Wood Art Collaboration Ireland Part 1

It has been my intention before now to write about my trip to Ireland but having taken twelve days out away from work, a sizable backlog was waiting for me on my return.

So I am starting now to write about the collaboration from my perspective showing some of the many pictures taken by me and others who have given kind permission for them to be used. The pictures have been credited  where necessary with the copyright remaining that of the photographer named.

My first contact with Terry Martin the curator of the collaboration was at the 2011 AAW Symposium  in,  St Paul, Minnesota, USA. Terry is a well known wood artist, author, curator and traveller. and after this initial meeting together with many other people at Minnesota I did not have contact with Terry until late last year when I received an email from him inviting me to take part in a wood art collaboration as part of the Carlow arts festival, Ireland.

It has to be said that it did not take me long to accept the invitation as the chance to travel and more importantly collaborate with other makers is something I had previously enjoyed several years earlier at the  SW Collaboration  Australia and was at this event that I found collaborating to be infectious and a wonderful experience.

The Carlow collaboration was to take the form of constructing a wall made from wood 'An  interpretation on the theme of an Irish Dry stone wall'. The best way for you to get a true flavour of the event is to watch the previous video link posted. It is futile of me to try to explain the impact of the event when it is so better explained through the video.

The event was to take place from the 29th of May - the 8th of June after which I was invited to The Ulster Chapter, of the Irish Woodturning Association symposium at the Woodshed Templepatrick, Northern Ireland to demonstrate.

On arriving in Ireland via a ferry crossing to Rosslare from Fishguard I had an hour drive to the cottages at Borris House cottages where I an several others involved would be staying. Once settled in, it was off to the home and workshop of Glenn Lucas and Cornelia McCarthy where the collaboration was to take place.

It was not difficult to find Glenn and Cornelia's as it is well sign posted. 

A great deal of work had already been carried out by Glenn and Cornelia to get the workshops and an extra marque ready for us to work in. 

Everyone arrived and got to know each other prior to our first  evening meal. Here Terry and Glenn started off the week with a discussion about the project ahead, health and safety etc and to answer any questions we had. 

Then it was off to our accommodation with a trip the following day arrange for a field trip to learn about the local dry stone walls, landscape, history, flora and fauna. But before this we had a chance to check out the local village of Borris, a few pictures taken are shown below. 

The village of Borris where the cars can be fuelled at these petrol pumps located right on the pavement. 

Borris house where the cottages we stayed are located. 

Then it was off to the field trip. A beautiful views to be had for us to get into the spirit of the task ahead. For me when making it is important to understand fully about the subject matter and this requires a far deeper knowledge than just searching google. 

Local historian, explaining about stones that had laid face down for thousands of years until they were discovered by a farmer who  on turning them over discovered the ancient Celtic Stone art on the underside, what a find. !

Ancestral Farm home of Glenn Lucas. The home being on two levels, the lower level being where the livestock would be kept in the winter with the body heat going up into the upper floor to warm the occupants. 

A beautiful country indeed.

The remains of a frog skeleton found in the remains of the building by one of the group. This was later used  as a source of reference for a skull carving included in the wall project.  

I couldn't help taking a few close up pics for texture reference. 

Some pictures of the group taken by Harry Reid, Wood Turner and Photographer as well as other pics.

Jacques Vesery (USA) discussing the found frog skeleton with others. 

Group picture. 

A few more taken by me. 

Neil Turner (Aus) & Christian Delhon (Fra), taking in the view. 

Always on the look out for reference for future work.

Then it was off into Carlow to visit 'Visual', Centre for Contemporary Art & the 

George Bernard Shaw Theatre. 

This being the gallery space the wall was to be located. 

Art Liestman (Can),  Master carver Xiang Dong Wang (China) together with his wife and a local interpreter. 

Cinematographers of the IWCS

The interior of the gallery section the wall was to be located. 

A large horse sculpture made from Scaffolding poles located in another room being readied for the opening. 

After it was back for an early night for the following day and start of 'The Wall'

Update to follow. 

     

Wood Art Collaboration Video

Here is the video produce by the cinematographers of the IWCS International Wood Culture Society of the event.

This gives a far better explanation of the event that I could write.

Just click on the full screen mode bottom left of the video and alter to Hi Res for a full screen version.

