Pietrasanta’s at last getting warmer – and opening up like a flower…
And with the warm sunny weather its is filling up, foreign artists are arriving, and the ones that are here all year, seem to have come out of hibernation in their studios.
Friday night’s drink in the piazza after work, turned into 8 of us going for a nice dinner, and ended up with 4 of us drinking take away limoncellos or cafes (in expresso size polystyrene cups with lids!) on the steps of the duomo, with one of my party playing the piano accordion. I felt like I was in a film…
Nearing the end
But I only have 2 weeks left, so I feel like I need to make the most of every opportunity and experience. Part of me is also now looking forward to being home, in my own place with my family, and to starting a new creative phase in my own studio.
But I’m also very busy trying to finish my 3rd piece. Today I started in earnest putting the figures into a framework. On Helaines suggestion I had worked on some small maquettes, but in the end decided that the piece isn’t that big, and the structure is so dependant on its interaction with the molecular figures that I just had to launch in to the piece and work it out in that.
I’ve been using pastellos of the hard brown wax. I love making the pastello, and I’m getting quite good and quick at it. I dip my hands in a bit of oil, then pour a laddel of molten brown wax into the basin of cold water. I then start needing the wax together first in the water then soon out of it. There is something so sensual and pleasing of needing the warm wax in my hands.
I’ve had a bit of help from Angelo to construct a framework, but mostly I’ve done it on my own, as the foundry was very busy, with at least 3 artist in either inspecting work, or working on things, and Angelo was running from one to the other with his usual calm – however now that I know him a bit, I could tell that under the calm exterior he was a little hassled by all the different directions he was being pulled in.
I’m excited by the piece, and was gutted when I realised it was already 12 and lunch break. Anyway, back at the flat for a quick lunch, then I can continue with the piece. I’m trying to work intuitively but whilst keeping in mind the ideas and feelings I’m hoping to express.
My mother and son are just back in now, so I’ll stop here.
