Back in Sydney - trying to serious-up my workflow.

**grainspeaks** · 13th November 2008, 02:44 PM

Hello. I'm Jen.

So... a little background about me. I was born and raised Anna Maria Island Florida, raised by my mother, a commercial artist, and my grandparents - a china-painter and a handy-man. I was taught to do many many things, from sewing to plumbing to carpentry to gardening, so I'm a bit of a Jen-of-all-trades. On growing up, I managed an honors degree in economics and, planning to move to SanFran to work for the EFF, met an Australian Scientist who more than took my fancy. Spent a long time struggling to make that work, and somehow managed to settle on immigrating here. Have lived here a little over four years now, have been to more parts of australia than most australians, and am starting to figure out who I am on redefinition. I am many things. And, it seems that just might be a wood-worker.

I'm new-ish to wood sculpting. That is... about six months ago I was quite disenchanted with the way things were going, and I needed some space ... but as I was then living in Carlton North in Melb, space was at a bit of a premium. So I found myself outside in the courtyard with my dremel and some firewood. I guess I was just noodling, but something just struck me and I knew I needed a different piece of wood... something that had interesting grain.

So, I set about using all these tips and bits that I'd picked up along the way and let each of them show me what they did best - experimenting all the while letting the tool and the wood tell me what to do. The final result was ... ok. Surprisingly good, actually... but uncomposed and incomplete. My biggest impression is that it was a lot like drawing, only easier and more soulful, for me. Visceral.

Meanwhile - since then I was uprooted from Melbourne, where I had finally managed to meet people and moved to Sydney. I wasn't very happy with this turn of events, so in trying to cope I took a trip back to my roots in Florida and spent time with my family, doing a lot of appreciating the beauty of life and remembering who I am and what I'm about.

But what really sunk in my potentially undying passion for sculpting was a present that greeted my return to Sydney - my father-in-law had left me a jarrah lignotuber to work with. It was exactly what I was looking for, something with fascinating grain in both color and structure. I spent a very long time slowly working it, figuring it out, seeing what it had to offer, preserving and delving. It is at a state of completion and I know I should take pictures but I haven't yet... when I do you guys will be the third to see. ;-)

So, I asked my father in law if I could jaunt out to stay at their place in the Perth Hills and use his shop and wood-supply (they have a lot of land so he had a ton of bits around that I could practice on) to see how far the rabbit-hole would take me. And I produced three pretty ok sculptures in a month... worked every day and got so good and honestly tired...because I knew I had to come back and figure out how to make it all work.

Anyway... I just returned from WA with my luggage, carry-on, and my husband's luggage filled (and I mean filled, I had to remove a piece and leave it behind with my in-laws) with jarrah, redgum (the pink and grey kind), and blackbutt. But, I need a durned vice, so instead of carving I've been searching for an affordable one (have a couple auctions on watch at e-bay).So that is what brought me to write, here, today.

Seems there is always something more to spend on, so I'm trying to force myself to produce - but not at the expense of my learning.

I'm hoping to eventually meet some people to share ideas, techniques, and experiences with... just really in the process of solidifying my workflow and design my shop. I've been a little concerned about sawdust diaspora... but so far no one has complained.

So, I know that was long-winded but I've been taught it is best to start as you mean to continue and when I'm inspired I tend to go on, so I try not to be too apologetic about it.

I have been reading the site for a while, but I don't really have a concept of who's who or what the customs are, so feel free to let me know if I fail... not sure how prolific I'll be, hopefully I'll mainly be out working!

**wheelinround** · 13th November 2008, 02:57 PM

Firstly welcome Jen to the BEST forum

Now sculpting or carving I do neither but after seeing last weekend a display at Fairfield Museum I'm in awe of the work that can be done.

Where are you in Sydney??? The Display goes till the end of the month at The Fairfield Museum on The Horsely Drive Fairfield display is open everyday for viewing Carvers/sculptors there from 1.30pm to 3.30pm every Saturday afternoon they are celebrating 15 years.

Look in this forum for Carvers they are an active bunch little crazy hi Spirit-ed mad NZlander's, Wiseguys

**grainspeaks** · 13th November 2008, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by wheelinround

Firstly welcome Jen to the BEST forum

Now sculpting or carving I do neither but after seeing last weekend a display at Fairfield Museum I'm in awe of the work that can be done.

