When building a new piece, I have a pretty good idea as to where I am going aesthetically.
That doesn’t mean that I am exactly clear as to the outcome — but I am pretty comfortable
changing course, or my mind, to make sure a work is “successful”. In this process I am also
“engineering” it. How is this to be put together? Will the elements be secure? Are there fragile points? How will I ensure this stays together? Even how will this hang. In fact, figuring out how this hangs is one of the first things I do when starting to engineer a piece. In the past, I have completed work only to be unhappy with how it hangs so I carefully consider how heavy a piece will be and how it hangs to determine the hanging hardware.
Only when this is all put together is it ready to be stained. I have now started to photgraph a piece as I take it apart so after it’s in pieces and stained, I can then review the images in reverse order to see how it goes back togther. This step is even more critical when working on several Foundlings at a time.
Lastly, in putting the piece togther, tightening screws and bolts and then glueing the hardward, can I see the Foundling take shape. It takes time to complete the process but even more time to see if the work is as succcessful as what I originally had in my mind’s eye. I never reach perfection but then perfection is not what I seek. It is the imperfect that is so appeling to me.