Three countries, 1100 miles on the road and an Irish Wall.

Today is the first day back in my home after twelve days away in Ireland for a Wood Art Collaboration, producing  a sculptural installation for 'Visual' Contemporary Art Gallery, Carlow, Ireland, together with twenty other international wood artists.

The event was also in conjunction, supported by IWCS, International Wood Culture Society with two of their cinematographers attending to record the event for which they have produced a video of our working over duration of the event. A link to this video will be posted once it has been uploaded to the IWCS web site.

The event was a huge success with the installation being well received by the gallery and public.

Currently I am totally fried from the long days of making but have update the links page on my web site if you are interested in viewing the inspirational work of the other makers I was privileged to work with during the twelve days.

Over the next week it is my intention to write about and post pictures of the event, but I need to recover for a few days as 1100 miles by road in six days takes it toll.

Jurassic Bowl

This bowl was turned from a piece of stone found at a beach in Dorset which, is known for its a rich  history of Jurassic fossils and geology.

Chill Time

My work load at the moment seems to grow likes a volcano, ok a bit dramatic I know but I am bloody busy and seem to all of a sudden have orders, articles, commissions, etc coming from all directions. Don't get me wrong I am not complaining, I would rather be feeling the pressure of having too much work than not enough. It does mean however that I have to balance what I am doing, like everyone I guess, but I refuse to get fully back onto the treadmill as my work and family is a way of life and I am damned if the materialistic trappings of modern society are going to get the hooks back into me. 

So being self employed, when I feel the strain, I down tools , grab the camera, whistle the dog and walk out of my home into the fields and woods. Ok, I lose some money by taking time out, but hey it's a material and as long as I have enough to pay the bills,  life is just too good to miss.

Here are some pictures taken during my hour chill time. A young Robin pictured at the tp sat patiently waiting for me to get a good picture. He was high up in a tree and the camera was on 35 x optical zoom, so I was surprised when I got home and processed the pictures to find it came out so well.

The other pictures are of various flowers etc along the way.

Time to fly

Well today I looked out of my window to see if there was any movement in the nest and it appeared to be empty. So I decided to go outside to carefully look and sure enough it was empty, however the adult male wasn't far away with worms in his mouth so I started to retreat slowly and down on the floor only a foot away from me was one of the young birds, I then noticed one of the other younglings sat on a branch just inside of the bush looking straight at me.

So I left them be and managed to get some photos of them as I believe it will be the last time I will see them as they are ready to fly off on their own journey of life.

Here are what I think the last few pictures of these Blackbirds I will get, it has been wonderful being able to watch them grow and for them to get use to me enough, albeit from my window to be able to photograph them.

Now I have to put a DLSR camera and 400mm zoom lens on my Christmas list.

Growing fast

It is astounding how fast the blackbird chicks are growing. There are far from I can see three in total which are being fed now by both the mother and father on shifts. It is amazing how fast they are growing, but then I guess if it took them 18yrs to fly the nest the bird population would somewhat decline.

The picture here was taken today, after a bit more research into this sort of photography I have managed to get a sharper more defined picture. It is amazing how useful instruction manuals can be :-).

Black bird update

Chicks quiet and hunkered down waiting for mother to return. It is amazing how camouflaged they are, of course they are as it is their defense but nature never fails to amaze me. 

The black birds nesting at the front of my house have hatched and are growing fast. I have managed to set up my camera inside of the house and by using the 35 x optical zoom I am able to sit some distance away to take pictures of the chicks development. Although I am within the house with the lens being set up to protrude through a gap in the wooden blinds, the parent birds are all too aware of my movement, although they seem little concerned, or even the vehicles and people that move closely by their home. Instead they sit nearby with beaks full of worms waiting for their moment to return and feed. 

These pictures are grainy and of a fairly low quality as the iso due to the darkness within the bush where the birds have nested has been set at 1600 with the use of the zoom compounding the problem with regards to any movement, but being able to watch the progress at all is a privilege

Movement before mother returns

The feeding frenzy 

Mother settling down and is aware of my presence.

  

Hawthorne

A selection of some of the many pictures taken today while out walking today, some lovely textures and forms to work with.

As above, Hawthorne.

Ornamental Cherry