Starting Post 37

 

Have been commissioned to make a post that reflects the history of a daily farm. The main elements will be a very old rusted strainer post set in stone and various farm implements including clydesdale horse horseshoe. 

I have started the post including joining 125mmX95mm timbers and capping the slightly rotted tops with heavy channel iron as you can see above - cut with the trusty side grinder.

Photos of the strainer post and other bits provided are below. Not all the bits and pieces will find a home on the post.

The basic design for the post follows. I gave the post the working title of Bluebelle Cottage; but the official historical name for the post is Post 37.

Photos of the starting process follow. I started by grinding off accumulated grime and old paint - a real outdoor job - but so glad I have my sidegrinder to sand and to cut metal. You will see from the state of the timbers that it rained on and off as I worked this afternoon.

I will be away from the cottage next week so I will need to work on the post in a couple of weeks time. 

Imagine peace

 

Fiona and I installed a few peace weather grams and peace doves at the cottage in recognition of International Day of Peace today 21/9/22; and to send a few peace vibes out into the world.

We both noted that one of the places we chose to install the weather grams and doves was on a barbed wire fence - we thought this reflected the fact the fact that so many people in the world are held captive by violence, discrimination and inequality.

Fiona installing peace bits.

A few more images of the weather grams and peace doves.

Hoping that peace finds its way into the lives of those currently ravaged by war and held captive by violence, discrimination and inequality.

Art meets history

 

Over the weekend Fiona and I checked out the new annex building at the Strathnaver Museum. It was a great surprise to see a derelict wooden boat in the annex parking area - maybe awaiting work before becoming part of the museum collection.  Today I did a couple of small watercolours (above) of the boat (below).

Over the past year I have been creating works that reflect the betrayal of the Scottish farmers in the Sutherland shire in the northern highlands. Farmers cleared-forced from their land to make way for capitalist enterprises; and forced to subsist on small crofts and forced to become fishermen even though most had never been to sea. Many went to sea in unsafe boats and many lost their lives.

A few images of my work follow.

How eerie to find a boat that seemed to have, for me anyway, a strong connection to those sad historical times and to my recent work.

Re-acquainting myself

 

We have been back to the cottage in Scotland for a few days and quite a bit of our time has been taken with cleaning, weeding and doing a number of refreshing of the cottage type chores - and of course reconnecting with neighbours etc. 

Today (Friday) I didn't create but I did get back into the workshop/garden shed to check things out and sweep etc - I was pleasantly surprised that there were gorgeous bits and pieces for future work including the small timber bits in the photo above - picked up from the local fishing cove. I was pleased that I had left the workshop in a good state as you can see from the photo below.

A few more photos of bits that will become art pieces in the future follow - including some beautiful rust.

In preparation for this visit I posted an older side grinder (with new diamond blade) from the Maleny workshop and some new stone chisels. I ordered and had delivered a new battery and charger from A Scottish supplier - these arrived two days after we arrived - pretty good!!!

The post made from bits washed up in the local village fishing cove has settled nicely into the landscape.

We feel like we are once again being held gently by our Scottish home. A bit of making might start over the weekend.

Here and there

This post simply brings together a few images from our Armadale home and  our Maleny home.

Since this post is coming from Scotland first a few images of 'here' - Armadale home.

A few images from 'there' - Maleny home.

So fortunate to have a here and a there and to immerse oneself in the beauty of both places.

A cement request

 

A friend asked if I could make some cement cubes that could be used for display purpose similar to the arrangements above. 

I have been mixing up a few basins of pure grey cement and pouring them into silicone moulds as you can see from the photos below.

You might also notice in the photos above  a few random pieces such as  hearts, coasters  and candle burners in the mix. All the pieces need to be finished by sanding off the rough edges. Making the cement objects is a bit messy but also fun. 

Below are three sets of cement blocks plus a couple of circles sanded and ready to be delivered.