99F-26    "Natalie and Frank"

Impressed The building is fascinating. In the many photographs I've seen, the light plays on its titanium panels and complex curves; it borders on chaos but blends into a whole that captivates me. Now we just need someone to do for men what this book has for women. In an open, even-handed way, it blows away myths and presents the state of knowledge about how things work inside a woman's body. First to show up in this sculpture are curves ending short, in sharp edges, that echo the Guggenheim Bilbao museum. When a surprising little hollow at the base takes its designed ball the other influence is equally obvious, although there were many other hints as well. Ms. Angier, Mr. Gehry, see what you've done to me!
Build number:	99F-26 (lifetime start #184)
Title:	"Natalie and Frank"
Date:	December 30
Location:	Venice Breakwater, south side
Start:	0830; building time: 7 hours
Height:	4 feet
Base:	1.75 feet, cylindric
Photography:	safeties on RA w/WR; 2 TMX120 w/67II and 165
Videography:	Approx 8 min w/XL1 (two walkarounds)

A fence tries to keep me off the beach but just presents a longer walk. The flat sand behind the breakwater seems to cry out for a sculpture so I park and go to work even with the longer hauls for sand and water. As I work a man watches. He never says a word, walking around the work site, then sitting on a rebuilt Madsen Point. Others come and go, fishing, walking. It seems to be National Red Shirt Day but I wasn't told so I'm in goldenrod. George walks up and we discuss video and photography: too much time, too little money. Carving starts confused and gets worse. Peter Gabriel's "Don't Give Up" runs through my head and I concentrate and dive into the sand. The design starts with a long leg with a big hollow behind the bottom half. At the top a smaller hollow takes shape. It looks awkward. After I make the top-crossing arch from the leg's top down to the north, it begines to look like something. It's a nice tense curve, and ends in a surprising concave that fits well with other concave and just barely convex curves separated by holes. This all catches the afternoon sun very nicely. Rich wanders around looking at all the shells washed up. There are many other poeple on this holiday weekend. Rich feeds me cookies and I just keep working. The wind turns into a three-kiter for a time, and then the box gently lands. By then I've removed just about all the sand I can, and the sculpture is sharply voluptuous. Originally I'd intended to put a stack of balls on top but this turns into a nice little pocket at the base holding, like a penguin its egg, a big sandball. A scupture egg, representing new ideas for the next year. Its holes fit with its shapes rather than being just ovals. Elements continue inside and wrap around, making connections. After years of thinking about these things they're finally starting to happen and I like the result. I walk around with the video camera, then, as quickly as possible, I shoot the medium format. Sometimes I have to wait for people's shadows to move away from the low sun. I hope they're in focus; vapor near the horizon has softened the light beautifully so they'll be good images if the technical details are in order. Lorna walks up as Rich and I take our last looks. I decide to get another look on video. This one I don't want to leave, but I have sculptor's palsy very badly and we're all cold. We adjourn to the local Thai restaurant and warm up over Tom Kah Guy.

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