Pietrasanta day 5
Starting with a walk up the hill to the walls of the ‘fort’, from here the view is stunning, I am waiting for the sun to ‘lick’ the horizon in a secret and yet noticeable way when looking away for some minutes..I am fascinated by this..when do we notice change? How fast does it has to be? How much awareness do we have to develop to follow the daily movement of the planets and stars around us? How can it be incoperated in artwork this never-ending change that holds us and gives us the feeling of being safe?
Through the night I had ideas for my carving, I want it to be a simple sketch a first impression and trying out..a form that let’s light through, a form that I can take back home in my rucksack and the flight weight restrictions.
I came up with the design of two caps of a sphere slightly moving away from each other.
Knowing that the next few days will be full of stone dust and noise, looking forward to it.
In the workshop, Christian locates a small piece of marble, perfect for my idea.
I know that there is a fast way to carve a sphere and Christian knows the method of it.
No time to find a form I am amazed how fast I arrive at the final form.
Most of the work is done in one day, have a look what I did today.
The atmosphere in the workshop is focused and relaxed, all of us are here to make shapes in one form or another.
The mix of people and their reasons to be here are multitude…
Christian who has been working here and as well as working on his own commissions facilitating learning for many years.
One of his students is working on a huge carving that needs lifting and relocating with a forklift on a regular basis.
Andrea, the artisano, carving a new carving almost every day, a small sketch on the side of his easel reminds him where to carve.
Simone, german sculptor and installation artist who has her own workshop here across the yard helps one of the students to make a plaster cast of her model.
Annette and Johannes from Germany are young stone masons here for their second time through a German initiative to fund the furthering craft skills.
A visit to the nearby cafe is undertaken to refuel with espresso:-).
In the evening I met with Colomba and Simone…talking about Colomba’s projects and book launch in Florence tomorrow. Both encourage me to visit Florence, it sounds like an amazing place and I feel it might have to wait till my next visit as I want to complete my carving more than anything for now.