It's hard being the only person working on this project. Physically, it means a lot of redundant work- going up and down the ladder, going back and forth from the workshop, going in circles trying to find that darn jigsaw that I had a moment ago...Mentally, it's stressful, because there no one else to blame when things aren't going right. I'm only half joking. I am accountable to myself, fully and entirely. I feel like I push myself farther when I am alone, for that reason, but I also feel the weight of every action in my mind.
At a recent thesis defense where the defendant presented a beautiful timber framed "Oneiric Hut", one of the panelist's comments was that he was guilty of "the sin of pride": not asking for help, wanting it to be his alone. But even he had help- he had his wife as a partner throughout the building process. That is the best kind of help, a partnership where everyone is equally committed to the project. To just ask for outside help occasionally is difficult, because the helpers do not know the thought process and simply just don't care as much. I can't justify making someone trek across the field just to fetch and carry things and wait while I figure out what it is exactly that I'm doing. It's not fair to them and puts pressure on me as the leader.
So, I'm stuck going solo. Another difficulty of this is documenting the process. I can't ever really do 'candid' shots. I can pose and pretend, but I am the one who has to set up the tripod and turn on the camera, even when my hands are full of clay (a very annoying procedure). Below are some shots of me manoeuvring the roof formwork into position. I haven't put on all the "rafters" because 1) it would be heavy and 2) because I am working from the point backwards, and I need to be able to reach all the rows I'm working on.
I'm wearing my new bright blue coverall. It will get dirty soon...
At a recent thesis defense where the defendant presented a beautiful timber framed "Oneiric Hut", one of the panelist's comments was that he was guilty of "the sin of pride": not asking for help, wanting it to be his alone. But even he had help- he had his wife as a partner throughout the building process. That is the best kind of help, a partnership where everyone is equally committed to the project. To just ask for outside help occasionally is difficult, because the helpers do not know the thought process and simply just don't care as much. I can't justify making someone trek across the field just to fetch and carry things and wait while I figure out what it is exactly that I'm doing. It's not fair to them and puts pressure on me as the leader.
So, I'm stuck going solo. Another difficulty of this is documenting the process. I can't ever really do 'candid' shots. I can pose and pretend, but I am the one who has to set up the tripod and turn on the camera, even when my hands are full of clay (a very annoying procedure). Below are some shots of me manoeuvring the roof formwork into position. I haven't put on all the "rafters" because 1) it would be heavy and 2) because I am working from the point backwards, and I need to be able to reach all the rows I'm working on.
I'm wearing my new bright blue coverall. It will get dirty soon...
Hi it's Phoebe your cousin! what your doing looks so cool! xxx
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