Well the times they are a changin’. The sculpture exhibition, which is what this blog is all about, will now take place in October 2016 not March. Which gives me plenty of time to complete sculpture number 6 which will be based on this model in the NMMC collection.

Model lifeboat by R F Wells

I’m not sure whether to be disappointed or relieved about the change of date. The positives are that it gives me more time to produce the right number of sculptures (10) and perhaps to focus on a special one which might adorn the main gallery of the museum. I can relax a bit more now but I’m concerned that I may lose the momentum I had built up. I’m going to set myself the target of completing the first 6 sculptures by March as previously planned.

Sculpture number 6 will be loosely based on the model for a proposed lifeboat by Reginald Fairfax Wells made in 1917 I think. I may be able to exhibit the model alongside the sculpture – which would be great. R F Wells was an interesting guy who was primarily a ceramicist making pots and sculptures. He also went on to run an aircraft factory in the war and then graduated to being an architect later in life. I don’t think his lifeboat was ever made (not surprising since there appears to be a fitting for a mast on the top of the model). As a beautiful article, however, it caught my eye in the models case at the museum.

Here are my preparations for this sculpture – which of course will look nothing like its inspiration.

I’m using 6 sheets of 4ft by 4ft birch ply to draw and then cut out cross-sectional shapes. These will be reformed into a kind of solid shape with fins, wings and a rudder and a cockpit. The full size drawing is draped over the dining room chair.

I had to draw up a spreadsheet to track the measurements on the 81 slices that will make up the sculpture. There is a lot of cutting to do there. Perhaps the Fall is a good idea.