Picking up the pieces

As the sculpted concrete projects for the pub project are narrowing down it is time to start at one end of the project and then finish off the pieces one by one that we were not able to complete until now. The temporary bar is now gone, with the new permanent one now done. A sculpted heavy vertical 'timber' finished off the pub fireplace in that area.

The food service area has also moved to it's permanent digs by the new kitchen, allowing us to work in the old location. We sculpted a heavy beam there yesterday. Today it was time for the upright suporting timbers and a brick wall that flanks the new stage.

Tomorrow our work to the finish off the concrete continues. We'll be working on the brick TV stand as well as the biggest beams in the pub. Soon we will be down to paint.

-grampa dan

Fast and furious

With a scheduled trip only a few days away and the finish trades people very busy and pushing us from behind we are feeling the pressure to get our work done. And that we are very busy at doing. Our lofty goal is to finish all of the sculpted corncrete work in the pub by Friday. It's a tall order with some pretty big and complicated pieces on the menu. Today we did ttwo good sized beams and also stapled up a whole lot of diamond lath for tomorrow' work. The knarly vine also got a little more sculpting epoxy applied and formed as well.

Work is now being done in the middle of the pub that is still open for business and it is hard to not make a whole lot of noise and dust on occasion - something the patrons and staff don't always appreciate. The good news is that it won't be long now until the noisy and dusty work is done - at long last!

I managed to grab a good picture of the restaurant today...   The carpet is now installed and light fixtures, TVs and sound systems are being worked on. It is looking pretty snazzy! I hear the furniture is now only a few days away, meaning food will be served here pretty quick!

I can hardly wait!

-grampa dan

WHOA... GIDDY-UP!!!

Sometimes projects go from zero to sixty - back to zero and then back up to full speed. And it all happens really fast. These are fun kinds of challenges!

Last week I began sculpting a horse sign for the Fox & Hounds Pub. His name is Big Ben. I designed a barrel head aand ribbon for the name and fabricated these parts. Then I began the sculpt of the horse's head on those pieces. It was looking pretty cool, but it soon became obvious the barrel top was too small. No problem - I would simply add an oval background around the barrel with some more words on it.

I discussed it with the owners of the pub and they agreed the barrel head was too small but didn't care for my suggested fix. They asked that I make the ribbon and barrel head bigger. I agreed but decided to have a little fun. I grabbed he horse sign and smashed it on the floor thre times, breaking the background and barrel in the process. (The horse's head was purposely kept intact) You should have seen my clients's faces. We had a good laugh and I took the horse's head home to start fresh.

Phoebe also added her two cents and also showed me a horse from her collection as reference material...

It didn't take too long to build a new ribbon and barrel top. I glued the horse's head to the new, larger background and started in on the sculpt once more. Big Ben got the larger, poutier bottom lip, a small cleft in his nose, a slightly protruding chin and a bridle as per our discussion. Now he's ready for paint and then his debut at the Fox and Hounds Pub - one more piece of the story we are telling in great detail.

-grampa dan