Studio Construction:The Finishing Coming and Going Begins

I claimed my space by placing a table and 2 chairs on the porch.

Dave has been working on the outside staircase. It is made from big chunks of Western Red cedar that will resist rot without needing any finishing or sealing. The wood will fade to a soft mottled gray.

The metal treads allow litter from the tree canopy and rain to fall through to the ground below to keep the soil alive. It will also allow shoe grit to drop before I walk into the crawlspace - a good thing because I'm not looking to cleaning the floor more than is necessary. I have other work to do.

The finishing carpenter, Mike, has been working on the window sills. They now have to be filled and sanded then the painter moves in.

The cabinet makers, South Shore Cabinetry, dropped off the built-in cabinets.

They look like big Lego blocks waiting to be put together. 

Now the plumber needs to come in to install the sink pipes then the cabinet maker can install these cabinets.

The construction is at the stage where people come and do a specific task then leave. Then the next trade is able to come in and do their next task which then means the next trade can come in. It is taking a lot of coordination by a number of people to do it all in a timely fashion, namely Ron, the general contractor Aaron Yager and Dave the lead carpenter. They are doing a good job. There is progress most days keeping the whole project moving forward.

Jane Dunnewold Workshop

I attended Jane Dunnewold's Dye workshop at the Pacific Northwest Art School in Coupeville. Jane took us through many different dyeing techniques. I picked up lots of valuable tips to fine tune my dyeing practice and I was able to correct the bad habits I had developed over the years.

The first exercise was to dye cloth to make a colour wheel. Jane talked about the importance of making a colour wheel that was our own personal 'colour constant' - a reference check for all colours produced. I use Joan Wolfram's 3-in-1 Color Tool but it is printed on paper. I have put on my 'To Do' list to make a cloth one.

We worked with thickened Procion MX dyes. Here are 2 different cloth samples batching. A lesson learned was: take to workshops my best fabrics for the exercises. I had taken several used 100% cotton bedsheets and got some disappointing results. I suspect one wasn't true to label and there was some polyester spun in with the cotton thread. It did not take the dye well. When the base cloth is inferior for the job it is very difficult to assess the results of the other dyeing variables.

Pots were set up outside for silk dyeing.

It was such a warm breezy day the conditions were most pleasant for working outside. I dyed all the silk I brought with me.

Shibori and random scrunch resist techniques with results that could be achieved within minutes.

Jane demonstrated many unique techniques she has developed over the years and left us lots of time to experiment with whatever we wanted. She created such an atmosphere that for me it was low stress and intensive at the same time. I felt tired at the end of each day and so keen and energised at the beginning of each day.

Jane is thinking of offering her 'Complex Cloth' course again, after a hiatus of several years. It was this course coupled with her book 'Complex Cloth', plus her own output that played a major role in a better understanding of surface design in the art world.

So keep your feelers out for 'Complex Cloth' and 'run-don't-walk' to sign up.

Studio Construction: Meanwhile, Back at the Studio

While I was away in New Zealand, a lot happened on the home front.

The cut flower bed burst into bloom.

It is hard to see, but the downspouts were made then put in place.

Ron sealed the porch concrete.

Dave finished off the porch soffit.

It is all looking good outside.

Ron is pointing out to me where different parts of the built-in cabinetry will go. The designer and carpenter visited and marked the cabinet layout on the floor.  This is the only built-in cabinetry and it has to be because this is where the plumbing comes and goes.

Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens, New Zealand

Here am I surrounded by Audrey Boyle's 'Tribute', (dress fabric, Dacron, irrigation tube).

From Audrey's artist statement: 'Having worked with vines from nature, most recently Kareao (Supplejack) that once covered this very land, I decided to replicate the fern and its linear quality with all of its lumps and bumps and give it back to nature.'

Blair Fraser 'Laughing No More', (Oamaru stone, wood).

From Blair's artist statement: 'The Whekau or Laughing Owl is no more, it is extinct.'

Alysn Midgelow Marsden, 'Change', (fabric, PTFE thread, stainless steel cable).

From Alysn's artist statement: 'The form of the cocoon is understood as a place where transformation occurs; an apparent miracle, an alchemic change within a quiet contained form. The form shows occasional involuntary quivers as it is suspended. It is rocked by both its internal changes and the forces of the world around it.

The question has to be 'what is going on inside?' What will emerge? Will it be fabulous or frightening, camouflaged or brilliantly coloured?

Mia Hamilton, 'Daisy Blanket', (heavy duty plastic danger tape, crocheted twine).

