Things to come

I am so excited!
I've finally booked myself onto a Gargoyle carving course.
Ages to wait as it's not til Oct but so excited!!
I'll be off to Lincoln to carve stone and of course check out the cathedral amongst other sights.

Looking up is something that many people just don't do especially in a town or city but up there are fabulous things.... gargoyles of course, but I've also seen the beautiful architecture, strange items in windows such as large models of Noddy and Big Ears, and once I saw the most beautifully stone carved ship in full rig - such a sight.

"The origins of the word 'gargoyle' are derived from the old French word 'gargouille' meaning throat. In Architectural terms only the creature serving as actual water spout is called a Gargoyle, otherwise is it known as a Grotesque. A grotesque may function solely as decoration."

What is the purpose of Gargoyles? The first is a practical purpose - gargoyles provided a method of drainage which protected the stones and the mortar of churches, cathedrals and castles from erosion. The number of Gargoyles added to buildings were numerous because dividing the flow of water minimized potential water damage.  The second purpose of gargoyles was as 'guardians' of the buildings in the form of abstract symbols designed to represent, and to ward off evil.

http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-art/gargoyles.htm

This information means that technically I'll probably be making a grotesque, but I really don't mind. I would love to make a proper gargoyle that is for water, maybe in a bit.

Another interesting fact is that there are no two alike!

These are a few of some I like.

photo by Richard Nilsen

photo by Annette Wagner

 


The last one is a modern take but equally appealling
 

 

FINISHED!!... 365 self-portraits

 That's it. All portraits completed.
Boy was it ever difficult to start the last one, something I wasn't expected.
But anyway, here they are, the last three.

twentyninth

thirtieth

Thirtyfirst

twentyseventh

twentyeighth

Another 12 portraits

It's been an interesting time away in Orkney. Research trip was a success and I have now experienced the winds on the island... lovely people and amazing stones. More of that later.

sixteenth

seventeenth

eighteenth

ninteenth

twentieth

twentyfirst

twentysecond

twentythird

twentyfourth

twentyfifth

twentysixth

So....
Only 5 more portraits and a whole year of them is complete. I am a little nervous as to how I will feel at the completion of this milestone. A threshold crossed and new beginnings.

October - halfway

Now has come the time when I need to be producing a flyer/poster for my exhibition of my self-portraits... Have I started, no.
It definitely becomes more difficult when there is no-one to bounce ideas off. I will persevere though.
For now.... more portraits, taking us to halfway through October and two weeks left to go until the final. Not sure how that will feel, but I will let you know.

tenth

eleventh

twelfth

thirteenth

fourteenth

fifteenth

OCTOBER!!!

Here it is.. the last month in this year of self-portraits has begun.

first

second

third

fourth

fifth

sixth

seventh

eighth

ninth