A couple more hours Monday and I've got all the carving done. Now just have to fine tune, clean up, and polish.
I could have finished it on Tuesday but we met our glass artist friend Gene in Fulshear for lunch. You might recall Gene is the one who stored his studio in our shop for three years while he was getting his house put back together after moving it, as in the whole house, not just it's contents, and getting his new shop built. He lives an hour and a half away so Fulshear is about midway. We chose a barbecue place because they have an outdoor patio but there were so few people there we ate inside instead. It was a good visit as it had been over a year since we had seen him. We missed a turn on our way though so instead of the 40 minutes or so it should have taken us, it took us an hour to get there.
I don't really have anything to report unless I want to wade into politics, and there is plenty of that to wade into but I just don't have the focus right now, my mind being on my work even when I'm not actively working on it (Marc put the drowned feather piece in the kiln Wednesday) and it would take some valuable time to compose.
I did my three hours over at the studio Wednesday between breakfast and lunch, cleaned up the two small flowers and am almost through with the big one so I might be able to finish after lunch Thursday but I'll only have an hour and a half so probably not. I might have it ready to polish though.
This one is just giving me fits at this point. Everytime I take a picture I see a flaw. Almost ready to polish.
Right now, at the time of this writing (which was Wednesday afternoon), I'm just waiting for 4:40 to get here as that's when I leave for yoga class. This is my least favorite time of year for class where we meet. With school out and the metal building closed up all day it gets really hot in there even with the giant fan. We do roll up the sides about halfway but it still takes some time for the built up heat to dissipate. Abby does a noon class in the air conditioned bowling alley that she manages but going then takes a near two hour chunk out of my day right in the middle of my most productive time. I may complain about the heat but I still show up.
The hawk was back Wednesday evening, this time sitting on a tree branch, closer than the fence rail, with its attendant mockingbird screeching at it. It's hard to see the mockingbird sitting on the same branch far left. I had to be sneaky to get these pictures, shot through the glass in the door, without alarming the hawk.
Easier to see the mockingbird in this picture in the upper left corner.
I love watching your art evolve. I am so looking forward to the finished piece. It's quite beautiful already.
ReplyDeleteThe hawk and mockingbird photos are wonderful. I hope that mockingbird's nest is safe.
I love hawks and never get a picture where they aren't vanished into the foliage even in plain sight. This is great.
ReplyDeleteAre you going to show us how you get from carving wax to putting something in the kiln? This process is still such a mystery to me.
Hawks are notoriously difficult to photograph. At least for me! Good job.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see how these works of yours come out. Seems like you have switched back into artist mode with a powerful force.
Of course, I cannot spot any flaws in your work and can't wait to see how it will turn out. Like Robin Andrea, I think it is so lovely already. Great photo of the hawk and mockingbird!
ReplyDeleteThat's a very majestic-looking hawk. I'm impressed at your dedication to yoga. As my Zen teacher used to say about meditation, it's most important simply to show up! (As opposed to allowing one to talk oneself out of it.)
ReplyDeletewe don't meditate, this is a very christian very religious rural area and Abby ends every class with a prayer which I try to ignore while acknowledging things I'm grateful for. but yeah, that's what I tell people, the hardest part of yoga is just showing up for class. yoga keeps me (relatively) strong and limber and at my age that's important.
DeleteI love that the hawk has a mockingbird shadow - I can just imagine the conversations. Ha! Your flower carving is gorgeous - you should just stop looking at it.
ReplyDeleteha! my glass blowing friend Kathy always tells me when I point out a flaw, Eleen, she says, you are the only one who will ever see that.
DeleteFlaws in one's creations aren't considered flaws, but a very unique part of the creating process. It/they make each piece a true one of a kind work of art.
DeleteWe have a family of hawks living in the park below our block. Sometimes I get a glimpse of the hawks when they come to the house for water or a bath in the fountain birdbath that David built. At night there are two owls that live and hunt in the park and our living area When I'm laying in bed or reading because I can't sleep I hear them calling. I'm so glad I live in a part of town that still has a lot of wild life that I can see and hear. I can't wait to see the finished product. Right now it looks so pretty but I bet it will be unbelievable when it's finished.
ReplyDeleteIs that the same piece as in the last post? Did you replace the leaf with a third flower? I find it beautiful both ways and see no flaws. But then that's why you're the artist.
ReplyDeletetwo separate pieces. I'm doing them as a pair.
DeleteLove the photos of the hawk and mockingbird. I got a couple of photos of a mockingbird harassing a crested cara cara that was sitting in a dead tree, but my camera settings were wrong, and there was no road shoulder to pull off on and I was going about 40 before I slammed on the brakes. So, no photos. But I do get a kick out of the mockingbirds. They're pretty much fearless.
ReplyDeleteI recognized your omg it's no perfect syndrome. Try putting on a perfect coat of varnish, outdoors. If you escape the love bugs, there's the pollen, and if there's no pollen, there's wind, and if the wind lays, the yard crew shows up, etc. etc. I figure if I can hit 95% or a bit better, I'm doing well. Besides, no one else sees the flaws I do, anyway.
it's a constant battle between what I can achieve and what I want to achieve. I'm not nearly as bad as I used to be. Usually I quit when I'm happy with it, am tired of working on it, or realize that the last several hours were wasted time as nothing really improved.
DeleteFascinating that I can see the striations in the wax--it's going to be stunning when complete. Funny that you missed a turn yesterday just like I did! Not really lost, just a longer way to get where we were going!
ReplyDeletethat could be due to two things...the texture caused the sandpaper I use to help smooth out the surface or the different layers I originally laid down. some of the wax is a little redder and a little harder. I reuse the wax left over from model making and also after it's been steamed out of the mold and since we have bought various colors/hardnesses of wax over the years, the color of the wax in the melting pot vaires so sometime the sheets I make are dark brown and very soft and sometimes they are a bit redder and firmer, depends on what's been thrown in.
DeleteIf you see the imperfections when you take a picture, and you want to fix them, well, you know what to do.
ReplyDeleteYour hawk is magnificent, as they generally are. I guess he leaves the mockingbird alone because she's faster off the mark?
That hawk is beautiful! Of course, I'd rather see a photo of it in your yard, than see the real thing in mine. I think we are usually our worst critics - to me, that piece looks perfect!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos!
ReplyDeleteI think your work is lovely, but, it being yours, I'm sure that flaws that others wouldn't notice all but jump out and beat you on the head.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that a mockingbird would be comfortable being so close to a hawk. Is this because the hawk is only a threat in the air?
matters not on a branch or in the air. mockingbirds are fearless. and when the hawk took flight the mockingbird followed badgering it from the air.
DeleteWow great photos and that hawk really blends in the tree scenery. What a joy to see them in your yard.
ReplyDelete