and…..12

So, I'm sure you are now all getting the gist of these titles. It is now Thursday and we have been finishing masks. Tomorrow there is going to be an exhibition (kind of) of all the professional makers work at the Astra Museum where the students presented their work.
WE….. get to show our masks as well, really chuffed! it's quite an honour really because these folk have been producing traditional pieces for years and we've just arrived.

Today,
I finished my small mask, had so much fun doing it, possibly because it was so small and easier to complete each piece of the face. Anyway, a great day but too hot, we were, as Kyna puts it, 'leaking', a completely fair description of our state of affairs. A problem that we didn't anticipate was that our hands  were so sweaty it was difficult to keep sewing, had to keep washing our hands to cool down. We persevered.
Here is my small mask:

To give you an idea of size… it's about 23cm high and as you can see, not much different wide.

After lunch, back to the finishing and Vik and Esme were finished their 3rd mask and went off to do other stuff. I decided to stay, partly to keep the girls company and partly because Vik had spotted, and Anna had shown me this very wee mask.

So of course i decided to copy and make my own, really enjoyed it. So lovely to just make things without having an agenda.
Not quite the same but along the same lines. I think I'm going to be making some more on my return to Scotland.

My wee man

The consensus was to eat together, thank you Vik for cooking, and we had a lovely evening eating, listening to some music and chatting.

Day eleven

Another day of ….. wait for it… wait for it.
Masks!

modeling and making

We're all getting faster at sewing and making those incredibly important decisions: what colour material will I use?, or how big do I want my nose? and many others equally worth deep discussion and debate.

Actually, funnies aside, we do discuss much of the creativity decisions with each other, even if we kind of know the answer already.

So much easier to work with others around you doing the same.

Today my 3rd mask was finished.

 here she is.

I must say that wearing them for the photos is incredibly hot and I can see how they would be excellent to wear on 31st Dec.

Today we had an extra treat because Anna showed us how to make a traditional recipe (we helped a little). It included aubergines, onions, home-made mayonnaise, seasoning of course and a lot of smushing of the barbecued aubergine. We had it with bread and tomatoes. Very tasty.

After our second lunch, I played around with a wee mask, lots of fun… I reckon it needs a big nose but we shall see.








The others all went off to the salt lakes (used to be a  salt mine but know filled with water and facilities provided) Looking forward to going there myself but was needing to do other things today.
I managed to get another key cut for the flat as well as a security thingamebob which lets you in the outer door. As well as a new pair of sunglasses and a new nose ring. I then went into the centre, had a seat in the square and wrote my postcards.

just a lovely door

In the places I've been in Romania there are lots of lovely doors. Here are a few of the ones I saw on my way to the Piata Mara.

wish I'd caught this earlier

wee door

Another shower was needed after I got home…… whew!

Day 10 or the beginning of mask 3

It was so hot last night… sorry to all who aren't but it did make sleep a little restless.
Woke early to the lady, either upstairs or next door watering the small garden out front. She has a plastic cup that she dips into a water filled container and empties over the plants so carefully, delicately.
Made salad for lunch and then the usual shower to refresh myself.
Off to the pink house for around 10, found the girls already hard at work finishing off their masks.
I only had the ears to make and attach before the 2nd mask was done.

Megan modeling mask

Then straight into mask number 3.

beginnings

whizzing eyes

I am really enjoying making this one (not that I didn't on the others), I think because I understand the technique now. I did also get a little help from Anna who sewed up my eyes before I stuffed them.
Lunch over and back in there.
Today Anna let us see Youtube clips of the traditional dances, costumes and masks. (technicalities by her son).
It did make me understand the use of the masks more which I feel helps when fabricating them.

Here it is at the end of the sewing day, the hair isn't actually fixed properly but you get the idea.

Then it was a short walk home and we decided to head off to the veg market for supplies. 5pm but it was really too hot for me, although we arrived back arms about dropping off. Fridge filled and time to relax.

