Ceenoa

Here is Part 2 of the second “In Pursuit Of”, and as it has been a while since I posted that one (well 3 months actually), if you need a recap this is where we last left off.

• dreaming of wood, and it’s future melding with resin
• waking up and realising that the form I built isn’t high enough for the wood that I wanted to use 
• making mental note to measure properly next time
• deciding to take a detour down another creation path, and make something else that will fit into the form
• looking through my bits and pieces to find something to inspire me
• finding “the thing” that will lead me to creation

• finding another “thing” that can be combined with the first “thing” to hopefully make a complete thing that will be pretty nice
• realising that the colours of the two things are going to work really well together (happy happenstance)
• adding other bits that will (hopefully) complement the two “things”
• starting to create
• much fiddling around, and many resin layers later, “Burgundy Grape”exists
• deciding I don’t like the square corners, so doing some therapuetic destrutive shaping with the sander to get this final shape
• this piece is still undergoing it’s final finishing (and yes, it has been months), but everytime I think it is finished, IT”S NOT!
• I shan’t bore you with the recitation of how much sanding, repouring of resin, more sanding, coating the wood part with latex to keep it clean, and pouring resin on the other part, then more sanding – and THEN realising that there were some only part-cured wet spots in the resin, so more sanding and recoating, and on and on and on
• oh, I just did bore you – oops
• anyway, suffice to say this morning I am recoating the Huon Pine with latex in the hopes of doing a FINAL coat of resin on the remaining part later today, in the hope of getting an acceptable finish.
• cross your fingers for me

This piece has tested my patience, and my need for it to “look good”.  I don’t strive for perfection, because I think that is unrealistic, and because I also think it looks unnatural in these botanic pieces.  I want folks to know that this was handmade: by a real person, who struggled with it’s birth and upbringing, but kept persisting till they created something that was pleasing to them.

Hope you enjoyed this little excursion into how my process works (or doesn’t).  I will post some finished pictures at some stage (if it ever actually gets finished).