Wednesday, August 30, 2017

A joyous pandemonium?

©2017 Barry Smith - a small humble clover flower head catches the early morning sun
I started my walk this morning a bit tired and sore after a heavy afternoon of work the day before. My mind was a little grey. But it did not take long for nature to turn that grey into colour and for the tiredness to be eased away.

The word that came to my mind as I walked Treehaven Way was pandemonium - why pandemonium; and can one actually have a pandemonium of colour, sound and light? I just felt there was just so much colour, birdsong, bee hum and light that they all combined to create a combined rowdy pandemonious joy.

Just some of fragments of the morning pandemonium!!











©2017 Barry Smith - Perfection of one of the many grevillea blossoms

©2017 Barry Smith - Early light


©2017 Barry Smith - Unfurling leaf of a new stag horn 
©2017 Barry Smith - Tiny 'weed' blossoms
©2017 Barry Smith - An early spring rose in our garden
Spring appears to be rampant early.

Sunday, August 27, 2017

An Artisan Lamp and a Couple of Light Catchers

©2017 Barry Smith - Simple stripped back Light Catcher - the brass and crystal do the talking
My goal for today was to complete at least one Artisan Lamp - which I did. But I remembered I needed to make a couple of interesting assemblage gifts for a couple of children. I decided to make them Light Catchers. So I did not get to work on any other lamps.

As one does I worked on the three assemblages concurrently. The pieces were all selected and adapted before heading over to the grinding-polishing area.

©2017 Barry Smith - Antique gas light decorative leaves and section of an old pendant lamp
©2017 Barry Smith - Solid fuel soldering iron bits and part of an old pendant lamp
©2017 Barry Smith - Multiple bits for the Artisan Lamp
The Artisan Lamp has turned out well - good balance of the bits. And as you can see from the photos it also works. The lamp looks great front on but I was running out of time to fuss with photographs.

©2017 Barry Smith
©2017 Barry Smith
The two Light Catchers share one element - the 'twirlie' bit which come from a old pendant lamp.

©2017 Barry Smith - Vintage chandelier crystals to catch the light - bit like a plant frond with crystals
©2017 Barry Smith - Crystal from a vintage chandelier - the last one of this shape and size - bought in a NYC market several years ago.
I feel satisfied with the creative outcome for the day.

Friday, August 25, 2017

Creativity but not necessarily art

©2017 Barry Smith - Patina and symbols on a brass shut-off tap
Today was supposed to be reserved for art; but included community stuff, work on my friend's will, building the base for an orchid house and starting a bunch of Artisan Lamps.

Fiona's dad's new orchid house is to arrive next Thursday so I needed to ensure the base was ready for the build. The base is 3.3mX3.3m for a 3mX3M orchid house - should sit nicely in the centre of the base planks!!!!



I sorted quite a few groups and individual objects that could end up being lamps. Lamps often start with a selection of things strategically placed on the table.

©2017 Barry Smith  - Table of lamp goodies
©2017 Barry Smith  - Love the shape and patina of this shut-off tap
©2017 Barry Smith  - I'm seeing a bit of a soldering iron installation
©2017 Barry Smith  - Can't go wrong with a few switches and gauges etc
Then it progresses to testing if 'this goes with that.'

©2017 Barry Smith  - Marking the shut-off tap for cutting and see;eating bits that will be the stem of the lamp
Over the weekend I hope to complete the selection and rough assembling of bits that will make up individual lamps. There is an outside chance that I might get to finish one. But for now I must shower and get ready to head out for homemade gourmet pizza and red at a friends place.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Blossoms on the block


©2017 Barry Smith - Orchid bud ready to burst forth
It has been a full few days so not a lot of time for walking or iPhoneograpy. But the block always offers some beauty to keep one going as you can see from the photos below. I particularly love the new growth and promise of spring.

©2017 Barry Smith 
©2017 Barry Smith  
©2017 Barry Smith  - Brilliant colour
©2017 Barry Smith 
©2017 Barry Smith  _ First rose of spring or the last of winter?
©2017 Barry Smith  _ Heaps of nectarine fruit?
©2017 Barry Smith  _ Orange blossom already
©2017 Barry Smith 
©2017 Barry Smith  - Strange tiny spiky orchid

Sunday, August 20, 2017

A couple of completions

©2017 Barry Smith - Detail of deep etched plate
Over the weekend I completed: the last final touches to my piece for the Blackall Art Exhibition; and managed to attach all the etched plates to the Water and Snake sculpture posts.

Finishing the piece for Blackall included: adding a missing flipper to one of the small fish; recording the set out for the work to assist the exhibition filk with set-up; and packing for mailing on Monday.

©2017 Barry Smith 
©2017 Barry Smith 
©2017 Barry Smith 
©2017 Barry Smith 
Attaching the etched plates to the posts included: drilling and counter-sinking all 15 plates; and glueing and screwing them to the posts according to the set out in my original design.

©2017 Barry Smith 
©2017 Barry Smith 
©2017 Barry Smith - The tops of the five posts with three etched polluted attached to each
But both jobs were completed so that was a good out come.