Arthur and Guinevere

You've met Arthur nearly 2 years ago, but now he has a "mate". Ofcourse who else could it be but Guinevere?

I carved the callas for her over the summer and a luthier in Kentucky then built her for me. He did an absolutely amazing, gorgeous job. She is just beautiful- and her finish is just so smooth, you want to keep stroking her! Her sound is sweet and lovely as well. I couldn't be more pleased.


Here is one of the carvings ready to be sent off. I did a large calla and a smaller one for the other side. The body is quilted maple and the neck and pillar are birds eye maple.


Here are the two sides so you can see the 2 callas, and the Truitt levers on her.





Some close-ups of the carvings...


And here they are together... Arthur and Guinevere!

It's Carved!

UPDATE:
I have finally decided on the color of the stain- it's gonna be a color called Bordeaux (I'm not sure if I have the spelling right- but that's the spelling on the back of the sample he sent!) It's a deep wine color. If I can find the time I'd love to paint ruby-throated hummingbirds on the soundboard and name my harp Ruby!
Well, here's the latest. It's looking gorgeous! Now to figure out the color I want!!!

Gettin' ready to carve...

Here's the latest photo- he's starting the carving today! WOOOOOHOOOOOO!

More harp WIP photos...

Just got more photos. It's looking like a harp!!!

A future harpist!!!

I have ordered a harp- to be built just for me! I've always dreamed of playing a harp (and the bagpipes!) I decided my husband would probably appreciate the practice learning the harp more than the bagpipes. :-)
I am buying a William Webster McFall style harp- it is designed after an antique McFall- I love harps, I love antiques, this one has a beautiful sound to go with a beautiful harp. Bill has been very patient with me and all the decisions that have to be made. We are now trying to get the "right" color- I want a stain similar to my grand piano. He is building the harp in birds-eye maple for me! Gonna have carving and everything!!! I'm a sucker for carving (being a carver and all.) I'll post a few "in progress" photos. I am soooo excited. I hope perhaps to eventually do harp therapy. Harp music is so soothing to the soul.
BTW- check out Celtic Americans blog for a link to a gorgeous piece of music (from Star Trek the Next Generation of all places!)

New Year's and resolutions

This has been a difficult fall and early winter. Too many things to do, illness, and just generally the "not enough time" syndrome! I never did get to really delve into my thoughts from that ride on the back of the motorcycle! I've not forgotten though! It will happen, eventually. I am going to try and get back on track with my original intentions for this blog- to let you into my thoughts as well as my life just a bit to learn who I am and what makes me "tick". Perhaps to understand a bit better where my art comes from. I believe art comes from who we are and what we experience. So to know an artist better is to understand their art just a little bit better. (At least I believe this!)
I have begun another painting, finished the wolf, and still need to get back to the rooster. He's my "evening, when I'm not too tired" project! I'll try and post a WIP of the latest- it's a real "bugger" for me. I've never done real architecture before and this one is just full of lines, corners, porches, dormers... I spent the entire afternoon just drawing out the house. The background is in. I'll try and photograph it and the finished wolf over the weekend and get them posted!
I've made several resolutions for the coming year. I've always tried to do that and it never involves anything large- just simple things like doing a better job of doggy toenail trimming! :-P This year I want to play my piano more, exercise more, trim those doggy toenails, continue to paint, and last but not least, I've purchased a gift for myself. A dream I've always had- to play the harp. One is about to be built just for me! It will take a couple of months, and then I resolve to learn to play it! I am so excited. I will post photos once it has arrived to take it's place next to my beautiful piano. They are both gorgeous instruments both to hear and to look at. What a lucky girl I am!
Do you make New Year's resolutions? I've heard many folks say they don't- they can't/don't keep them anyway. I've always made them for years with the exception of last year for some reason. Don't know why. And with the exception of one year, I've always kept them. I have never made multiple ones before. But none are "exceptional" or terribly difficult so hopefully I can follow through on all of them. I believe in doing this resolution thing. It's a commitment to the new year. It's a commitment to doing something useful, to doing something to make yourself a better person, to doing something that might be good for someone (or something) else. Why wouldn't you want to do this? Unless you don't like commitment! :-) So here's to the New Year- may it (and we) all be better, happier, and more productive than we were in 2009!