St Madoes - stone carving workshop

I was asked to run a stone carving workshop at the opening of the new St Madoes centre.
I'd put forward a proposal to carve the stone that will be in their garden area but wasn't chosen for that. Not unhappy, the workshop went so well.

 All happy carvers and a great day out.

The Frigate Unicorn - Dundee

The HMS Frigate Unicorn is almost 200 year old!

"HMS Unicorn is considered to be the best preserved of all historic wooden ships in the world from her era.

She is now the World’s last intact warship from the days of sail, one of the six oldest ships in the world and Scotland’s only representative of the sailing navy."

http://www.frigateunicorn.org

This is a fascinating ship to visit and I've been lucky to have been shown all over, even where visitors don't get to go. There are still initials and names of the original shipwrights in some places.

Ships of this era carried with them small animals to provide fresh food on  long journeys. These would include pigs, sheep, goats and chickens. The Unicorn management team wanted to inform the public by putting animals, a large stove and hurdles on the ship. I was commissioned to paint some life sized animals in the same style as the painted sailors already on the ship.

It was a great deal of work but enjoyable, so here they are.

 

  

 

SCRAPANTICS - the move

WE MOVED!!!

An incredible feat of will power, fabulous helpers, a van, good weather and a shopping trolley.

From small acorns, mighty oaks will grow.

Luckily the move consisted of leaving our wee unit on one side of the carpark to a much bigger unit on the other side of the carpark and round the corner.

The original store

 What you see in this photo is almost all there was, such a small unit but a brilliant way to start.
Our fabulous helpers were mainly my mum and sister, they were quite outstanding, although I did try to stop mum lifting things that were too heavy, quite often without success.

The front of our new store - now highly visible from the road instead of hidden away at the back of a carpark.

The boat was one of about 5 half boats on scooters from a play at the Dundee Rep Theatre. Great fun to play with and all went to good homes.

More Gamrie (Mon and Tues)

Today is Monday and the event was checking out the Gannet colony. I've never been this close to so many birds. Beautiful to watch swooping, diving, and most certainly making plenty noise.

Gannet colony

close-up

It was a short drive from Gardenstown and then a shortish walk towards the cliffs. A beautiful day too. I took plenty photos and a bit of video - could have lain in the grass watching them for hours. Or rather, I'd like to but usually I don't let myself just be, something I am working on.

Loved-up

Now it's Tues and I went to spend my sweetie money at the shop, which also happens to be at the top of the hill and it is no mean feat walking up that hill. We were all given Gardenstown wee packets from Derek and Rosie. In the packs were a badge, sweetie money, voucher for the Gannet Colony, a Gamrie passport, all tongue in cheek but sweet too.

Tope of the hill

Up by the church

On a stretch of the hill were all these garages, in various stages of repair, or rather disrepair for some, and I had to take some photos.

 

Then there was a walk up to the derelict church on the hill, amazing views and as I love derelict buildings and graveyards it was great for me.

the church

inside looking out

inside the church

And finally, to end Tues I got on with the painting/drawing I'd begun the day before. Really pleased with the result. Although I couldn't get a decent photo as you can see, due to shadows, but love the effect.

 

Gardenstown or Gamrie

My first time visiting this amazing coastal village/town.
Here on an artist's residential and intending to enjoy every minute.

Love doorways

More doorways

A quick walk out from the house on arrival and straight away I find doorways, not that much of a surprise, but I have a love of them (interesting ones anyway).

A doorway, the liminal space, between, almost a Schroedinger's cat of what's on the other side.


An easy day, we all ate together in the main house then chill.

Sunday arrived and of course, more exploring, more research images for possible artworks. If nothing else, a sense of being in the place begins to occur.

Stumps from the beach, these photos don't do the colours justice but they were all things of beauty, natural sculptures.

Senor Stump

I love the face on this one, Senor Stump seems somewhat bemused by our interest.

And yes.... the rocks really are this red. Such beautiful forms.

minescule worlds

nets in a tangle

On a walk to the next village along the coast and there were plenty of stops to photograph, listen to the waves playing with the stones on the beach creating a loud soundtrack for the walk and to enjoy the scenery.

 

Such a gorgeous coastal walk, quite short in comparison with others but nonetheless remarkable in it's interesting photographic elements. The sea rusts metal in a glorious way.

Fife Coastal Trail

Anstruther to Crail.
My second walk, another short walk as I always seem to have somewhere else to be, something I want to change.

The day wasn't so sunny but it was a much needed break away from the rest of my life. The forms, colour and movement inherent in the coastline and the rocks was utterly beautiful. Yes, I am realising that I'm becoming a bit of a nerd to do with rocks and stone.

Images say it all, so...

Boundary

out to sea

And now a few of my favourite images... rocks!

Difficult to believe that this is naturally made, but I love it.

These colours are completely free from manipulation.

Last Week - No. 10

It has arrived... the last day of the stone carving and I feel a little sad, but so very proud of all the students. Their commitment and hard work has really paid off.
The finishing stages and I get to go around picking out all those wee bits that make all the difference to the piece.

The finishing touches of a project can take almost longer than the main bulk of stone removal but we didn't have the time.

I did a little smoothing off the flat plains for a few people, just to move it along so they could get to the best bits.

Here they are:

Jim's piece

Mike's piece

Monica's piece

Mary's piece

Alice's piece

Alice's piece

This piece is a two sided sculpture, the owl and the tree are on the same stone.

Angela's piece

Angela's piece

Another two sided sculpture, Laurel and Hardy.

Mike's boar

Mike's tree of life

Rhia's wave form

Rhia's clam shell

The reason all this was possible is because of RIG Arts, and their Broomhill Project, community arts and heritage in Greenock.
Here is a link to their website with the final stone carving workshop post.