Trip to the High-tech park (To see my Baby) And Hot Pot Night 8.22.2011

-IDEA LEAPING Into The FUTURE-

One of the translators took Gotz, Husam and I to Hot Pot dinner, she wanted us to meet her class mates. It was the end to a great day after we had seen our sculptures placed in the new high-Tech development Park. We had a wonderful evening and the wonderful company of these lovely ladies. They showed the three of us the techniques used in preparing tasty HotPot and returned us back to the hotel safe and sound.

Visiting Old Friends at the Car Park 8.20.2011

After a bit of rest from the late night train ride from Beijing back to Changchun, last years group of artists had an appointment with Mr. Fan Tao to visit the Car Park. I would have a chance to see the stone piece and more importantly the cast bronze "Auto pod" and see if it had been displayed correctly.
Close, but, not quite. What did I expect, the foundry workers really messed it up, it is a bit backward and the little cars are facing to the back and it should be on a stone base. However they did a great job on the patina (surface color), outstanding!!!

Summer Palace, Beijing 9.18.2011

Last day in Beijing, and we (Husam Chaya and I) headed for the Summer Palace...Magical really beautiful...I was impressed!! It was packed with people even more than the Forbidden City. I missed this area in 2008, so for me this was new and more fun. We went in through the back entrance and to the upper most temple then came down into the Tower Temple and down into the Palace over to the little island in the man made lake, very cool totally worth it!!!

Forbidden City Beijing 9.17.2011

They just don't build Palaces like this anymore! Second time to the City and it is so huge, I see something new each time I visit, it's over whelming (I believe that was the desired affect). Husam and I went in the South Gate the usual route, and took our time...setting and observing the crowds, a sea of people that never seemed to end. It was nice to just absorb, and I found myself reflecting on the last days of the City, and the movie.

Day at the Great Wall 8/16/2011

My second time to the wall...WOW way better than the first time, the day was extremely clear, we could see forever. The group split up, Jallim and his girl friend and their trusted interpreter Sax wondered off, and the couple from Barbados another direction, and Husam my buddy from Lebanon and I in another. Man we had fun, we just kept going, on to the next tower and the next, up and down a million steps and in some places they make the steps at the Grotto on Saipan look like baby steps. The Badaling sight is very spectacular and Jallim took full advantage of the beauty to propose to his sweetheart on the Wall. Congratulations to them both!!! Many years of happiness. The crowds were very light as you can see, what can you say...the Wall is Great!!!

798 Art District Beijing...8.15.11

Travel during the day by High Speed train from Changchun to Beijing...crashed at the hotel and hit the "Big" art scene in Beijing the next day. Oh the rain, lucky we could duck into galleries and coffee shops. Clear example (world wide) of businesses following art. The area was an abandoned industrial warehouses, artists moved in with studios...then galleries followed and now restaurants and retail shops. There were lots of things to see and we spent the day, Husam from Lebanon showed up today and met us at a coffee shop, where Aragorn and I had been sipping on a beer. Hope the weather clears for the Great Wall tomorrow!!

Fireball - Full Moon Celebration 8.13.11 (night before Beijing)

Aragorn Read, the artist from the British Virgin Is. created a 3 meter steel ball that he cut patterns into. It was loaded with wood and set a blaze on the night of the full moon (the night before we left for Beijing) this a ritual he does at his home, with much smaller sculptures...that is until now!! This was really fantastic to be apart of, it brought the group together in a night of singing, dancing and general bohemian fun. A truly beautiful work of art when glowing with the flame inside. Thanks Aragorn, for sharing this with us all...it was incredible!!

oh wait! I see something...damn!!!

There always something, just when you think you have finished, so I grabbed the brushes and back to work. I really want to finish because in the morning I and six other artists are headed to Beijing for 4 days of fun and seeing the sights (my second time), I'll be the tour guide for some of the group. On our list of to do, 798 Art district, Great Wall, Forbidden City and Summer Palace (I've not seen). We booked the hotel, The Beijing Traditional Hotel in the old Hutong district near the Forbidden City, a nice place. We are taking the high speed train which will take 6 hours hitting speeds of 250 km per hour...should be fun.

Tada!!!! Finito...6:33 pm on 8.12.11

Damn! wish I was finished

Last few minutes of step 4 (highlight)

Step 4...bronze highlight

I'm getting tired

Oxidation application...8.12.11

Still step 3

Oxidation paint

Maestro

Painting first coat...still on 8.12.11

Morning on Aug. 12, 2011

Mixing color

Undercoat of paint..should be finished by end of day...8.12.11

Ready for painting...8.11.11

Sanding and more sanding

More sanding and filling the joints

Sanding the fiberglass on 8.11.11

Love this one...Belarus artist

Other fiberglass works

Great picture of Nicolas from Greece

Last of the mold being removed (brutally)

Releasing the fiberglass from the plaster mold

Mold removed...baby Phoenix rising

Team assembles to move the mold