Monday, June 24, 2013

Creating Rubble

The pile of stonechips grows and I think a sculpture is taking shape. We'll see what it looks like in the morning light.

As I was working today l looked up and saw a wallaby browsing - quite unconcerned in spite of the noise of the tools and the generator.

The start of the second week.

Oh Rock!

The rock by the light of the setting moon is white in contrast to the sleeping landscape. It isn't like the rocks in Ryoanji garden that rely on their untouched rock-ness  to make their statement. This rock has been wrested from its natural lie in the ground, stood upright, broken a couple of times and then I get to work on it.

As the worked faces emerge they stand in contrast and in compliment to the marks of the seasons that show where the rock was exposed.

I'm getting line and surface and interface. And the gesture of those things is starting to suggest a name.

The moon has set now and the darkness before dawn prevails. I dare not go for a walk until daylight in this place dotted with mine shafts. In fact driving has its risks too - coming back from the bore baths last night I saw a big grey kangaroo by the road. A collision would not be good for either of us!

The first colour of day is showing - time to watch.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Residency Progress and Hot Pool

A few days of sorting out a work pattern with a generator and a garden hose and my water feed tools are looking good. The pile of chips is growing courtesy of the slice and dice with the tile cutting saw and mallet.

All this cutting, chipping and grinding is slow to shape the work. The muscles ache a bit but the hot water in the artesian bore baths is really soothing.

On solstice morning the sun makes a line between the rocks.

Work in progress  23 June

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Residency-the start

Working so far from the studio is scary and fun! So first we decided to move the big rock to a better place and then we wanted to move a companion rock. Leon turned up with a huge yellow machine - steering on front and back wheels and legs that went down to support an extending bucket - and the skill in driving it was amazing! So there was the project - a complete redesign and food for thought.

So I began- setup the tools, establish the water and power supply and figure out how to make things safe when the performances are on.

Of course the first incident was that a piece feel off - oh dear! well what do you expect after dropping it into position. Such is life with sandstone.

Morning from the Black Queen

The start
Now to work! Establish the rhythm and off we go.


Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Lightning Ridge Residency at the Black Queen

walls of bottles beautifully executed.
Gale and Roger Collins run the Black Queen Outback theatre. It is a performance about the complex of spaces, the lady who built it, why they bought it and culminates in the museum where we witness the story of light.

The museum at dusk before the lamps are lit
That museum is a magic space that compliments the performance. And the lamps themselves do indeed "light up the night"


I'm looking forward to working here on the sandstone of the Ridge.

Morning on the Ridge