Daves Private Thoughts

The Day at theForks

2009-07-07T05:08:00.000-07:00

It was a lovely day so I decided to bike out to The Forks here in Winnipeg and came across the Springfield tractor club showing there tractors that have been brought back to working condition with authentic parts. These are just some of the tractors that they have brought to show what kind of tractors they used back then.

The good old days

2009-07-07T04:35:00.000-07:00

Biking on my way to Fort Whyte centre I came across a house used
by early pioneers . Looking inside i found it very comfortable , though there was no tv, computer, or video games to keep you busy during the times you cant get out. Wonder how they kept themselves occupied when they had nothing to do.

Working in Serpentine

2007-12-08T15:43:00.000-08:00

This piece I created from a stone called serpentine, very hard almost like alabaster which I am accustomed to working with. The color when polished is black with white veins depending on the piece you get. I was still able to use my regular carving tools such as rasps and hacksaw with carbon base blade. Its very easy to polish with wet and dry sandpaper right up to 1500 grit. After that I used lemon oil to bring out the color which is a dark green to black . This stone I picked up at stoneman distributors in Ontario which supplies stone from brazilian soapstone to serpentine. The link for this supplier is located under my art links, his prices are reasonable and his service is great.

First Snowfall

2007-11-27T04:51:00.000-08:00

Finally first snowfall today, blanketing the ground with its shades of white. masked by the bleak overcast morning. Dotting the landscape covered with our first snowfall, man made structures made of steel and wood covered the landscape, the constant hum of power surging thru, and the noise of the trains disturbs the usual peace I enjoy when I take my walks here. With the noise receeding in the background , I went on my way toward my destination where I can enjoy my solitude in peace.

Inner Conflict

2007-11-22T15:03:00.000-08:00

This piece I call Inner Conflict, created from a stone called purple wonderstone. This subjects reflects the conflict between two people, be it couples, friends or humanity in general. From my observations watching the news , seeing the problems between us, be it from racial, and even religious differences, we as a whole and I mean humanity seem to be in constant turmoil.
Unfortunately, we solve most of these by extreme measures, such as war and genocide.

The Final Sleep

2007-11-19T21:41:00.001-08:00

Winter is on its way, the colors of autaumm have passed away. replaced by the hues of brown and grey. I have enjoyed walking these trails many times during the summer, basking in the scents of fresh humus , undergrowth with its decaying scent which brings new life here. Now all I see is nature in its last stage of change, getting ready for its long awaited sleep.
I will traverse these trails once again, soon when natures blanket covers these woods in white , to enjoy the crystalline beauty it has to offer.

Creativity in stone

2007-11-15T04:51:00.002-08:00

This piece I created with a stone called african wonderstone. This type comes in brown or black/grey, very hard to work with, a little harder than alabaster. I was still able to use my hand tools such as rasps and files, mostly wood carving ones. The stone is very dense, heavy, and cool to the touch. Very easy to polish using 10o grit to 1500 grit wet and dry sandpaper. finishing with a coat of a polymer based car wax paste. I enjoyed working with this stone but very hard to come by from suppliers, probably because of the cost to bring it in. Hopefully one of these days I will be able to get my hands on more of this kind of stone without costing me an arm and leg to get it.

Stormy Seas

2007-11-11T17:15:00.001-08:00

I created this painting from a photo I had seen a while back adding my own feelings into it. To bring more dimension into the painting, I first used plaster to bring out the rocks in the painting, adding a little into the seas also.
Letting the plaster dry , I then put a base coat of primer to seal it, then started to layer my painting over the next couple of weeks til it was completed. This was done in oil which is why it took so long to do, but well worth the time it took to create

Coming of Fall

2007-11-04T17:10:00.001-08:00

It was such a nice day that I decided to take a bike ride to the Assinnaboine forest here in Winnipeg. In there I came across a bike path that I must have missed in my regular travels. Going through there, the only sound I heard was the rustling of dry leaves in the wind, my tires crunching on the laid down mulch and dried twigs. It was a sound I basked in, enjoying it while i can before returning to the daily man made sounds of the concrete jungle we live in.

Family, Expressions of Love

2007-10-31T16:33:00.001-07:00

This carving I did I call Family , expression of love . With the mother figure holding one child in her arms while the other embraces her, this carving symbolizes a mothers expression of love for her children.

Expressions thru art

2007-10-29T08:59:00.000-07:00

I started carving about four years ago as a pastime , and found it relaxing. I have created quite a few pieces, this one made out of brazilian soapstone. This stone is very easy to carve with, great for beginners since you can carve with just x-acto knives and some simple rasps. This piece I call meditation, with the figurine in a meditative pose. To polish this piece I used a soft cloth and several applications of a car past wax. If you have any questions about carving please feel free to post your questions, and I will try and help.

The Pathway

2007-10-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

I am the Solitary Man.

Many times I have traversed these realms

Alone, in thought and dreams

Thru the dark times of my life

I wander like a ghost among you.

You see not the times of sorrow

Nor the moment of peace I yearn
Twisting through the myriad of humanity

I walk among you forgotten and unknown

In the twilight of evening I ponder

Where Life's journey might lead me to see

Will I be known as a Solitary Man?

My Fate I reach out for thee.

I wrote this poem a while back during my dark times as I call it, and walking thru this lonely stretch of Fort Whyte Center it reminded me of it, the utter bleakness , solitude here. The only sound I hear is the wind whistling thru the trees, rustling of the dry and dying marshland, as winter approaches .

Open Fields

2007-10-28T03:14:00.000-07:00

Here I came across a farmers field freshly tilled , waiting for next springs seeding. The trail here leads to patch of forest complete with bike trails and walkways for all to enjoy the blessings of nature.

Walk in the woods

2007-10-27T21:45:00.000-07:00

On my usual jaunts i came across a patch of woods that looked enticing. I entered and was overwhelmed by the smell of decaying matter, footsteps muffled by the thick undergrowth my feet. With the sun bringing in the colors of nature, i basked in the smells of mother nature, putting aside the sounds of man and his concrete jungle .