Back from My Winter Holiday

I have just come home from a wonderful 2 week stay in Cuba.  Most of the time spent here in Vinales.  No cell phone, no internet.  The world didn't know I was gone and I didn't miss it.  It was really nice to have temperatures with a plus sign in front of them.  One day it actually reached 40C!  I didn't mind.  I had a siesta during the hottest part of the day.

Now I am home and back to the negative numbers.  Unbelievably, there is more snow now than when I left!  We have more than a metre of snow in some areas.  I understand that spring is coming.  Daylight Savings Time starts this weekend.  

The square hole in the middle would have matched a similar section of the shaft and allowed it to spin without the need for any other fastening mechanism.

For my bowl, I filled the hole with clear epoxy.  The rim of the piece and the outer edge are the original surfaces.  The story of this wood will be written on the bottom.

Now I am starting to get worried about spring.  If it warms up too fast we are going to have flooding like we have never seen.  Sigh.

While Cuba was wonderful and a great respite, it is now time to put the pedal to the metal and get the studio into high gear.

Currently, I am working on one of my solo shows called "History in the Making".  Here is a shallow bowl that I have turned from an antique part that was made to spin on a shaft.  I am still researching what it was used for.  The wood is pine so it was probably not used for transferring power.

These two photos were taken with my new camera and flash system.  I am still ironing out some of the bumps but now I am able to take images that are not dependent on natural light conditions.  This means that I can take them as required and not have to wait for the right time of day and the right kind of light.

Wouldn't it be nice....

Continuing on about galleries, work and charitable donations, I received a cheque from one of my galleries and it included a covering letter.  Here is a quote from the letter:

"On behalf of the Art Gallery of Hamilton, I would like to thank you for being a part of our artist selection at the Shop.  We will continue to work on your behalf to promote your art throughout the City of Hamilton and beyond and look forward to selling more of your work soon."

This is a very refreshing change from what I normally receive.  Mostly what comes in the mail is a cheque and an inventory update.

For many of us in the arts and crafts, emotion is an integral part of our work.  It shapes what we make and who we are.  It is therefore important to me to have a gallery reciprocate by assuring me that what I do is important enough to warrant mention.

Until next time...