Artifacts
FOR THE LOVE: IN BOXES, BAGS, AND ALPHABETICAL SEQUENTIAL ORDER OF SORTS
Generally, people do not go home after work feeling incredibly motivated and the urge to clean the entire house. Thoroughly. This was how I spent my Wednesday evening and most of Thursday-- I am talking about windex, dusting, vaccuuming. Ironing a few of my shirts; taking my father's unnaturally boxed up CDs and re-organizing them alphabetically for display; dusting every little treasure in our cabinets representing them somewhat thematically; organizing our bookshelves by subject; filing envelopes of old photos by year; sorting blank cards by social event; sweeping and scrubbing; re-arranging the glasses by shape/type in our cupboards.
What am I becoming?
It must be work pulling my soul, my mind and body preparing me for something.
One day and a half at work, I got to spend dusting artifacts: creamerware, china, glasses, neat little treasures, odds and ends, and this probably triggered my impulse to organize things in my life.
As I sorted through our old family photos, I smiled and laughed. I felt sentimental, probably the same way that my mother has a hard time parting with our baby things. Things are different now, which is okay. I miss when my sister and I would jump off couches and pretend we were superheroes or ride bikes and climb trees together.
THREE: ZENITH, THRESHOLD, DIVINE
These three words, I intuitively choose to describe my year so far.
Have I expressed my deep love for my friends new and old in my life?
It's strange but regardless of some sad and frustrating things, I generally feel happy, and relaxed and less hesitant about things. A few close friends have mentioned that I seem to be 'different', but in a good way. More sociable, more fun and from Mo, he explained it specifically as I seem to be living like I am making up for lost time; Come late autumn and winter, maybe this will be true. Maybe in some ways I am better at disclosing and storing away things for the right time. It is an interesting observation and something I have been tossing around in my mind.
It must be the moustache, the tights, the spontaneous dancing, the cooking, and not wearing pants.
TWO IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER: REVERSIBLE GLUE AND CONTRAST
At work, our team leader, Shawn asked us to pick an object for conservation.
I picked a small compass from the collection, I had a difficult time choosing and figured it would not make the list anyway. Shawn presented a tea caddy and tobacco can. Tamara picked McGillvary's bed warmer piece, while Pat picked a watercolour painting and the bottlejack for the reflector oven (which I had in mind too!).
Shawn told us two stories related to conservation and told us to go to The British Museum and the Vasa Museum in Sweden, for homework.
The Portland Vase, Perhaps from Rome, Italy, about AD 5-25 - The most famous cameo-glass vessel from antiquity
In 1845, a drunken museum visitor entered the British Museum and smashes the display case and Portland Vase...acquired from the Barberini family in about 1780 by James Byres. It was sold to Sir William Hamilton who disposed of it to the eccentric Duchess of Portland. Two years later, following her death, it was bought in, at the auction of her collection, by the third Duke, Within three days it had been borrowed by Josiah Wedgwood who had obtained permission from the new owner to make replicas of it in Jasper.
Luckily, Wedgwood, was a perfectionist. He submitted his replica to the museum at a time when museums were young and his replica was accepted. It became incredibly valuable.
"I can venture to declare it a correct and faithful imitation both in regard to general effect, and the most minute details of the parts". (from collectingwedgwood.com )
(Shawn tells this story so much more brillantly) He explained how conservators, attempted to restore the broken vase on two occasions. The first time conservators put it together but there were pieces left that did not fit -- these pieces were filed down vigorously and made to fit. The second time, different conservators took it apart and tried again, except with some of the pieces filed down one can only imagine the spaces and cracks inbetween.The important thing that held it all together and was constant was the type of glue; unfortunately I've forgotten what it's called exactly. Warmed glue, and the pieces dislodge from each other to the state when the drunken man originally smashed it. And then, voila back together again after hard labour and painstaking attention to detail. The beauty and importance of reversible glue.
Vasa Museum From Wreck to State of The Art
(Again, Shawn tells this story with so much more valor -- hand gestures and all) The Vasa Museum (Swedish: Vasamuseet) is a maritime museum in Stockholm, Sweden. Located on the island of Djurgården, the museum displays the only almost fully intact 17th century ship that has ever been salvaged, the 64-gun warship Vasa that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 (from wiki/vasa_museum).
Here is the gist: King Gustav II asked one of tradesmen to build a third gundeck for a canon. Impossible. The tradesman likely had a heartattack, stressed out of his mind -- and died. His apprentice was left with this daunting naval, architectural dilemma. Third deck was built, things appeared fine. That was until a few gusts of wind on August 10, 1628 gulped the tender Vasa in spectacle of an excited public. Oh, Kings and their desire.
The Vasa was resurrected, salvaged, and conserved. Shawn explained how parts of the ship were restored as closely to match the original bits but not to hide or cover up. Repairs are distinguishable and contrast when you look closely as a viewer. Marks of different times and weathering and work. I think that is how it should be.
Damn, I wish I could find something like the Vasa.
Good God, I extract so much from these two examples.
ONE THING: LONE WOLF
Wednesday evening I also biked to the farmer's market to pick up jalepeno perogies and a jar of salsa. I had a slice of pizza, a cookie and some juice and chatted with my friend Elise's dad about building websites, his jigs and lures and life.
It was relaxing and kind of nice to be alone, but food tastes so much more amazing, though, with someone lovely to share it with.
One thing I know I am not becoming is a recluse.
