Exhibitions - May on the horizon!
Well today I should have delivered the last of the work for exhibitions which start in May!
April has been a busy month, taken up with preparing work for transportation, commissioning fixings to ensure sculptures can be installed safely and continuing to work on a large, direct plaster sculpture of a figure group.
Tuesday 11th April was a long day. The hired van from Enterprise rent-a-car was loaded with sculpture and plinths for the Delamore Arts Exhibition on the evening of the 10th April and I made an early start at 5.30 a.m. on the long journey over toward Cornwood, near Plymouth to install three pieces of sculpture . Having previously exhibited two of the sculptures locally, it is nice to take them to another part of the country. In fact the Pod (Large version) will almost be going home, as ICA Creation, based in Penryn is where the enlargement was undertaken. The third piece, (Janus 1) is being exhibited for the first time.The installation of the pieces at Delamore Arts was very straightforward and as the weather was excellent I was able to take a few photographs for the website, Instagram and Facebook pages. The exhibition starts on May 1st and runs throughout the month. It is a pity it is so far away as it would be nice to visit the exhibition, but I am not sure I will make it.
Today, 27th April, I completed the installation of three of the four works for Borde Hill Gardens sculpture exhibition. I was meant to be taking the Bud sculpture, which is large, heavy and awkward to move, but because the developer who is building houses next door has blocked my gates with a site hut through which I gain access to my right of way, and has refused to move it (despite being given about three months notice and promising to do so) I was unable to transport it to them.The three other sculptures to be exhibited, which had already been wrapped in bubble wrap and packed safely were loaded, along with their plinths into the Luton van with a tail-lift collected on 26th Apri.l I also put in a pallet lifter and pallet to make moving everything much easier once arriving at Borde Hill. Needless to say that without the large Bud sculpture there was ample room.
The drive to Borde Hill Gardens, near Haywards Heath was very straight forward as there is excellent signage for the gardens from Junction 10A of the M23. Upon arrival I was met by Andrew, who had been liaising with me since my work was accepted for the exhibition which starts on May 12th. The first thing I did was discuss the problems I was having with the developer who in blocking my right of way, is preventing me getting the large Bud sculpture out of my back garden. Andrew was very sympathetic and we agreed that I would try to get it to them as soon as possible. It is lovely that Borde Hill are so keen to have the work.
Andrew has chosen a site for the Bud sculpture which would make it almost the first sculpture visitors would see as they leave the reception and head toward the Jay Robin's Rose Garden. It would be close to my delivery point for the sculpture and had solid paths. In fact it could be the first sculpture visitors might see after leaving the ticket office. The site is perfect and I am determined to find a way to get the sculpture to them before the exhibition opens.
Andrew and I walked to the sites he had picked for the other sculptures. These were also delightful. He had selected a site near to the glass houses for Accidental Essentialism. It is at the end of an aisle growing scented herbaceous plants and although seen predominantly from one side, I am very happy with the placement. The scent from the plants was lovely as I lay next to and amongst them when undertaking the awkward fixing of the sculpture to the plinth! (More on this below) The Italian Garden had been selected for the other two sculptures (Vieregruppe and Menage a Trois). I felt very lucky to be able to have my work in such a fantastic part of the gardens.
I was able to unload everything from the large Luton van very easily, thanks to the tail-lift and the use of the pallet and pallet lifter to transport the plinths to their designated sites. The three sculptures were then unloaded and taken to the plinths. Because the friend who had agreed to come and assist was unable to make it, attaching the sculptures to the plinths was much more difficult. I had to place the sculpture on the plinth and then rely upon leaning the sculptures against whatever I could find near the site, in order to secure the work (using a nut attached to the threaded rod protruding from each of the sculptures). To make it more difficult the weather had taken a turn for the worst and I found myself lying face up, in the rain and hail, straining to fix and tighten the nuts.
By the time Vieregruppe and Menage a Trois they were securely attached to the plinths there was no time for a break if I was to get everything done before the gardens closed. I left waxing the sculptures with Renaissance Wax for added protection until today in the hope that it would not be raining. It was the right decision and I had a good journey to complete it and I took the opportunity to take a few more quick photographs before driving back home. The journey back was excellent, unlike yesterday when I hit all the rush hour traffic.
Over the next few days I will begin to sort out how I am going to get the large Bud to them and install it, but I will need help from friends to get it to the front of the house and ready for delivery. Hopefully photographs of the sculpture in situ. will be available in the exhibition album very soon.
The exhibition runs until October 2nd and I am looking forward to visiting both the Private View and the exhibition.
Pictures of my work at Delamore Arts and Borde Hill Gardens can be found here.
I will upload more photographs and videos to the website and other platforms if I receive any from visitors, once I have looked at them and am happy to add them to the album.
It would be nice to get some feedback from those who visit the exhibitions. Whilst it is lovely to get positive comments from family and friends, I think any feedback from others would be interesting. That said, I can't see myself stopping making more sculpture regardless.
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