Stone with inlaid solid silver

 

When we did a workshop last year with Lindsey Gallacher I experiment with inlaying solid silver rod into a cove stone I had cut a groove into with a diamond blade. When Fiona and I were talking about art that we might do whilst we are over here this time she suggested that I might do some more inlay work. 

I ordered a .5m length of 2mm .925 solid silver rod; and we collected suitable stones from the cove - see photos below.

Over the weekend I managed to finish one of the stones (see opening photo); and worked on four others including an inlaid cross for Graham (see process photos below). The stones were cut free hand with a 1.5mm diamond blade in my side grinder. This requires steady hands and good safety goggles, mask and gloves.

The grooves are finessed with a diamond file; the silver rod is glued into the groove when cut, shaped etc; the whole thing is given a polishing sand; and finally polished with light coat of mineral oil.

Over the next couple of weeks I hope to finish about 7 stones in all.

Starting on a couple more - wee watercolours that is!!

 

As you can see from the photo above I have made a start on a couple more postcard size watercolours.

I like the small corrugated iron clad buildings that pop up here and there across the Highlands including the blue one in Melvich and the green one in Kinbrace - see below. Many of these buildings were small local churches.

Some process photos follow including the pencil outlines and ink outlines.

I hope to complete these two this coming week.

Fragments from the train

 

Fiona and I took a train ride from Thurso to Kyle of Lochalsh and back. The photos in this blog are in a bit of a random order; and given the dirty windows they are not crystal clear!!!!

My favourites are the old broken wooden fences that are down toward Forsinard.

Forsinard Flows country and viewing building through the trees

My favourite corrugated iron church at Kinbrace - I will attempt to do another watercolour of it - photo taken from a different angle from the train.

Whisky barrels along the way

Few images from Kyle of Lochalsh way follow. We arrived in Kyle of Lochalsh one afternoon and left in the dark next morning as the train we booked on for later in the day was cancelled - still we had a great view of the loch area on the afternoon before.

Bridge between the mainland (Kyle of Lochalsh) and the island of Skye.

Skye lights across Kyle Akin to the village of Kyleakin on Skye

Train trips are a grand way to see the countryside - letting others do the driving!!!

Tweaking Loss

My Betrayal and Loss Exhibition (2023) art work Loss was purchased by Strathnaver Museum; and has been moved and is currently on show in the upstairs display area at Clachan Cafe and information centre adjacent to the museum.

Loss was a bit complicated to move given that it has 103 metal boats attached to a mesh wave; stones representing 5 fishing coves; and a sea of fabric. It was moved by museum staff. They had done a grand job; but I agreed that Fiona and I would tweak it a bit whilst over this trip - opening photo of me at work.

The main issues were that in reattaching some of the boats two layers of a couple of the waves were attached to each other (see photo above) and didn't allow the open rolling sense of the waves; some big stones were dominating the front of the piece; and in places the groups of boats were a bit dense. Using curved jewellery pliers Fiona I removed a number of boats; separated the wire; reattached boats; moved stones; and reformed a couple of waves. Following photos taken by Fiona reflect part of the tweaking process.

And as you can see from the photos below the artwork is generally more open; and continues to tell the story of the betrayal of people cleared from Strathnaver and forced to be come fishers - many lost their lives - see Letter XI in Donald MacLeod's Gloomy Memories.

 

Roof Post

 

I have called the assemblage you see in full sunshine in the opening photo Roof Post simply because most of the timber in it came from under the old slates when the roof was being replaced. There was all strange bits of timber maybe used for repairs in the past. A closer examination of the assemblage reveals a white cabinet door with rusted hinge marks and blue painted timber that appeared to have come from a boat. 

Fiona and I wanted to make this assemblage as a bit of a nod to the age and history of the cottage. It is attached to the back corner fence post of our yard overlooking the cottage. Photos below were taken by Fiona.

This assemblage seems to reach for the sky.

On the window ledge and in the rockery

 

iPhone photos today are at the cottage. The sun came through the front window for a moment at the right angle to light up the dried honesty seed pods Fiona had gathered and placed on the window sill - see above.

And whilst the sun shone briefly I captured a few of the blossoms, berries and plants in the rockery beds at the front of the cottage.

This is the first year we have had berries on the holly bush - image above - should be full red before we head back to our Maleny home. The texture and colour of the berries, moss and sedums can be beautiful as the blossoms in the autumn garden.