From Mia's artist statement: 'Mia Hamilton remembers the 'daisy blanket' her mum and dad made as a child. Dad sheared the sheep and spun the wool whilst Mum made the daisies on an old wooden bloom loom and crocheted them together.

Just a few of the 51 sculptures in the gardens.

Corrugated Steel / Iron Art and Architecture

I made a quick trip to New Zealand to be in on my father's 87th birthday celebrations, Mother's' Day, another family birthday and to catch up with family.

Painted corrugated steel

I was treated to a Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens and Nursery visit. After wandering the inspiring nursery, we had morning tea in the outdoor cafe before heading into the Sculpture Gardens. Fifty-one different sculptures made by individuals and groups have been placed throughout the magnificent gardens created by David and Geraldine Bayly.

I think it is because I have been focused on the construction of my studio for so many months, the corrugated steel sculptures jumped out at me.

'Dis-ability' by artists from Mt Tabor Trust, Thomas Hogan, Kevin Widowson, Sandy Sturgess, Ian Sangster & Rachel Clark, plywood, corrugated iron, acrylic paint.

'Goat Family' by Ian Fewtrell, recycled corrugated iron.

Corrugated steel is a distinctively New Zealand art medium as well as a utilitarian building material for houses, farm buildings and retail shops. Ron and I were inspired by our childhood memories of the use of this building material when we came up with the concept for my studio.

New Zealand farm shed/hut

There are also historical corrugated steel buildings on the Saanich Peninsula where we live and we are noticing many new constructions using the material in a contemporary way.

A new sail loft in Sidney designed by Checkwitch Poiron Architects.

It is a building material well suited to a wet climate.

Studio Construction: Gutters

The studio gets its gutters.....

... and grey, metal, no-maintenance soffit.

Proline Roofing and Gutters makes each individual gutter on site.

Metal from a large roll on the back of the machine is passed through a moveable chute which shapes the sheet to a programmed gutter design. Then it is cut to the required length. There is no waste.

The hardest part was choosing the size, shape and colour  of the gutter. OK, perhaps instaling the gutters is a lot harder. Working on roofs is still considered one of the most dangerous construction jobs.

The Green Shed is looking smart with its new gutters and soffit.

It is disappearing more and more into the forest.

Studio Construction: Finishing the Walls

Cameron on Stilts

At the end of the clip, you can hear Cameron ask me if I have been waiting for him to use his stilts. I answered "Yes, I had been waiting all morning to catch him in action on them".

Jordan and Cameron are tapers. They are doing an excellent job on the walls. They taped the joins, trowelled on wet plaster mud then left to wait for the plaster to dry. When they returned they sanded the plaster to a smooth finish.

Cameron holds a strong light at different angles while he sands so he can see any imperfections in the plaster.

Next, Marshall, the painter arrived. He wasn't long putting the first coat on every surface.

Everyone has done such a good job the walls and ceiling are perfect.

Initially, I looked into alternative finishes for the interior but drywall and paint have lots going for them. Drywall has high resistance to mold if kept dry. It has a high fire resistance rating, provides rigidity to the wall and its acoustic rating is OK. It is relatively inexpensive and can be easily repaired. When it is plastered and sanded to a smooth finish then painted in a light colour it is a highly reflective surface. In my working area, I need to have even light without distorting shadows. I want to make the most of the light coming in the windows and the walls reflection of that light so the minimum amount of electrical lighting needs to be installed to do the job.

Time for me to do another vacuum.

Studio Construction: Cedar Soffit

Dave is making the porch and arcade soffit from strips of rough finish, tongue and groove, western red cedar.

 It smells so good out near his saw bench.

I knew it was a special delivery when the truck arrived with its load wrapped in plastic.

The finished soffit over the arcade...

...and over the porch.

It gives just the right look and feel we wanted for the shed.

Meanwhile, we have finished backfilling the trench. I can now continue with building up the garden bed over the whole area.

Happy birthday, Donnel. Hi, Walter. 

My sister and brother-in-law read my blog every Saturday morning in a cafe over their flat whites.

Studio Construction: Time For a Site Clean up

Ron and I spent the day cleaning up the construction site.

Manufactured wood and concrete board went into the skip. Anything made with treated timber or glues we don't want to burn in the fireplace.

The cladding off cuts went into a recycling pile.

I stacked all of the shorter boards that can be used as firewood mostly as is.

Ron pulled out nails and stacked the longer boards that need to cut into shorter lengths for the fireplace.

I spend several hours once again vacuuming up construction dust. This time is was plaster dust. I needed a shower after I had finished.

Now the site is much tidier.