Need for Tools-Let's Shop ;-D

8/04/08 Monday
The meals for the sculptors are well prepared and of great variety, lunch is the most extensive and varied, all are buffet style. I have focused my selections almost all on fresh or steamed veggies as well as on the great selections of fresh fruit. The real treat is steamed full shrimp for breakfast and water melon at every setting. The work and energy at the studio puts a strain on even the most wholesome meal and we all look forward to lunch the most. I worked in the studio in the morning today, progress is going good and the loud booming noises of the first week have subsided to a low background rumble now, as sculptors begin to focus their attention on modeling clay and less on the construction of armature building. Yu my assistant is still out sick with a toothache, so I was assigned substitutes, which had slowed things down because they are not on the same page, but they are eager to learn and very willing to help in any way.
The studio is a little light on sculpting tools, I’ve made a major tool from a really nice chunk of 316 stainless steel, called a toothed rib, but we still need some others. Michael and I have yet another mission, to find some sponges and some files…and stuff.
There is, we are told a very large all in one store two city blocks square, so once again we are in the trusted hands of our interpreters. We grab a taxi from outside the gate of the studio grounds and head off on another wild ride into the city. Within 10 minutes and 16 Yuan later we’re at the most closely packed little shops that have a large array of items, all we have to do is find it. Chun Hua after a modest amount of inquiry leads the way into a maze that seemingly goes forever…watch out Wall-mart. (Changchun has a Wall-mart…that’s another trip) We found what we came after and even gifts for the family. Above photo of the tent like structures in the sculpture park, I have not been up close and on that side of the park yet...it's big.