Where are you in Sydney??? The Display goes till the end of the month at The Fairfield Museum on The Horsely Drive Fairfield display is open everyday for viewing Carvers/sculptors there from 1.30pm to 3.30pm every Saturday afternoon they are celebrating 15 years.

Look in this forum for Carvers they are an active bunch little crazy hi Spirit-ed mad NZlander's, Wiseguys

Hi wheelinround. Thanks a lot for that information! I've been meaning to find out places to go check out what other people are doing around here. Good to have a recommendation, and those hours are decent so I might even be able to make it there in time! I live in Arncliffe, so it is a decent drive, but I don't think a particularly bad one on a Saturday. Thanks a lot!

**tea lady** · 13th November 2008, 04:41 PM

welcome Jen,.

I'm mostly into turning, but I tend to stick my nose in to the sculpture area 'cause they're kinda arty.

I guess that's where you might poke around most.

At least with this place you don't have to feel quite so isolated. That is the one drawback of any hand work. Working by yourself is necessary, but there is no one to invite to the xmas party.

Anyway. See ya round.

**grainspeaks** · 13th November 2008, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by tea lady

welcome Jen,.

I'm mostly into turning, but I tend to stick my nose in to the sculpture area 'cause they're kinda arty.

I guess that's where you might poke around most.

Ah, I would like to try my hand at turning someday, when I can afford the tools

Heh. Arty.

I think I've been thinking of the relationship between "form and function" in terms of tension and comfort, where given functions provide the structure on which an artifice is conceived. Where function is not followed, form builds a kind of tension to engage the observer. Examples of functions can be vague: to communicate a general idea, to demonstrate a technique, to provide aesthetic balance, ...or clear: acting as a stand for the presentation, protecting, spacing a certain distance, adhering, etc.

So, for example, if the task is to build something that communicates the range of colors of wood in a simply structured log, we could do that simply by cutting a cross section (producing a circle, a rectangle, or an oval). Or, we could produce a tension which would change the nature of the function by adding more complex intersections. Since grain isn't perfect (as you would know as a wood turner, and as anyone who sands tabletops knows), striking variations can be had from even minor changes to this cross section.

In this sense, I guess a craft is something that perfects a technique to produce beauty from the action of creating a functional object. In the above example, the craft would be to choose the cut and finish that would "best" represent the nature of the grain.

So, I can see that wood turning would be something that takes an hour to learn, a lifetime to master - as it is the improvement of technique over the creation of new forms, that produces the sublime. No, that isn't quite right is it? Because I've seen some turning that produces some pretty darned arty forms. But I guess it is an interesting framework.

To me there are no truer words than to express the sublime as that which is observed as purely beautiful independent from function. Now, as a creators of artistic works, we know that the identification of sublime materials is something that is in great dispute among observers! Luckily, I mainly create for the function of making myself happy and teaching myself new things... but I have been hitting a little friction recently with trying to accomplish things outside my comfort range. It's all fun.

Is that what you meant by sculpture is a little arty? Heheheh.

At least with this place you don't have to feel quite so isolated. That is the one drawback of any hand work. Working by yourself is necessary, but there is no one to invite to the xmas party.

Anyway. See ya round.

Aw, that is quite insightful. I do tend to get homesick around christmas time. Well, look at it this way - you have better gifts to give to those who do show up!

**AlexS** · 13th November 2008, 06:22 PM

Welcome Jen. Don't worry about waffling on, all the women here(and some of the blokes) seem to.

You can probably get away with it if you post some pics of your work.

Originally Posted by grainspeaks

sawdust diaspora...

That's not what it gets called in this house!

**grainspeaks** · 13th November 2008, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by AlexS

Welcome Jen. Don't worry about waffling on, all the women here(and some of the blokes) seem to.

You can probably get away with it if you post some pics of your work!

Ok.

**grainspeaks** · 13th November 2008, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by AlexS

Welcome Jen. Don't worry about waffling on, all the women here(and some of the blokes) seem to.

You can probably get away with it if you post some pics of your work.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f10/pictures-82363-post840818

Some pics.

**tea lady** · 13th November 2008, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by AlexS

Welcome Jen. Don't worry about waffling on, all the women here(and some of the blokes) seem to.

out:

**Ed Reiss** · 14th November 2008, 12:05 AM

Hi Jen...and welcome!

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