideas would need to be discarded, some altered and some added anew. We all agreed to from day one was that any 'egos' we may have were out and we all would work as a team to produce the best from the group as a whole. If this meant dropping an idea then it was dropped without upset and I can say without hesitation that all present were consummate professionals with the week and project running smoothly, I came across only fun, sharing people.

We didn't really know how the wall was going to look, how it would be physically assembled or what art  would or would not work within it. At the beginning I think there was some apprehension as to if we would could pull it off, but with such a broad range of highly skilled and creative people how could it fail.? !! At least this is what I kept telling myself throughout the week, and this soon became apparent as we progressed.

One of the many discussions that had to be conducted by Terry to make sure everything was working as one.

First we needed an idea of scale and design. 

Then discussions about ideas and solutions. Myself and Sharon Doughtie musing over the storyboard which was organised by Brendan Hogg , and was a vital part of the process for us to dip into. We all brought along something for the storyboard and added to it through the week.

Everyone shared their methods and skills openly in the spirit of a true collaboration. Jacques Vesery discussing painting techniques best suited for the task. 

Now before we go any further, it should be pointed out that none of this would have been possible without the support and dedication from Cornelia and the team, who were based in the heart of the engine room. The ladies provided us twice a day with the most delicious meals, both for us carnivores and just as delicious meals for the vegetarians, I know as I smiled nicely and often managed to sample some of the vege meals. :-) 

Without fail we were provided with the most amazing home cooked meals. Thank you ladies very much, it wouldn't have happened without you for sure. An army marches on its stomach.

The wood was cut, and shaped and the whole place buzzed. 

Glenn and the owner, Jim, owner of the saw mill where the wood was sourced for our project. 

Graiguecullen Sawmill

Slabs first cut

Then we need a break, Emmet Kane and Liam O'Neill

worked like North American loggers, both great characters whose company I enjoyed very much. 

Liam Flynn and those trained with the chain saws continued with the main cutting. 

Then each section was shaped and finished

Some were textured and coloured and some left natural, all finally taken through to Hogg and Son's the wall builders. Who again worked tirelessly and had a most difficult of task fitting all of the stones together.

And slowly the wall started to grow

Then there was more cutting, carving, shaping, painting 

We all got involved in the various tasks, all except building the wall as Hogg and Son's had a handle on the whole process, and besides they had a diplomatic way of telling us to kindly go away and leave them to it. :-) 

And slowly the wall grew.

Then it was all off to the pub to enjoy some Guinness and Irish music. Unfortunately the pub was less than  1/4 a mile from where I was staying, a real hardship. 

Apologies for the poor quality pictures, these were taken from my mobile phone camera. 

Many of our group joined in taking turns to sing and play instruments. I have to say there was a lot of talent in the group. The chap with his back to us with the guitar is Liam O'Neill, a dap at the guitar and singing Irish folk music. A wonderful evening.

And by the end of the evening, or was it early in the morning, the wall had, well, not grown any more. 

Until Part 3