Corners, Joints, Seams, Edges.

The last 1% of a project........always a challenge. For some -- the unglamorous part of the process for architects and artists. For me, the design is never done until the last nail is in.....or in this case the last stitch.

I'm still working away (despite being under the weather).......a labor of love -- A right brain, left brain challenge.

A few glimpses follow:

Architects-as-Artists

What a great concept for an exhibit!

I am still working on the last 1% of the commissioned work. It's been slow going, I've been under the weather, but I will be making a post soon.

So -- in the meantime, if you live in the Tallahassee Area hope you can see my work along with that of 2 other architects. Visit the Humidity Gallery blog for additional information.

Here is an excerpt from the gallery's newsletter.

humidity gallery fine southeastern craft/art
	coloring outside the lines Untitled acrylic on canvas by Rick Rados We're also aware of the tremendous contribution architectural designers make to the built environment. It is they who bring design, artfulness and scientific know-how to creating human spaces. What happens when an architect turns to creating fine art? This is a question we are exploring by inviting Tampa Bay architect, Rick Rados, AIA, and Tallahassee architect, Valerie Goodwin,RA, to exhibit their work side by side throughout Humidity Gallery. ...................................................... City Grid II by Valerie Goodwin

Woodstork by Mary Jo Spector

minimalist animal drawings by another architect We are including the prints of Mary Jo Spector in the 'Architects-As-Artist' exhibit. Her economy of curve and line express the essence of her subject: usually local aquatic species. They satisfy our quest for contemporary expression of the natural world of the 'humid zone' in tandem with the sensibility of an architectural designer. These accessible small works are found as matted prints and on notecards in the gallery.

The last 1% can take longer than the previous 99%......

Worked on squaring up Panel #3

Triptych -- within reach

Today's progress:

It's all in the details......Part 2

I guess I should have posted more detail shots yesterday. Here are a few:

It's all in the details......

..." God is in the details".....

A great quote by the famous architect Mies van der Rohe. (click here for sample detail by this architect). Attention to the small things are oftentimes the key to solid design.

Today I focused on some of the details in Panel #1. It may be hard to see but I added the cottage, the summer house, a few building next to Seneca Lake (toward the top). Some of colors reference back to the center panel. The angular characteristics of all the shapes and lines were also established by the need to tie all the panels together.

The Flow within Panel #1

Today I spent a few hours on panel #1. I think I'm getting the sense of how the eye should travel across this particular panel.

Gently up and down, back and forth -- but still giving one a sense of peace.

At Last........

This week I've been busy trying to get all three (3) panels up to the same level of completion. Here's where I am at this point:

CLOSE UP OF PANEL #1:



PANELS #1, #2, #3:

Panel #3

Time to bring all 3 panels up to the same level of completion.

This week-end I made some progress on the 3rd panel. Challenge is how to deal with a change in scale. This is a larger scale depiction of the area next to the curving stair leading to the "upper lawn" (You can see this area in the previous images)

Balancing Act

A few days ago I mentioned my concern that this center panel was possibly suffering from imbalance. Well I am in the process of creating a more balanced composition by adding elements to the left side. The tree pattern on this side of the site seemed to be more organized than that on the right. This observation caused me to treat the "tree tops" as a related - yet different set of elements.

You may not be able to see this in this photo but I chose to:

- Use a darker shade of green.
- Arrange theses elements in a more organized fashion.

My goal is to use some of the basic ways creating balance: color, pattern, position.

Also you may notice that I have begun to work on panel #3...........

Building it up..........

I know, I did post an image yesterday -- but am enjoying this process so much that I had to post today.......... I've started to add the treetops:

More Underbrush

Slowly but surely, I am laying the groundwork for the trees. My goal is to achieve a rich layering of color and texture. It's quite a process. This is what I've done to date:



Note:

I've noticed that I will need to address the issue of balance on this center panel. Right now the composition is heavily weighted on the right side. I also need to keep in mind that this will be a triptych, so maybe I'll wait to consider the balance issue when I have the other 2 panels underway.

The Underbrush

I know it may be hard to see, but I have added the underbrush or base layer for the trees. I used sheer fabric so that the contours would read through this layer.

Subtle But Important Changes

That darn River! (the dark element on the right)

It had been bothering me for a while -- not fluid enough. I wanted this element to represent a river without trying to literally look like one.

Well today I solved it. See the more fluid solution? Then compare it with the previous post.

More Auditioning

AND NOW THE:

the ground plane,
the site contours,
the river,
the cottage (plan view),
the garage (plan view),
the summer cottage (plan view),
the retaining wall,
the cottage (elevation view),
the summer cottage (elevation view)