Getting back to sculpture

[tonofelephant]

I am immensly pleased to finally be through with a pick & shovel job - the kind of job I really loathe. I have been removing a concrete sidewalk in my backyard that has been annoying for 20 years. It goes from the back of the house and terminates into a blank wall on the exterior of the garage.

The sidewalk used to go to the barn but the garage was put up before you reached the barn. Since the former owners were not large on doing extra work the sidewalk terminated right into the wall.

The sidewalk I removed, did not seem to be a big project until you got into it. How bad could it be only about 15' long and about 30" wide. Didn't figure that the concrete would range in thickness from 5 - 8" thick. So it was just me the hammer/drill, the pickax, and lots of time.

This morning, I see the lovely black earth filling the gash left from the sidewalk removal. The memory is already fading of the time & sweat spent on that less than lovely pick & shovel event.

Today, back to the 3,000 lb block of stone that was being shaped. Funny, use the same tools on the concrete as stone. Sculpting for hours with loud percussive tools is no problem - love every minute of it. Breaking up concrete with same percussive tools is ugly til you are finished - even if it is just for 5 minutes.

Its all attitude.

Carl

[grommet]

congrats on expunging the irritant.

[Scout]

Good job. Let's see it. Scout

[ironman]

Hi Carl, The fact that you didn't tackle that "annoying" sidewalk for 20 years is telling. Of course you'd rather be working on sculpture and if that sidewalk was on my property it would still be there.
I try to avoid the "should do this, should do that" stuff. It always takes you away from the studio and your passion.
Along those lines, I had a friend in NY who said, "I can always find your house jeff, you've got the tallest grass in the neighborhood!"
I've got plenty of "shoulds" at my house right now but I just don't look at nor think about them.
Just think, If you died tomorrow would you want people to say, "Wow, what a well maintained house and yard Carl had, and thank God he got rid of that ugly sidewalk."
OR, would you want them to say, "Wow, what beautiful sculpture Carl made, he brought such wonderful beauty and feeling to the stone and was such a passionate and creative human being and an example to the rest of us to follow our bliss."
Have a great day,
Jeff

[Scout]

Right on Jeff! I have learned how to step over dirty clothes, and ignore the dishes in the sink, on my way to the garage. Scout

[tonofelephant]

Right on Jeff! I have learned how to step over dirty clothes, and ignore the dishes in the sink, on my way to the garage. Scout

Jeff, Scout agree with you completely. But there is something to gazing upon the pleased look on the wife's face when she had given up all hope of ever seeing that damnable sidewalk gone.

But today, there is stone dust in the air, some great rock and roll on, and the limestone chips are multiplying on the floor by the bucket full. I think there is love here!! And yes there will be pictures of the latest sculpture.

Carl

[Scout]

Yes, there is definitely something to be said also for getting something that needs doing done. It kind of puts an extra joy in doing what you want to do.

Sometimes I think I need a wife to take care of things so I can work in the garage all the time. That won't happen but a maid might be nice. Scout

[jOe~]

Ya blew it Carl. Remember the post a few months back about an art piece similar to your demolished sidewalk that a home owner paid big bucks for? And here it was, being created again by your subconscious. No, don't go back and reconstruct your destruction--it ain't worth it.

[Imms]

Originally Posted by Scout

I have learned how to step over dirty clothes, and ignore the dishes in the sink

Learned, Scout? This stuff comes totally naturally to all men. We have to be weened off it.
And Carl, that sidewalk project was arresting. I was a tad disappointed that your website had no images of it, at all.
You´re SPOT ON about the same tools, different work. Painting a window frame? Gahhhhh I can´t stand it. Poring over a relief inspired by the info on a tin of chopped tomatoes? What? The kids have grown out of their shoes?