Time Flies!!

Where does time go? It’s a question possibly asked since mankind became aware of the concept of one day followed by the next until your portion runs out.

My days seem to pass in hours, weeks in days and months in a fraction of what it really feels they ought to be, especially when those never-ending bills arrive… again!

But it’s important to take a bit of time out to reflect and realise that a lot has happened in those moments between shut-eye, work and whatever else fills your life.

Since my last post I’ve made several demonstration visits both locally and interstate –I’ve had a lucky run of bookings, meeting some wonderful people and learning a lot along the way. Teaching is a two way process, you pass on information, and learn from the experiences of those you are sharing your knowledge with.

But what really drives everything I do is what I make. It is the basis of my demonstrations, articles I write and directions where my work evolves, and what I teach to students.

Recently I was able to finish off a few sculptural pieces that have been on the go for some time.

I picked up a piece of Cypress left out for firewood some months ago and couldn’t resist the potential I saw in the form, so ‘reverse’, pull up on the curb and put the wood in the boot. Mounted on the lathe wonderful grain configurations were exposed, worth pulling up for!!

After several returns to the project between other distractions, the piece was dried, oiled and set aside to wait for the moment of divine interception where a suitable base would evolve. That finally happened this month. Some of these projects take time!!

Likewise, two other pieces that were turned, power carved and burnt found their way to the fore and were completed.

I love to expose the grain and texture of woods I use, which are most often salvaged or recycled. ‘Moving Outward’ is made of fraxinus excelsior which is an imported weed here, but it has wonderful grain. Carved and burnt, with a bit of paint rubbed into exposed growth rings and cellular structure this piece is a celebration of the structural beauty that lies within this timber.

Likewise, when our neighbouring house was sold and new owners found an 80 year old Pin Oak (quercus palustris) dropped too many leaves and duly had the tree removed, you can imagine who was waiting to make use of the wonderful wood. I hate to see good wood go to waste, especially when I can see a create use for it.