The Throne of Swords is Done!

One side done....

 One by one the swords covered the uneven sides of the throne. My feelings revving up with the placement of each one. Knowing that with each sword I was one more closer to the completion of the chair. 

I have heard how sometimes the anticipation of the thing is more exciting than the completion of it. Like planning everything for the vacation, and then when you get there it can be anti-climactic! 

"An intense anticipation itself transforms possibility into reality, our desires being often but precursors of the things which we are capable of performing."   Samuel Smiles 1812 - 1904

It is quite true that I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this piece. One day I will calculate the hours it actually took for me to create it. Then also, one day I will take the time to count the actual number of swords I've placed on the thing. The problem for me lay in the vast number of similar boring actions I had to do for this project, constructing and placing sword after sword after sword.

It wasn't like I didn't know what the chair looked like. It's just that initial intense anticipation that clouds the judgement. Like loading to much food onto your plate. It looks so good and your anticipation simply leads you astray. And in the end your decision rewards you with the pain of a stomach ache. 

Right now the celebration of finishing the chair is muted by the fact that there are a few crucial things that still need to happen. So as yet, though it is pleasing to say "I done it!" it still has to go through the test of fire. There are a lot of overlapping swords here, meaning that there are probably quite a few little openings and gaps among-st all those strips if clay. Yes, I do have to say, I think I'll wait until I actually open the kiln to see what happened before I get too excited. 

Below is the photo of the other side of the completed chair. 

You probably noticed that I have swords crossing on each side. No, they are not only for decoration, though that certainly works and is a good second reason for them. If you look back two blogs. you will see the gap I had to cover. Over this gap the swords do not have any backing and so this is a weak spot for them. So, to strengthen them and prevent them from breaking at that spot I placed these crossed swords over that particular vulnerable area. 

Also below the chair photo are photo's of the new poster announcing our Clifton Studio Open House and Sale coming up in May. We have timed it so you can come on over and purchase your Mother's Day gift which comes up the following weekend after the sale. I would like to invite you over to see what all our artists are doing and also then, we can have a little "art chat" while your there.

 The other side of the completed throne.

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"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. won't you first sit down and estimate the cost...?"            Luke 14:28