MARBLE/marble XXI

marblemarble.us

Douglas — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:19:00 +0000

Just registered domain “marblemarble.us”. My original intent was simply to move this blog onto my own server space (using the far-superior WordPress software) but now I’m wondering if it should somehow become a more general site–where any MARBLE/marble sculptor can have a dedicated blog and photo album. Madeline? What do you think?

Masks at MOCA Gala & Live Auction

Douglas — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:10:00 +0000

Last evening was the annual Masks at MoCA Gala & Live Auction. This year, for the first time, the event was held at the Museam itself.

My mask, thought not originally chosen as a “Gala Mask” (a select group of 10 or so masks chosen for the live auction) through some last-minute arrangement was included at the end of the auction. It went for $3,200 and ended up being tied for the highest bid of the evening!

MoCA Mask 2009

Douglas — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 00:24:00 +0000

The deadline for MoCA Mask turn-in was today at 4pm. I was 30 minutes early.

Next year I solemnly swear I’m going to complete my mask by the midway point! Procrastination is a mixed bag. This year it was a bit too tight for comfort. This material is much more difficult to work than I anticipated, though I loved every minute of it.

Lazy Afternoon…

Douglas — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:11:00 +0000

I pulled out the rasp today and began trueing the surfaces. Probably a bit to early as I will likely continue to substantally work the basic design. But that’s the way I work: smooth it up a bit to see if it’s going to be to my liking, then rough it out some more. There are some interesting life-parallels here.

In the process of revisiting this stone every few days, I notice I have becoming intimately attached to it. It think that’s more to do with what it does for me than what I do for it.

I hope I can keep track of this one after the auction.

For this first image, I wiped the ribbon area with a wet sponge to mimic the effect of polishing.

Another Good Day

Douglas — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 02:57:00 +0000

In reverse order…

Progress!

Douglas — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:09:00 +0000

After weeks of procrastination, I finally got back to my Mask project. It may not look like it but I made huge progress today. Part of that progress is not and will not be visible. Progress of the Mind. This first photo is just after the piece was drenched with water.

Daily Grind

Douglas — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:55:00 +0000

Done cutting and grinding. Next step will be working in detail with my little air chisel.

Masked Progress

Douglas — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:42:00 +0000

Some basic rough-out this morning…

MoCA Masks 2009

Douglas — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:32:00 +0000

This weekend I am beginning the ideation phase of the now-annual ritual: preparing for the Museum of Conteporary Art’s annual Masks at MoCA fundraiser.

Each year the mask form takes on a new shape. This year’s mask seems to come from a island culture: a bit of indigenous broad-nose African influence with a hint of Oompa Loompa. I think it is the best one yet.

I’m leaning toward a pedestal-mounted Escher-esque “wrapped ribbon” concept executed in a beautiful piece of Honeycomb Calcite marble I acquired three years back.

More MARBLE/marble XX Photos

Douglas — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:14:00 +0000

I didn’t write or photograph nearly as much this year as compared to past years–I think mainly due to being at only 80% due to fighting a mild cold & cough bug all week.

The M/m Experience was no less wonderful, however. In fact each year I think somehow I find a deeper, more life-encompassing benefit and appreciation for this amazing opportunity. Without a doubt, I will continue to be one of the first to reapply each year.

Here are a few more photos…

This photo overlooking the Crystal River was assembled in Photoshop using 10 shots from my Nikon DSLR. Its a 180° view which necessarily distorts the image.

One of the highlights of M/m every year is the “Face Off”. Here are a few shots from this year’s first session.

The Wrap-Up Party is alway memoriable. Especially due to one very special person…

Gracious hosts of Raspberry Ridge (as well as very fine happy hours), Gary and Patsy:

A Fort Collins Jazz Experience

Douglas — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:36:00 +0000

Tonight is the kickoff for Fort Collin’s first jazz festival: A Fort Collins Jazz Experience. Just in time, we installed ‘Saxy’ in the front window of Centennial Galleries early this afternoon.

Saxy!

Douglas — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:54:00 +0000

We lost our internet connection at MARBLE/marble which explains the lack of updates these past few days.

Just back from an amazing experience at the 20th annual symposium. Thank you Madeline and M/m staff!

“Saxy”

Day 5 - Monsoon

Douglas — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:02:00 +0000

Ended the day with some wonderful homemade pizza at Patsy and Gary’s (owners of the Raspberry Ridge Inn). Dinner ended with a torrential downpour — early arrival of the monsoon, Gary speculates.

Most of the day spent finessing the lines and learning how to use my delightful little Bantam air chisel.

