Today Fiona and I spent the day travelling to and from Brisbane to celebrate the 90th birthday of a friend. It was a day grand day of honouring our friend and sharing memories.
This prompted me to share some older photos that I keep on my phone as they hold memories; and I enjoy the experience of occasionally rediscovering them.
For many years now I have made and sold silver-plated Daily Leaf Words sets. The sets are made up of a small metal bowl with seven formed leaves each stamped with a different word. The idea is that one choses at random a leaf at the beginning of the day. That may help one to be calm and maintain a gentle focus with through meditation or just reflection through the day. See photo of a couple of sets below. Daily Leaf Word sets can be purchased on my online shop.
I have complemented these sets with a small pamphlet stitched publication where I wrote words that might inspire or add a bit more focus to the day. I did all the letterpress set up, printing and binding myself - a limited edition of 25. See some photos below. The booklet can be purchased on my online shop.
I'm now planning to print a 7.5cm square concertina book on Kardi cotton paper. The opening photo is me comparing a number of letterpress fonts including narrow wood 2.5cm high type. I have chosen to go with Empire 72pt - the bottom font - very elegant and quiet. The following photos show some of the process of me setting out and choosing fonts, layout and ink.
I'm looking forward to printing this little pocket-purse book even though the concertina nature of it will make it a bit of a challenge on the letterpress press.
Bit of mixed bag today art-making wise. Just for myself I tested if I could cut a stone cottage from a raw, rough, hard stone. It appears I could as you can see from the photo above - the small cut and lightly polished cottage (4.5cm long, 4cm high and 3.2cm wide) and the stone it came from sitting on my anvil. A couple of additional photos below. The stone comes up quite dark with a bit of polishing on my grinding wheel.
G asked if I could cut crosses into 20 or so stones that he could give to folk to hold when they did their Christian meditation. The last photo is of the washed and lightly sealed stones - silicon crease.
I have been asked to make 9 tea light candle holder in the shape of a house. I only have the one silicone mould so it is a matter of making one prepay - and of course there are always byproducts - hearts and coasters!! Making cement objects is not just about moulding the forms - there is the sanding, filing and cleaning off to finish them - dusty work.
I was a good day of art. The stones were delivered to G.
A few fragments from the week and the walk this morning. Such a big blue sky when I took the photo of the magpie and the moon above - totally as taken.
I had another magpie keeping me company (it wanted the worms etc) whilst I was moving mulch yesterday; and the king parrot was trying its best to stay camouflaged.
A few bits of cheer from my walk.
Checked out G's orchid house.
Fiona and I bought a mini (about the size of a largish cabinet) glasshouse (polycarbonate) for growing greens - it is now up and running.
Bits of beauty to remind us of hope.
Wow! It is hard to believe that the preparation for and the actual studio sale are already behind us.
The Studio sale went well - though there are still stuff for those who could not make it and want to purchase a unique gift. Over on Paper Ponderings Fiona has done a blog about the studio-sale.
I have been commissioned to do rusty leaf forms (similar to those above) that will be mounted on a 2.6mX2.3m timber slat wall space - see below.
I provided the client with four concept drawings-options based on a quick in-passing conversation we had - see below.
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The client chose Option 1. I have begun to sketch out the leaf forms to scale - see below. The final shape and size of the leaf forms will be worked out when I can draw them to like size on the 2.4mX1.2mX1.6mm sheet of Corten steel I have ordered - to be delivered in 3 weeks.
The placement of the leaf forms will be decided on installation day. And yes there will be a bowl on a cypress pine plinth.