A walk in the Woods
So I doubt wether I will say too much till I install this mosaic, I have only got to cut it up and store it till the installation.
Now I have a little time on my hands I made a small path in the front garden. I might make another one tommorrow.
I think I will read Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance……. I find reading for pleasure a difficult thing and miss out on so much. Attention Disorder, lazy, always think that something else is more important, why is this? prehaps the answers lie in the book. Outside stimulas is such a good thing, so why do I find it so hard to leave my little insular world?
The blue bells are out, and I took my dog Cosmo out for a walk it was amazing, like blue water over the forest floor.
He was so happy charging through the woods, mud, smells, squirrels, stagnent water and leaves and grass to roll in. Just dog stuff I will never really understand. He was so happy it made me happy in a sad sort of way?
So the madness hoverd around the fringe of my mind on this project. It is nearly over now.
I had a conversation today and I found out that the site wont be ready for five weeks or so! I expected to hear five days. True, some time after easter was bandied about, I thought I was well behind the contractor. Thats great news, I will not need to force myself kicking and screaming into the workshop. I have no time preasure. That's when mosaic is really cruel that fight to complete on time.
So I'll have to find something else to say instead.
'The straight line leads to the downfall of our civilization' Hundertwasser. 1953.
The bun fight is tommorrow at 10.30
I will drive off early start… to Wantage where the commissioners (of my last project) Persimmons Homes and The Vale of the White Horse Dist. Co. are providing drinks and cakes so the residents can use this celebration to meet each other and get to know their neighbours. This is what should happen more often, after all the point of these projects is to strengthen communities and build social capital.
The best one was when an aquantance sent me a photo of celebrations at a project I had done ages before. It turned out to be an asian wedding and they used an urban stone circle I created, which they sang, danced and waved coloured material around and stuff.
Now for me, that makes a successfull project.
Lets hope tommorrow is as fun?
As for this project, its too boring to talk about, but it looks fab. check out the photos.
So that's it then the nice bits all done and what's left is just mechanical. Brain damage will no dought ensue.
I am very very pleased with it though. Its like looking at one of those architectural models the ones with streets, cars, buildings with windows, trees and stuff. like looking into a micro world. Its the first time I think I've made a mosaic like that, though they are all micro worlds in their own way.
I will post a photo of the really good bits soon but today, I'll post what I have.
My batteries are low and the rest of it will be like a hard climb in the Tour de France; long, hard and painful. But I am strong and riden in these mountains many times before. I will huff and puff may even find a sprint finish at the end. I might have to find a fast finish as Halcrows 'are going to contact me' which really means when will you be ready to install, as we will be off site in a week or two!
I fixed me bike today, brakes needed attention and I've got a free lunch on Thurs next week.
So where does the Zen come in then?
Well, hours and hours of cracking rocks day in day out is a pretty boring task and the mind is needed only in very limited descision making so a higher mind set is often reached, Nivarna, sacred and spiritual places are where this level takes us. Where is it? I can't remember but I've been there all day, I dont realise the CD's finished thirty five minutes ago, its only when the CD gets stuck that you realise there is life in your body.
Zen like levels dude,
Monks used to copy the bible by hand as there was no printing in those days.
How many times did a scribey type monk write the bible in a life time?
Prehaps it started as a great job, lovely illustrations, calligraphy Lombardic capitals, uncials super work if you can get it. But by the 3rd or 4th copy of the bible the gloss has worn off and the realisation that the next 3 months till the book is finished will be more of this Nivarna, this needs a zen like acceptance to reach the end of the task. Then, when it is finished there is the next one to do. This is also the exact same head space for mosaic making.