Day 9 or the start of week 2

Monday again, and we're all quite eager to get on with the masks. Here is mine towards the end of the morning.

The next job was deciding what type of hair or hat I wanted. Attaching the hair was one of the longest jobs so far. So much of it, all curly and difficult to sew on, but I persevered and quite pleased with the result.









It was a quiet day but we did plenty sewing.

The energy began to wain in the afternoon so we decided to check out the art shop near the Piata Mara.
A lovely stroll into town and Kyna dropped her broken sandal off at the cobblers.

This fountain intrigued me as it is very Charles Rennie Macintosh in design, quite lovely.

A wee walk to the stairs passage and the art shop we did find, some lovely colours but I have all I need at the moment.
After that it was time for a bite to eat, in the shade outside a hotel/restaurant in the square.
As before,  a great place to watch life going by while relaxing and absorbing the atmosphere.
One of the high spots for me was watching the kids playing in the fountain.

They were at it for ages, almost wished I'd gone and joined in, maybe next time.
We decided to stay in town and eat out at Pardon Cafe and Bistro…. very fine foods and gorgeous lemonade (with other fruits added).
A leisurely stroll back and readied ourselves for Tuesday.

Day 8

We've now been here over a week and I feel there is a settling into a kind of routine.
Every Sunday in Sibiu there is a flea market, basically a large car boot sale without the cars. I ended up going on my own because one of us decided to stay at home, and the others missed the bus I got. (If I'd had my phone I'd have met them later but, oops, left it behind)
So, a wee adventure on my own which I really enjoyed. Wasn't really in the mood for buying but wanted to see it. A lot of tat. A lot of 2nd hand clothes which if I could try stuff on and had room in my suitcase would be fantastic. I did buy a new leather belt and managed to haggle a little.
The gypsy women are so colourful, those dressed traditionally but many are also wearing western style clothes.

Decided to walk back, partly because I wasn't sure where the stop was for my bus.
Lovely walk and quite peaceful, a few interesting buildings, the eyes again.

Back towards the Piata Mara (Big Square) by way of the Piata Mica (Small Square) and the Pasajul Scarilor (Stairs Passage).

Heading up

Looking down

Got to Piata Mara and decided it was time to chill and eat, salad and chips with a lovely Romanian beer, a little sketch while I was sitting enjoying people watching. A mother walked past holding hands with her two daughters… the daughters were at least in their late twenties. Very lovely.
Off to see the Salvador Dali exhibition at the Bruckenthal Museum. It consisted of his prints, from the Purgatory, Inferno and Paradise series.

Day 7

Today is a very quiet day because after our cultural experiences of the week we decided (why I don't know) to go for a wee drink in the local bar, called Naf Naf.

They do cocktails….. enough said.

Day 6 and it's a Friday

We all agreed to begin later today as 9am is too early so 10am it is. Down to the pink house to carry on with my hairy face.

This is how he's looking a little after lunchtime.

Our studio: 

working away

Anna in full teaching mode

Only half a day doing masks as we were taken to meet Ioana at the school where she has pupils who were taking part in a competition of icon painting at the Astra park museum. Lots of youngsters from maybe 7/8 years to around 17years were all taking part, giving presentations of their skill at traditional crafts. Weaving, masks, icon painting on glass and wood, corn dolly making and cross stitch. Really interesting and quite amazing work being produced by them all.

Pupil and tutor

Unfortunately it was raining the whole time. We did walk around the lake to give the students time to prepare themselves and start work. Too many incredible things to see! The park is an outdoor museum of traditional buildings from around Romania. Certain buildings were chosen and then dismantled, transported to the museum and reassembled exactly. All furniture, tools and suchlike were also brought.

As we were mainly there to see the presentations there was not enough time to take  a look at the buildings properly so we are going back to spend the day.

Here are two of the sculptures that dot around the place:

This is one of the many water wheels and the strange wooden contraption out front is a washing machine.

smoking area

I didn't say before, but all the youngsters and adults were in the traditional dress of the areas they came from. It looked amazing.

Anna in traditional garb