Trio of posts completed

 

I achieved my goal of finishing the three post sculpture today. A photo of the finished trio outdoors above. The photo below is of the completed posts in the workshop before heading outdoors.

A few more photos of the trio from different angles and with a couple of different backgrounds follow.

The trio is now stored away in the workshop awaiting installation.

This has been a grand project. I have: used my last 3m long 200mm square log of cypress pine; created posts with heaps of niches - inspired by a work at the back of Qld gallery of modern art; used most of the rusted metal that was lying around; and given myself the opportunity to scale down stuff in the workshop. The bonus of course is that there are now three gorgeous posts to go out into the world and to weather further.

Post progress

 

Over the last week I have been grabbing a bit of time here and there to add the rusty bits to the three posts that will make up my current post installation.  The rusty bits are mainly going into the niches I cut and chiselled into the posts.

I have set the three post up on a bench and am doing work an all three - ensuring I'm spreading like pieces of metal across the three posts.

Following are some images of some of the niches. The idea of the rust in the niches is to invite viewers to get closer to the posts to check out the beauty of each little arrangement in each niche - small rust artworks!!!

I'm hoping that I might get to finish the work over the weekend - but we will see. 

Mainly banksias

 

My morning walk took me past a small stand of banksia bushes. I think there are three to four different bushes clumped together. I was taken by the way the morning sun was beginning to catch the blossoms and in some cases making them stand out against a blue sky.

This blog simply pays homage to the variety and beauty of these blossoms in their various stages of growth - in random order!!!

A couple more sights that caught my eye are below.

A sunlit and blue sky morning is certainly good for the spirit.

A highland coo and a highland cottage

 

During the week I managed to finish or almost finish a couple more watercolours including the highland coo; and our cottage in Scotland. The coo watercolour (above) is taken from a photograph I took whilst we were last over in Scotland; and the cottage (below) is taken from a photo I took after we had had a light dusting of snow.

A few process photos follow.

I say 'almost' finished as I did the watercolours at home from scratch - that is without the supervision of my watercolour tutor Megan. Hopefully I will get to class next week and get Megan to run a critical eye over both works.

From formal to informal

 

A friend asked if I would convert a formal black freshwater pearl necklace (below) into an informal lariat style necklace. Photos of the completed lariat necklace are above and at the end of the blog post.

The conversion process included: de-stringing the pearls; re-drilling the pearls to increase the hole to 1.5mm to cater for the 1.5mm woven string; super glueing the pearls into place on two slightly offset strings. It was mainly a fiddly task; but good to turn the necklace into something that will now be loved and used. The re-drilling of the pearls always takes precision and care.

The end product is a lighter more open and flexible necklace that can be set to a length that suits the wearer. There are 26 pearls on the lariat.

Feedback was - "absolutely love it- it'll get heaps of wear." 

Dazzling morning light

 

Though the morning was dark when we got up it was dazzling bright by the time I walked. It was such a joy to have the sunshine and blue sky after so many wet and overcast mornings we have had over the last few weeks.

The trees and blossoms all seemed to be soaking up and reflecting that brightness. There were so many bits of bright beauty to see; but here I share a few.

There is no doubt that a bright sunny morning does much to lift one's spirit.