Blown Away! (07F-9)
Sandblasted!
I was walking around Santa Monica Tuesday, enjoying a day off, planning to return along the beach. From a few blocks inland I could see an odd white haze to the west; as I walked that way I learned that the haze was spray and the wind was howling. Having planned poorly for the event--dressed in T-shirt and kilt--I turned around and just about mooned everyone west of me. There weren't many. I took the bus home.
The next day seemed better. Until I got to the beach. Well, maybe it's calmer than yesterday. The sea didn't seem quite so wind-excited. Still, there was a layer of flying sand over the beach, and my borrow pit filled with blown-in sand as I built a sculpture atop the stump of the previous effort.
Build number: 07F-9 (lifetime start #319)
Title: "Wind Made Visible"
Date: March 28
Location: Venice Breakwater, on the flat
Start: approx 1215; construction time wind-limited to about 3.5 hours
Height: about 2.2 feet, on tall sokkel left over from F-8
Assistant: none
Photo digital: EOS-1D w/24-70 zoom, walkaround and details, 20 images
Photo 35mm: none
Photo 6X7: none
Photo volunteer: none
Video: none
Visitors: none (everyone had more sense than I)
Equipment note: none
The day reminds me of when I made "Roman 2: Windsong" in 1996. I made that one deliberately heavy to stand against the wind. That time occasional rainshowers came though but the air was so dry I hardly noticed.
Windsurfers take advantage of it. There are no regular surfers out, which must be a first for Venice.
I have to search to find good sand. It's out there, under four inches of overburden, and mixed with a lot of coarse sand that makes it a job to filter. The pile is very solid, but dries rapidly in the strong wind.
After a few hours I realize I'm losing the battler for the retention of heat. Carving just doesn't work me hard enough to make up for what the wind takes away. The sculpture wants refinement and details, but I've had it. I clean it up and sign it.
# © 1765 by Larry @ 