The MARBLE/marble experience is a amazing as ever, though I wrote much more lengthy posts in past years.

Day 4 - Fractured Wind

Douglas — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:52:00 +0000

The Claronet is dead.

Early today Kathi Caricof noticed a tiny fracture near the bell of what was to be the duet companion for my sax. Fin. The sax is doing well, however. I think I’ll name it ‘Saxy’.

The daily workshops at MARBLE/marble are worth the price of entry. I’ve not been attending them this year but stopped into the “face off” for a few photos. See past years for much more detail…

I’m not tenting this year. Instead, staying at the “Raspberry Ridge Inn” next to M/m. Some mountain feline …

Crystal River Sundial Project

Douglas — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 02:57:00 +0000

An exciting new installation is taking place on the grounds of the MARBLE/marble symposium: an Analemic Sundial. Most ‘garden variety’ sundials are off by as much as 15 minutes in either direction and require an accompanying correction graph plotting “ the equation of time.” An anelemic dial incorporates this sinusoidal correction thus obviating the need for a separate graph. A well-designed analemic dial can be read accurately to within about two minutes year around. An anelemma is often printed on the side of globes.

My first exposure to analemic dials was from an article in Scientific American back in the 80’s. I immediatly began programming my own dial generator using “Rocky Mountain Basic” on an HP9845–a very cool desktop computer (technical desktop version of the HP 300) which predated MAC’s and PC’s.

Our Crystal River sundial is to be engraved on a slab of marble also serving as a coffee table overlooking the Crystal River (see photo below). Without a perfectly flat and perfectly level (or known orientation), computer-generating the dial is out of the question. Instead, we’ve embarked on an emperical approach using a radio-controlled clock, a hammer and a chisel. Over the next month, during the three sessions of MARBLE/marble (July 2 - August 5), passers-by will be placing tic marks on the quarter hour. Next year at this time, we’ll hopefully have enough data to carfully and elegently carve the hour lines into the table as well as add other decorations such as compass points and an appropriate inscription.

Update 23-SEP-09: Back in 1985, I was very deep into the trigonometry of sundial generation. Here are some notes I made for the purpose of explaining the analemic projections on the dials…

Day 3 - Jazz Duet

Douglas — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:34:00 +0000

Woke up this morning with a nasty bug — almost decided to sleep in. Definitely caught something that is sapping my energy. Bad timing!

A few days back, I popped into Centennial Galleries on Linden Street and chatted briefly with Lynne, one of the owners. My first MARBLE/marble piece is still there near the front window. I mentioned to her in jest that I would like to displace this piece with a new one from this year’s M/m. She mentioned that next week Fort Collins will host its first Jazz Festival. This ultimately became the inspiration for my Saxophone –now joined by a Clarinet.

Had a good day despite my low energy. Taking a break every half hour (to calibrate the new Crystal River Sundial…details to follow) surely helped.

Fort Collins might as well be a million miles away. This…is true creative Bliss.

Day 2 - Flow

Douglas — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:59:00 +0000

The Internet situation here is abysmal. The one connection we were counting on isn’t going to happen — the satellite receiver is outdated and must be replaced. I’m ’stealing’ a very weak off-and-on connection coming from the woods west of here.

Made good progress today. What a break from yesterday’s deadlock. I experienced a bit of a rush that I cannot explain other than “ flow“.

Going to try to upload one photo…

Success! Let’s try another…

My subject is an abstract sax. More on that later…

Today, we officially launched the “Crystal River Sundial Project”. More detail later.

Very tired. Going to bed early.

Day 1 — Extreme Exhaustion!

Douglas — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:46:00 +0000

Trying to cut back a bit on my time away from home, I decided to depart on the 260-mile Marble drive this morning at 3am, rather than departing yesterday. Last night’s resulting foreshortened sleep probably contributed to the severe case of artist’s block I fought through the morning. By around noon, though, I arrived at a design I’m feeling pretty good about. More on that tomorrow…

The spot I have this year is the best yet: A great view of the river, excellent shade and fairly remote. Removed quite a bit of marble for a half-day on a half-night’s sleep. Tonight I have a room. I will miss tent camping a tiny bit…Nah.

No internet onsite until tomorrow. I drove down to Carbondale for dinner and a connection.

t - 2 days - Zilch.

Douglas — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:51:00 +0000

Maybe I’ll find my inspiration on the beautiful 5-hour drive through the Rockies in my Solstice. Alas, there is hope: last minute inspiration for 2007’s Diosa del Sol came during the Glenwood Canyon drive.

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t - 3 days

Douglas — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:11:00 +0000