New project!

Over lockdown, we looked on with sadness as our landlord chopped down a beautiful walnut tree (which we excitedly harvested every year) to make way for a new development of apartments which he will start right outside our bedroom window at the beginning of June. The new building will cut in half our beautiful view of the mountains and will bring noise and disruption for two whole years. I have no idea how my husband, who works night shifts, will cope. 

As I sadly watched the desecration with my youngest daughter, I thought, the least he can do was give me a few pieces for my wood carving. It is always hard to source pieces of good wood to carve - soft wood, ie pine, is no good. So I went to him and interrupted his chainsaw fest to ask him, biting my tongue when all I wanted to say was 'why, oh why, did you have to cut down that beautiful tree?' 

He said 'sure' and 5 minutes later I was trolleying four pieces of heavenly wood back to my pad. I have somehow managed to cart the first piece over to Morgenland, the studio where my carving journey began, on the frame of my shopping trolley. It was so heavy and so bulky I must have looked pretty comical. 

I have made some drawings and have already envisaged the final product - the queen of wild pigs, Queen Nefertiti. This is the beginning of my next project. So excited.

 

My wood carving journey

As life in Switzerland relaxes a little I returned to Morgenland to resume my wood carving journey. 

I have the little workshop to myself most days anyway. Erwin, my mentor, just pops in to see how I'm doing from time to time but most of the time he is busy with his latest masterpiece. I have kept in touch with him throughout Lockdown with homemade cards and messages (he is 65, has no email and lives alone) and I was touched to see my cards displayed on a little table inside the front door.

I have just finished my latest creation - my Maus Haus. This actually took me a long time and there were many moments when I had periods of doubt and almost abandoned the project completely. All the small details were mind blowing and tricky to execute. 

But now it is painted and has taken pride of place on my balcony I am very pleased with it.

Erwin Schatzmann is the ultimate eco warrior (although he would balk at the label) His forever evolving studio/home uses reclaimed materials and wooden offcuts, people often drop by with unwanted furniture and building materials and he is a constant visitor to the Brocki for bits and bobs. take a look at this wonderful place on an earlier post or on his website here.