A day at the beach

Summer is now finally here at last. With the promise of sunshine (after a wet spring) it was time to get to Whistle Punk Hollow and finish off the painting. Because it is a two and a half hour drive one way from our studio I have been reluctant to bring out a painting crew until I knew the weather would be nice for at least three days in a row. Today was that day at last. Hailey and Sarah and I were busy all day until 10:00 this evening brushing on the coats of paint. It was hot and so we took advantage of the cool water flowing through the golf course. Our task was to paint the three bridges and large rock feature - mostly over water. Access was tricky and the only solution was to jump right in and get the job done! :)

It wasn't quite like being at a real beach but we had fun anyway. Tomorrow we'll be back and at it once more.

-grampa dan

Fishing anyone?

Our little mechanical fish sign 'competition' is getting lots of interest. And I'm geting lots of emails and messages asking if others can play and if so what the rules are.

It all started as a dare of sorts. Jamie Oxenham built a nice little sign for his own studio. Doug Haffner and I were sitting with Jamie at the workshop in Indiana and we commented how we liked his fish. Jokingly we also said we thought he could do better and that we knew we certainly could. The challenge was instantly on.

Every challenge needs a few 'rules' of course. Our signs needed to include the words 'The institute for study of mechanical marine life' and also a dimensional mechanical fish of some sort. Ideas needed to be original. A dealine was also set for Labor Day - September 2, 2013.

Since then there has been a flurry of exchanged emails, with plenty of friendly banter  and rib poking - all in good fun of course. The 'competition' is FIERCE. Who will win, how will things be judged, does any of this matter? The whole idea is to build a fun, creative piece and to push our personal limits. The end result for all who participate is to have a cool display piece in our own studio/showroom at the end of it all. Doug, Jamie and I will be posting step by steps on our blogs with the purpose of sharing with others the various techniques we use.

I've posted a number of journal entries here and also on the other blogs I write which, as expected has gotten quite the response. Since the the start where the three of us sat down in Indiana and began this thing others have also joined the fishing expedition. Mechanical fish are now being designed and built by eight people I know of across Canada and the USA, and I'm sure a bunch more I don't. That's all good.

What is happening is exactly what I have long wished for. People are creating some pretty cool artworks and having fun. It sure beats working! I sincerely hope many more join in.

There are going to be some very wonderful mechanical fish created from what I've seen so far. I recieved an email from Wray Basset today from Pennsylvania. His fish will be a crab. (well withing the 'rules' I would think) He sent a bunch of pictures of progress to date and it's looking great!

So if you are up for a little fun and want to create a mechanical fish of your own - well go ahead. Bring it on - just bring your 'A' game.  :)

-grampa dan

I see your little green light and raise you 38 blue lights!

It looks like I finally have a little competition in the mechanical fish sign contest... for three more folks have joined our little fishing expedition. Noella Cotnam, from Ontario has joined the fray as has Ken Spencer from South Beach, Oregon and Ryan Grealy from Sidney, British Columbia - all wonderfully talented sign artists. I look forward with great anticipation to the imaginative creations they come up with. Jamie Oxenham from Ontario is still all talk. :)

Doug Haffner (his blog) from Illinois has finally started on his mechanical fish project. It features a round window of some sort and the fish sports one ( very tiny) green light. Not sure what that is all about. :)

Anyway its of no consequence for I see Doug's tiny green light and raise him 38 brilliant blue lights. 

Doug answered my volley a few minutes after I posted it and in the process inspired one tiny addition - a tip of my hat to my worthy competitor. This is for you Doug.  :)  I drilled out the porthole in the door on the dock and added in a green LED. I'll add a frosted glass later.

Stay tuned for more progress reports on this saga...

-grampa dan