A new home

I went to look at the studio yesterday and Mark the builder showed me around. The rooms are in the process of being painted, and the skirting boards and details fixed back in place. The building has been totally transformed - it is almost unrecognisable from the shambolic and slightly depressing place that we vacated in the summer. In a couple of weeks I should be able to start putting in some shelving, and a week after that begin the process of bringing the work back to its new home.

Today I spent some hours in the storage unit, beginning to plan for this eventuality. I've decided to buy a van, which will help move some of the work, if not the very biggest pieces. I looked at the piles of paintings and reliefs and started thinking about how to move them back; in what order; and where to store them. Margaret did a brilliant job of sorting the work out into different sizes, so it should be a more orderly process returning them than it was dragging them out of the studio.

I also need to think about an opening event for the refurbished studio, and that will be part of the planning work I need to do this next week or so. My guess is that we are on schedule to open in mid-December - a small event for friends, helpers, colleagues and patrons.

Moving forwards

The photograph above is taken from the same place as the one in the 18th August blog. This is the landing at the top floor of Dave's old studio. It shows the walls are now fully plastered and the light fittings ready to go in. You can see that we've removed a door frame and opened out the space. What has to be done now, in addition to putting in the lamps, is painting the walls and general tidying.

Although it may not seem spectacular it needs to be remembered that these walls, and some of the ceiling beams by the window, were riddled with dry rot and this has also had to be dealt with.

So, not bad - but the building work has slowed down in the past couple of weeks as the electrical work and the damp proofing has taken place. We now expect progress on the finishing, painting and flooring. My hope is that by the end of November I can begin my own work, installing shelves and racks, and doing the gloss paint work. Volunteers needed!

Then, and only then, can we begin the process of bringing Dave's painting back home out of storage. An event we'll mark with a party and a sale.

Gradually, gradually....

I visited the studio today to look at progress by the builders. The electrics are half way there; the plastering just about finished; damp-proof going in...

The open plan top floor is taking shape nicely, so there will be additional storage room - though the fact it's at the top of the house limits taking the largest pictures up.

Soon we'll have to start planning the move back. I imagine this will start at the end of November, and there's still a hope that we can have a small-scale 'opening' before Christmas. It depends on a lot of things falling into place, but it remains my intention.