This Week in the Studio

Or more accurately, several weeks in the studio...

In two weeks I head off to Cookeville Tenn, for a big solo show at Tennessee Tech University at the Joan Derryberry Art Gallery, the home of the famous Appalachian Center for Craft. Right now I am furiously working at fixing, cleaning and refinishing the works that will go into the show. There are many pieces in this installation and I have a ton of work to do. On Saturday I will have a student assistant come by and help with oiling many of the steel pieces to get them nice and clean for the show. I have been doing some 'boat' repair and alterations as well. I like to make subtle changes to each show and repair work offers me the opportunity to do so. In some cases I am taking out old wood ribs and changing them for copper wire ribs, the colors work well for me.

I am also working on a sculpture for the "All Aboard" Exhibition celebrating the anniversary of the Train Depot in downtown Hattiesburg. Eighteen or so artists were invited to create any sculpture that involves trains, tracks, stations, or any imagery related to trains, etc. This sculpture is due two days after I get back from my four-day trip to install my work in Tennessee. Basically that means I have to finish it before I travel in two weeks. Yikes! I have a lot to do! These images show various stages of still unfinished engine, or abstraction of an engine. No wheels yet and I am still working out the 'basket' on the back. Lots to do.

And finally, as an update to the ferro-cement test; I have put on a couple of coats of finish layers and done some sanding. The surface is getting very smooth, need to do a lot more sanding, but all will have to wait until I get back from Tennessee, to much other stuff that needs to get finished first.