Manufacture Update.

On returning home I fired up the computer on Sunday evening (having for once left the laptop at home for a few days - it was tough...) to find a email from Allan Bruce at Fyfe Glenrock, with several images of the work completed so far on the grey Pitcaple stone. From what I can see it looks very promising, and although I am feeling pretty delighted, I will feel even happier when its confirmed (hopefully) that we are within budget.

The block for the 750 sphere - a pink corrennie from Tillyfourrie Quarry, is to be put to the saw for a first cut on Tuesday. Again the first cut should reveal any major flaws hidden within the mass of the stone, so I look forward to hearing how it goes.

I would prefer all three stones to be brought up to a similar stage of manufacture, before beginning work on the final form and surface design, so that this last stage can be informed not only by the quality of the individual stone and how they work together as a group, but also by how much budget there remains in the pot.

Marking Time

At the end of last week I had to go to 'Up Country' from Cornwall and by chance passed by Stonehenge - somewhere I had never previously visited. However as it was also my birthday I felt it was appropriate to visit this timepiece which was definately even older than me. Its a curious experience to be funnelled around the fenced off monument, clutching the audio guide handset, while dodging busloads of schoolchildren ferried in from the far corners of Europe and beyond.

Here is a classic tourist photo to prove I was there. No photoshop - I promise !

The stone of course for this construction was not local, but brought, somehow or other, from Wales. Astonishing...... I wonder how far the builders allowed the material to lead the design, or did they demand stone exactly to their previously decided specifications.

But the arrangement we see today is the remains of an installation which evolved over hundreds of years, and would have possibly involved several generations of designers. Let us hope that the Oldmeldrum Public Art Project artwork is finished a bit more speedily ......