I bought an indoor plant for my classroom, but I didn`t have a good place to put it, so I made this plant stand from recycled wood. The height is about one metre. The wood for the legs came from an old thread [井と] spool [スプール] frame in my father-in-law`s factory. The spools rotated [まわす] between the white things.
I was going to put shelves in it, but actually I think I like it as it is [as it is = このまま].
I made these butterflies from recycled wood. They are 12 x 8cm, & I based the design on a butterfly called the `Common Grass Yellow`. You can see this butterfly in Ichinomiya, but the ones I saw in Okinawa recently were a much stronger shade of yellow. I was surprised by the difference.
Anyway, I plan to stick these butterflies on the wall in my Gifu classroom. I hope they help make the room - & students! - feel more cheerful.
Before we went to Ishigaki Island I bought some magnets at the 100yen ($1) store. We glued them onto the back of shells which we collected on the beach. Then we painted them. We also stuck eyes on a couple (I bought them at the 100yen store too). I will use these magnets on the refrigerator at home & on my whiteboard at school. I hope they don`t break easily.
Wisteria [ふじ] flowers are blooming now, so it`s a good time to show you this acrylic [アクリルえのぐ] painting I did a few years ago.
I should hang this picture in my classroom now, shouldn`t I? But I think wisteria flowers don`t last long, so soon I have to bring it home again... I can`t be bothered [めんどくさい].
While doing Shikoku henro, we spent one night in a small town called Kuma. There was a small art gallery there, which we had just enough time to visit. Unfortunately they were holding an exhibition of strange modern photography instead of their usual collection, so I could only see it on their postcards... This is one I bought.
If you visit Kuma, I recommend visiting the Kuma Museum of Art. The curator is very nice, and if you ask (as my father-in-law did while I wasn`t looking), she`ll even book you a room for the night in town! What a kind lady.
My father-in-law has lots of old machine spare parts. I saw some plastic wheels in a bucket & thought they would be good as toy car wheels. Of course I used recycled wood for the bodies. So far I`ve made 3 cars, & I hope to make more in the future. It was interesting to research & design the shapes.
The designs are based on the following:
- 1950s F1 Ferrari
- 1970s/80s New York taxi
- 1960s Landrover
Which one do you like the most? What do you think I should make next?
On Saturday I taught a student who has a glass-blowing studio in a small town north-west of Gifu City called Ibi.
I went riding around there a few years ago, & afterwards did this woodblock print (10x16cm). I wonder if he recognises this place?
If you have the chance, I recommend a visit - it`s peaceful & scenic, with a nice river. You can get there by train from Ogaki (it`s the last station on the line).
Happy New Year! 2011 was a tough year for many people, but I hope you found things to be happy about too.
Thanks everyone who read my blog, and especially those who left comments. Please keep reading it in 2012!
This is my design for my New Year`s postcards for 2012 - year of the dragon. It`s a lino-block print, using black watercolour paint.
Good luck in 2012!
Like most people, I`ve been pretty busy for the last couple of weeks, so I`m sorry for the lack [fusoku] of posts.
I managed to find time to make some more Christmas tree ornaments though.
They are just painted pieces of wood, with a bent nail [mageta kugi] in the top.
Do you have a Christmas tree? Have you set it up yet?
I made this snowman ornament from wood, wire, screws & beads. If I have time I`d like to make some more.
Actually, our tree doesn`t really need any more ornaments, but they`re fun to make.
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