Way back in July 2016 I blogged on the fact that I had been engaged to design a large sculpture that would represent a significant environmental spot and be the carrier for poetry about the place. The sculpture is to be one of the first three of the
Pente Poets Poetry Trail.
 |
| ©2017 Barry Smith - Detail of the drawings for the Buttress Root sculpture |
The good news is that the funding has been awarded for the three sculptures to go ahead. My large (2m high and 4m long) 10mm thick brushed aluminium Buttress Root sculpture is to be constructed and installed at Little Yabba Creek before the end of September 2017.
I have started the construction-installation process by contacting all the other people in my 'team': engineer; aluminium fabricator; sign writing company for the routing of the poems into the aluminium; and the installer.
 |
| ©2017 Barry Smith - Quotes from the various members of my construction and installation 'team' |
The first tasks for the engineer to do are: soil tests at the site; and then rework my installation drawings so that the necessary engineering and installation form can be submitted to Council.
 |
| © 2017 Barry Smith - Sculpture site at Little Yabba Creek where soil tests will be carried out |
 |
| © 2017 Barry Smith - Sculpture site at Little Yabba Creek |
Next week I will meet with the fabricator and work out a fabrication program-timetable.
The fabrication includes at least 4 steps: cutting of the aluminium sheets that will form the buttress root; delivering the three sheets to the singwriter so that the poems can be CNC routed onto the flat metal; delivering the routed sheets to another firm so that the sheets can be rolled to create the curves; and then delivering the curved and routed sheets back to the fabricator so that they can be welded and attached to the tree form and the footings for installation can be attached as per the engineer's instruction.
Easy - nothing could go wrong or be delayed there right????
 |
| ©2017 Barry Smith - Drawings and site photos for the fabricator |
This is one commission that will take quite a bit of coordination of the coming 6 months - but hey - pretty exciting - worth raising a glass to.
Barry, this will be fascinating to watch as it unfolds; sculpture and words, creating an environment of community.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the funding. I look forward to following the process.
ReplyDeleteM & S - apologies for not responding to your visit and comments earlier - I really do appreciate them. M & S - these things seem to take such a long time - but the actual making process has begun. I will share as the progress happens - still just in the negotiation stage with the engineer and fabricator. Go well. B
ReplyDelete