Studio Notes: New Roof

Tamlin Blake - Steam Power (in process detail)

Studio notes: New roof
  
I must have been one of the few people over the last while who has not been doing rain dances, begging the sky to send down some much needed water. In fact any sign of grey clouds has had me nervous and running around with plastic sheeting.
 
When I first considered moving into my old barn of a studio, and when it used to rain, the floor constantly had a layer of water over it rising up through the patchy concrete and the roof leaked like a sieve. I work with newspaper and thread. Water in this context is not my friend.
 
The floor was fixed some time ago but all through this winter the roof and its holes have remained and the fact that the rain did not come made me start believing in prayer, or angels, or just a cruel weather system.
 
This unsettling roof was finally replaced the day before “the storm” hit Cape Town. May there be a special place in heaven for generous, German, brother-in-law roofers. Now I will happily and with enthusiasm join the rest of the rain dancers and send my prayers up to the angels and the weather system that the dams fill before summer.
 
In the mean time please consider visiting the Riebeek Valley for Solo Studios 2017. I would love to share my new work and projects with interested viewers, and with any luck it will be raining!
 
Please note that you must pre-book to be able to attend the event: www.solostudios.co.za
 

Please also take a look at the Solo Studios "linocut project"
This project is an initiative of a select group of resident artists participating in the Solo Studios event in Riebeek Valley, and was conceptualised to ensure future sustainability of the event.  
An edition of 15  box sets containing  7 linocut prints each are available to purchase.
http://solostudios.co.za/linocut-project/