Totem-Standing Together (is standing)!!!

8/18/08 Monday
The sun rises at 4:00am and blasts in the window, I remember when I used to have retinas. I managed to write some in the journal before breakfast at 7 o’clock. I felt some excitement while riding in the bus to the studio, I would be able to see the stainless steel piece standing once I constructed the temporary base. Right off the bus I headed to the wood pile to pick out the proper 6x6 oak timbers needed for the task. I made sort work of this task with the use of the chainsaw and nailed it together, and then gathered some helping hands to stand the sculpture. Sliding the base pins down into the wood base was a tight fit and presto…there it was Wasai!! This is the first time I have ever seen the piece fully constructed, it is b-e-a-utiful, and it relates on a human scale. Other artists began to gather with positive comments and wanting to take photos. The overcast day softened all the shadows and I really want to see it on a sunny day, maybe tomorrow.
One thing is apparent, it needs some finishing detail work and I needed to go shopping for some grinding burrs and polishing pads, Chun Hua was ready after lunch and we headed out in search of another group of streets loaded with small shops crammed together with hardware. There were a lot of different types, so I picked a sampling to take back to the studio, we’ll find out what works and get more. On the way back I saw a Wal-mart and we had to check it out. It was packed with so many shoppers and I did not recognize many of the products.