Jay has been with us for just over a year and does many tasks, but his primary job is a painter. An accomplished artist, it didn’t take long for him to get up to speed on our techniques. These days, we only give a little art direction as we go through a project, and he is off. I was largely busy in my studio today, and when I walked through the shop at lunch, I was amazed to see the finished harp. I knew Jay had been busy working out in the Inn, and I commented to Peter that he had done a wonderful job on the final glazes and dry brushing. Peter informed me that it wasn’t he who had finished the harp but rather Jay. It's great to have such a skilled assistant to make our pieces so magical! Now we have to add the strings and tightening keys to make it ready to install in the Copper Crown suite.
Success!
After many days of testing scores of different images, settings and types of woods and substrates, I created the first images with the laser that I was happy with. At the same time, I’ve been testing various painting techniques. Tonight, I hand-painted these first two laser images to complete the first limited edition print. One I will keep to hang on the wall in the laser room, a benchmark of where this began. The other one I will present to my good friend Dave, who also embarked on an exciting creative adventure as the new year dawned. Now, this new creative journey truly begins…
Tile!
Tile work continues at a brisk pace in the Copper Crown Suite of the Hazelnut Inn. The complex upper-floor tiles were Matt’s project, with endless fitting and cutting. He did a fabulous job and is nearing completion on this floor. Peter is working hard in the bathroom, which his coming along nicely. By next week, Matt will begin working his way down the stairs. As that work proceeds, Jay is working hard to finish the painting on the lower levels. There’s more magic every day at the Hazelnut Inn. Stay tuned…