For the fall and winter, I will stretch long good stretches and throw myself on my back or something kind of like how cats do.
Enough "I".
Generally, people do not go home after work feeling incredibly motivated and the urge to clean the entire house. Thoroughly. This was how I spent my Wednesday evening and most of Thursday-- I am talking about windex, dusting, vaccuuming. Ironing a few of my shirts; taking my father's unnaturally boxed up CDs and re-organizing them alphabetically for display; dusting every little treasure in our cabinets representing them somewhat thematically; organizing our bookshelves by subject; filing envelopes of old photos by year; sorting blank cards by social event; sweeping and scrubbing; re-arranging the glasses by shape/type in our cupboards.
What am I becoming?
It must be work pulling my soul, my mind and body preparing me for something.
One day and a half at work, I got to spend dusting artifacts: creamerware, china, glasses, neat little treasures, odds and ends, and this probably triggered my impulse to organize things in my life.
As I sorted through our old family photos, I smiled and laughed. I felt sentimental, probably the same way that my mother has a hard time parting with our baby things. Things are different now, which is okay. I miss when my sister and I would jump off couches and pretend we were superheroes or ride bikes and climb trees together.
THREE: ZENITH, THRESHOLD, DIVINE
These three words, I intuitively choose to describe my year so far.
Have I expressed my deep love for my friends new and old in my life?
It's strange but regardless of some sad and frustrating things, I generally feel happy, and relaxed and less hesitant about things. A few close friends have mentioned that I seem to be 'different', but in a good way. More sociable, more fun and from Mo, he explained it specifically as I seem to be living like I am making up for lost time; Come late autumn and winter, maybe this will be true. Maybe in some ways I am better at disclosing and storing away things for the right time. It is an interesting observation and something I have been tossing around in my mind.
It must be the moustache, the tights, the spontaneous dancing, the cooking, and not wearing pants.
TWO IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER: REVERSIBLE GLUE AND CONTRAST
At work, our team leader, Shawn asked us to pick an object for conservation.
I picked a small compass from the collection, I had a difficult time choosing and figured it would not make the list anyway. Shawn presented a tea caddy and tobacco can. Tamara picked McGillvary's bed warmer piece, while Pat picked a watercolour painting and the bottlejack for the reflector oven (which I had in mind too!).
Shawn told us two stories related to conservation and told us to go to The British Museum and the Vasa Museum in Sweden, for homework.
The Portland Vase, Perhaps from Rome, Italy, about AD 5-25 - The most famous cameo-glass vessel from antiquity
In 1845, a drunken museum visitor entered the British Museum and smashes the display case and Portland Vase...acquired from the Barberini family in about 1780 by James Byres. It was sold to Sir William Hamilton who disposed of it to the eccentric Duchess of Portland. Two years later, following her death, it was bought in, at the auction of her collection, by the third Duke, Within three days it had been borrowed by Josiah Wedgwood who had obtained permission from the new owner to make replicas of it in Jasper.
Luckily, Wedgwood, was a perfectionist. He submitted his replica to the museum at a time when museums were young and his replica was accepted. It became incredibly valuable.
"I can venture to declare it a correct and faithful imitation both in regard to general effect, and the most minute details of the parts". (from collectingwedgwood.com )
(Shawn tells this story so much more brillantly) He explained how conservators, attempted to restore the broken vase on two occasions. The first time conservators put it together but there were pieces left that did not fit -- these pieces were filed down vigorously and made to fit. The second time, different conservators took it apart and tried again, except with some of the pieces filed down one can only imagine the spaces and cracks inbetween.The important thing that held it all together and was constant was the type of glue; unfortunately I've forgotten what it's called exactly. Warmed glue, and the pieces dislodge from each other to the state when the drunken man originally smashed it. And then, voila back together again after hard labour and painstaking attention to detail. The beauty and importance of reversible glue.
Vasa Museum From Wreck to State of The Art
(Again, Shawn tells this story with so much more valor -- hand gestures and all) The Vasa Museum (Swedish: Vasamuseet) is a maritime museum in Stockholm, Sweden. Located on the island of Djurgården, the museum displays the only almost fully intact 17th century ship that has ever been salvaged, the 64-gun warship Vasa that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 (from wiki/vasa_museum).
Here is the gist: King Gustav II asked one of tradesmen to build a third gundeck for a canon. Impossible. The tradesman likely had a heartattack, stressed out of his mind -- and died. His apprentice was left with this daunting naval, architectural dilemma. Third deck was built, things appeared fine. That was until a few gusts of wind on August 10, 1628 gulped the tender Vasa in spectacle of an excited public. Oh, Kings and their desire.
The Vasa was resurrected, salvaged, and conserved. Shawn explained how parts of the ship were restored as closely to match the original bits but not to hide or cover up. Repairs are distinguishable and contrast when you look closely as a viewer. Marks of different times and weathering and work. I think that is how it should be.
Damn, I wish I could find something like the Vasa.
Good God, I extract so much from these two examples.
ONE THING: LONE WOLF
Wednesday evening I also biked to the farmer's market to pick up jalepeno perogies and a jar of salsa. I had a slice of pizza, a cookie and some juice and chatted with my friend Elise's dad about building websites, his jigs and lures and life.
It was relaxing and kind of nice to be alone, but food tastes so much more amazing, though, with someone lovely to share it with.
One thing I know I am not becoming is a recluse.
For the fall and winter, I will stretch long good stretches and throw myself on my back or something kind of like how cats do.
Enough "I".