Drifting along

Today we spent some time at the beach. The day was cool, bright but overcast - perfect for what I had in mind. I was taking pictures of driftwood. The pictures will be used as bitmaps to create textures within our routing software and then sent to our computer controlled router to create dramatic woodgrain patterns in our projects. It is a cool process but one that requires very specific information and files to work as I imagine.

The photos I snapped today will have to be modified and tweaked substancially to get the results I desire on the CNC router but I got almost five hundred great pictures to start with. I'll be sorting through and only picking the very best. Here's a small sampling of the bunch.

The resulting files will be used in our own work of course but also offered to others (for sale) as a new collection of Texture MAGIC bitmaps to use on their routing projects. Stay tuned to see the results...

-grampa dan

Booked

Janis, my partner in life and business has always supported me in a big way. She's one of the main reasons we are successful. Janis provides balance in our lives, sometimes by holding me back (until the timing is right) but just as often by giving me the push and encouragement I need. It's a very good thing. In a few weeks we celebrate thirty-nine years of marriage, living and working together.

The very first year we were married I still worked full time for a grocery store, doing my art on the side, dreaming of the day I would create art for a living. Janis worked across the street in a bank. Beside the store I worked in was a bookstore. One day there was book in the window that caught my eye... a book about Disney animation. But the book was incredibly expensive, especially for two newlyweds just starting out. But I mentioned to Janis how I loved that book. Christmas was a few weeks distant and she snuck into the book store and purchased the book. She had them leave the big, expensive book in the window however until a day or two before Christmas. She wanted it to be a surprise for me and knew if the book vanished I would know exactly where it had gone.

From time to time in those weeks before Christmas I'm sure I mentioned my desire for that book but in my heart I knew it was far beyond our means. Janis didn't put the wrapped book beneath the tree either, for she knew too well that if I saw the present I would instantly guess it's contents. Just the same, Christmas morning when she handed it to me she saw my knowing smile. I had been hoping beyond hope since the day it had disappeared from the bookstore window that I had checked each day on the way into work.

That beloved book still is in my library in my studio, well worn and dogeared from many, many readings. It has been joined by hundreds and hundreds of other art books through the years. Janis understands my love of good reference books and has a special column called research to document their expense.

This week Janis and I snuck away from daily routine for a few days together. Our travels and stops included a bookstore or two where a few more art books were purchased to join all of the others in my library. Once again (as always) Janis didn't question the price but instead encouraged me to get them.

We are having a great time relaxing together too.

-grampa dan

BIG iron

Little Matt was busy today welding up the big iron to make a sturdy bridge that will span the wide pool beneath the biggest waterfall at WhistlePunk Hollow. We started with two large I-beams and the crossbraced them to form the deck. Concrete will be poured between the I-beams for the green. It is going to a spectacular hole to play with the train on the trestle overhead. By the time we are done the two side beams will look like giant tree timbers. In the picture Matt is welding on the branches (structural steel) that will hold up the hand rails.

While little Matt was busy welding the bridge big Matt was busy applying the galvanized mesh to the giant rock structure. This is a tough job that takes practice to get it right. Although still somewhat transparent the rockwork is starting to quickly take shape. On the right hand side you can see the mine doorway with the timbers surrounding it if you know what to look for.

The pressure is on to have these pieces ready for transport next week. Time will tell.

-grampa dan