Washington Diary, October 11-19, 2003

Inscription

OCT 12, 2003

THE QUARRY HAS BEEN LEFT AS IT WAS THE DAY WORK STOPPED. THE BEDROCK NEATLY WORKED TO A VERTICAL FACE IN PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT BLOCK TO BE CUT.

A STRONG SENSE OF WORK CAN STILL BE FELT IN THE TEXTURED SURFACE. THE MARKS LOOK TOO BIG TO HAVE BEEN CHISELLED AND COULD HAVE BEEN DONE WITH A STONE AXE.

I WORKED MUD IN AN EDGE. WORKING THE LIGHT AND SURFACE OF THE STONE. I WANTED TO DO JUST ENOUGH - A TRANSPARENT TOUCH. THE QUARRY WORKERS TOUCH SEEN THROUGH MINE.

I WORKED EARLY TO THE EARLY MORNING LIGHT WITH LITTLE IDEA OF HOW IT WOULD LOOK WHEN FINISHED. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS PLACE WELL ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO WORK TOWARDS A MOMENT - I HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT AS I SEE AND FIND IT. SURPRISINGLY THE SCULPTURE WORKED WELL WITH THE SUN CASTING A VARIETY OF LIGHT AND SHADOW ACROSS ITS SURFACE. IT WAS A GOOD ATTEMPT AT WORKING WITH A LIGHT THAT I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH - DAPPLED SUN THROUGH TREES IN WHICH FORM IS LOST UNDER ITS CAMOUFLAGING EFFECT.

TODAY THE LIGHT WORKED TO THE SCULPTURES ADVANTAGE AND BROKE DOWN THE FORM OF THE MUD EDGE, REDUCING ITS PROMINENCE AND MAKING IT AN IRREGULAR PART OF THE STONE. THE SUN AND SHADOW TONED DOWN THE EDGE BUT HEIGHTENED THE TEXTURE OF THE WALLS. LATER WHEN THE SUN SHONE ON TO THE EDGE, RATHER THAN ONE SIDE, THE WORK BECAME FLATTENED AND LOST ITS CONNECTION TO THE STONE. IT LOOKED STUCK ON RATHER THAN WORKED INTO THE SURFACE.

BEGAN ANOTHER WORK - SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY, WITH RED LEAVES ON A TAPERED STONE. THE RED IS SO ELUSIVE. THE STONE WAS INITIALLY IN THE SHADE AND THE RED SEEMED QUITE STRONG. AS I FINISHED, HOWEVER, THE DAPPLED LIGHT REACHED INITIALLY KILLED OFF THE RED. THE LEAVES WERE CAST INTO SHADOW AND MADE DARK IN COMPARISON TO THE PATCHES OF LIGHT THAT FELL UPON THE STONE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. SOON HOWEVER, ALL SORTS OF AMAZING QUALITIES BEGAN TO OCCUR AS THE SUN TOUCHED THE LEAVES. AT ONE POINT A TREE CAST A BLACK LINE ACROSS THE VIBRANT RED. THERE WERE MOMENTS WHEN THE TIP OF THE STONE WAS ILLUMINATED AGAINST DARK SHADOW.

IT WAS WONDERFUL BUT OUT OF MY CONTROL - THINGS CHANGED SO QUICKLY. I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO PROPERLY SEE OR UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD OCCURRED.

IF IT IS SUNNY TOMORROW I MAY REPEAT THE WORK. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TRANSITION FROM SHADE TO LIGHT - AND THE CHANGES IN-BETWEEN. IT COULD BE AN IMPORTANT WORK. THE WAY IN WHICH COLOUR BECOMES ALIVE REVIVED A MEMORY THAT I FEEL TO BE IN THIS PLACE.

Provenance

The artist; NGA purchase, 2004.

Related Content