slow progress

I do not understand why it takes me so long to get this pate de verre work done. I've been working on a small model of a grain of evening primrose pollen today and have been pondering that question while I worked. Of course right now I'm sitting here at my computer typing up this post. That could be one reason. However, I'm also waiting for the wax in the pot to melt so I can make a reservoir on which to set up my model when I'm through with it. I think I've got about 5 or 6 hours of work in it already and still will need a couple of hours to finish it.

Oh, look. There's a hawk perched on the trailer in Montreal's yard. Oh, maybe not a hawk, maybe an owl, I decided as it flew off. It was awfully big for a hawk.

Granted, I didn't make anything new for about two years but I started on these latest pieces last August maybe. That's nearly a year. Everybody else produces a whole body of work in that time. I've got two finished pieces and half of one was already made.

What the hell are those crows making such a racket about?

My inability to produce a reasonable amount of work in a reasonable amount of time affects my saleability. I just don't produce enough to get my work in enough places at the same time to create an impression on the people who would be in a position to buy it.

I see the bunnies are out. The little bastards better not be eating my tomatoes again.

Other people can do this. Why can't I do it?

Are those the wrens poking around in the shop again?

Out of fairness (to myself), I decided to tote up what I've done this past almost a year. I won't bore you with the tally. I guess I've been more productive than I think. The wren box alone was 7 individual pieces (not counting having to make the top twice and two of the feet twice) that had to be modeled, cast and cold worked and it's only one of 5 boxes plus the flower block waxes I've done. Still, not an impressive result for so much time.

Damn, the wind has blown the plumerias over again. I better shore them up with some bricks.

I suppose if I knew what I was going to do with them when they were finished I would be more motivated, but there are no shows pending, no exhibitions. I've sort of dropped out of that scene, stopped pushing, stopped promoting, stopped getting myself 'out there'. All it did before was get me in debt. But I do kind of miss it. And I know it's a necessary evil if I want people to see my work.

I really need to collect the rest of the rocket larkspur seeds before they are completely scattered by the wind.

Do I send them to the gallery that had been promoting our work at the national shows or ask them to send what they have back since I have no idea if or how our work is being displayed there. Do I send them to my other gallery who has only been getting older work being shuffled around? Do I use them to try and get a new gallery in the west, which I would like to do?

I wonder how Rachunek's garden is doing. Maybe I'll wander over and check it out.

These are the questions I ponder as I creep slowly towards completion of another piece. All I really know for sure is that I want to show them together as part of a show or exhibition, not just add them piecemeal to various inventories.

I should probably check the birdbaths, make sure they have water in them.

Anyway, I've got plenty of time to figure out what to do with them considering how slow my progress is.