Sunday, March 31, 2019

Rust and stainless steel - in progress

©2019 Barry Smith - Stainless steel wire and rust
I have started another small sculpture that includes stainless steel wire.

This piece started with a plowshare.

©2019 Barry Smith - Marked up plowshare
The metal proved too hard to drill so I decided to cut slots into the metal to enable me to attach the bars of stainless steel wire.

©2019 Barry Smith - Not working - broke 3 small bits on one hole
©2019 Barry Smith - Slots
©2019 Barry Smith - More slots
I have started to add the stainless steel - but there is quite a way to go yet.

©2019 Barry Smith - Adding stainless steel wire

I hope to finish this next Friday????

Friday, March 29, 2019

Compassion, gentleness and kindness

©2019 Barry Smith - Back of the brass leaf on compassion
Today I managed to finish the compassion leaf-leaves that I was asked to make as a gift of thanks for someone who has supported another through a very difficult grieving process.

I decided to make the brass leaf with the quote as asked.

©2019 Barry Smith - Hammering on the anvil
©2019 Barry Smith - Annealing - brings out the stamped words
©2019 Barry Smith - A gentle finished piece
But also made a trio of leaves with the quote plus gentleness and kindness.

©2019 Barry Smith - Trio of silver-plated leaves with the compassion quote plus gentleness and kindness
And because I could I made a few small leaves to give away.

©2019 Barry Smith - A bit of love and kindness
The brass leaf and the trio of leaves will be posted in the near future.

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

A big difference a day makes & a ghostly companion

©2019 Barry Smith - Pastel morning
Tuesday morning was a morning of pastel colours across the valley below - soft, clear and gentle.

©2019 Barry Smith - Pastel morning - highlights to the east
Wednesday on the other hand was a day of grey, forbidding, drifting cloud, whiteouts.

©2019 Barry Smith - A cloud shrouded valley
©2019 Barry Smith - Threatening layers
©2019 Barry Smith - Engulfed by cloud
We had moved from a dry spell into a rain depression which is to stay with us for quite a few days. The contrast of the two days just shows what a difference there can be in weather on the mountain.

©2019 Barry Smith - Fiona and her artists' book which is in the USC Collection
After the opening of the Women's Work from the Collection Exhibition at the Sunshine Coast University Gallery Fiona and I went to have fish and chips with her dad.

But we were not alone - a lone pelican staked out our area in the hope of leftovers. I took the photo of its head appearing over the seas wall - the very low light has resulted in a very grainy ghostly photo - but I like it.

©2019 Barry Smith - Ghostly visitor

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Post installation and progress on a compassion commission

©2019 Fiona Dempster - Detail of rust added to the weathered post with tank top, rocking chair sculpture and the mountains in the background
 A significant amount of time over the weekend was spent working on drainage and finishing a set of steps around the concrete water tank.

I did manage to work with Fiona on finishing a weathered and rust post; and installing it at the top of the tank stairs.

©2019 Fiona Dempster - Hammering horseshoe nails - they will rust beautifully
©2019 Fiona Dempster - Getting the position and angle right before hammering the post into the ground
©2019 Fiona Dempster  - Installed with ginkgo and mountains 
©2019 Fiona Dempster - Looking towards the other three posts installed near the garden shed 
©2019 Barry Smith - Post at top of tank stairway 
©2019 Barry Smith  - Section of tank stairway
And I found a couple of hours to start a small commission on compassion. The Thich Nhat Hanh quote on compassion (Compassion is a verb.) is to be stamped on a larger brass leaf similar to the pages in my unbound book on compassion. It is be gifted to a person who is helping another through a time of grief. I have decided to make two versions: the brass one as requested; and also a trio of leaf forms that includes the quote but also the words kindness and gentleness.

©2019 Barry Smith  - The starting point - metal from the metal stash
©2019 Barry Smith  - One silver-plated placemat becomes 7 leaf blanks and bits for smelting
©2019 Barry Smith  - Brass leaf form emerging
©2019 Barry Smith  - Quote stamped on brass leaf blank
©2019 Barry Smith  - Quote and other words stamped on the blanks
©2019 Barry Smith  - Leaf forms folded and cut ready for hammering
I'm always moved when folk commission leaf words in times of grief or illness - I think the words and the acts of giving can be very powerful.

Friday, March 22, 2019

Liminal Space the sculpture - finished

©2019 Barry Smith - Section of Liminal Space the sculpture
I got time to finish the base for Liminal Space the sculpture today; and then assemble the work.

©2019 Barry Smith - Glueing on the back base section
©2019 Barry Smith - Many clamps to attempt to get good lines
It proved to be quite a difficult piece to photograph - to do it justice. Though the metal has a brushed finish it is still very reflective.

A few photos of the piece with different backgrounds. I love the background of sky and clouds.

©2019 Barry Smith - Sunlight and shadows 
©2019 Barry Smith - Mountain and clouds
©2019 Barry Smith - Clouds and sunlight highlights on the stainless steel wires
©2019 Barry Smith - Looking through the space
©2019 Barry Smith - Looking to the western range
©2019 Barry Smith - Strong lines
I had a little friend keeping me company when I was taking the photos on the wood pile.

©2019 Barry Smith - My little companion - Butcher Bird

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

A walk in soft morning light


©2019 Barry Smith - Layers of an unfurling leaf in soft morning light
We are are heading deeper into autumn - that means the light at about 6am is getting to be softer with pastel shades in it as you can see from the photo below.

©2019 Barry Smith - Soft valley light
Walks on such mornings seems to be quieter and softer - the colour of flowers can be more subtle. Bees are out foraging; but they seem a little sluggish.

©2019 Barry Smith - Bee and eucalyptus blossom
©2019 Barry Smith - Layer of tiny within the flower
©2019 Barry Smith - Delicate and hairlike 
©2019 Barry Smith - Soft tones
©2019 Barry Smith - Micro spider hides between the petals
©2019 Barry Smith - Baby bother bird on a bin in Treehaven Way
©2019 Barry Smith - Layers of petal and tiny flowers
©2019 Barry Smith - Layers of petal and tiny flowers
©2019 Barry Smith - Facing the sun - bursting with promise
Quite a lot of blossoms and trees were impacted by the recent heavy rain; but nature still offered some gems.