I kept working until the last minute before the show opened.
While the pieces were largely done by last week’s post, there were still many tasks that had to be taken care of before they could be shown. Final clean up, last minute leafing, photo documentation, gathering the display materials needed and the installation of the show took until late Friday afternoon. The show opened at 7:00 P.M.
Much to my great relief, the images I wanted were printed quickly. I am so grateful to the photo lab (Don’s) for the expedited processing. They were done locally, not offshore as I lamented last week.
I did have an enquiry at the opening as to what the floating naked bodies had to do with the work. In case there are any others who have this same question, those bodies are the forms that underly the furry figures. The fursuit is being built over the posed wax figure. The only example of a finished figure so far is the cat on a bench in the show. I also had inquiries as to the context of some images. To appreciate the context of each, I would advise people to find and study the post from which it was taken. The blog is a kind of process resource. It’s all there in the pages at least up until the point of firing and glazing. I never would have finished the work I showed if I had stayed with the amount of image sorting and processing I had been doing. For most of the project, this amounted to about two days labour per week to manage the thousands of images that were being generated.
I chose a non-chronological order for the images presentation. I wanted people to move their eyes around the two photo blocks trying to connect the information. I expected this would be a little overwhelming but hoped it would also create a sense of awe at how these pieces came to be.
I made the two sitting cats a year ago although I gave them a last minute makeover with fake gold leaf. I was never that happy with the yellow enamel eyes that are now covered. I would have preferred a nice green but the ones I mix fire muddy. The ‘gold’ is a big improvement. These cats have 22k bright gold collars and fake gold eyes. Liking the combination. This was my first wax model. I chose to show it with the project work because of the subject matter. At the show I realized this was an all wax model show. Another first.
Speaking of eyes, I still see the big cat heads with pate-de-verre glass eyes. I made those two sets of wax eyes back in August that were fitted before the metal leafing was done. There wasn’t any time for that with either of the larger heads which have both now been leafed. Their glass eyes will have to wait for future copies. For the first pair of smaller heads, the eye moulds can be made anytime. Will try to fit this in soon.
A lot of the people who came to the opening were not familiar with this blog. It was my plan to have a written statement to help illuminate what people were seeing. I thought I would be able to do that after everything was set up. I finished the installation with just enough time to go home, get changed, pick up the food and head back to the opening. No time was left for writing. Next time.
I am very grateful so many people came to the opening. It was a special feeling to be the centre of attention this one evening. The response to the work was extremely positive. Already starting to plan Second Furday when I will show the completed garniture set. Looking for a date in 2017.
Now that September is here, I need to start making some smaller items for the holiday season. I have to generate some potential income. I can’t work on the project full time right now. Fewer or smaller posts for “Furry Things”, more posts for “Instructor”. I will continue to post weekly in at least one of the two categories but with fewer process shots than in the past.
