Monday, January 3, 2011

A hand you can dig (with)


One of her earth working hands

"I believe that my hands are smarter than I am, and that they operate on their own, and bring me along for the adventure, and to take notes about what we did together while we were there"


Words of a stone lover who is taking the Neo (Lithic) Year seriously and pushing the dry (and wet) stone envelope.


Thea Alvin is an amazing woman. She works with her hands and her web site pretty much tells it all.

Below is a photo of a cistern she built for a private residence in Boulder Colorado. She says that "It takes the water from the sump pump and stores it for irrigating the orchard and the gardens. The basin is built as a spiraling work of art that when empty is beautiful and when full, a basin to swim in." She flies back to Boulder on Tuesday to create a stone fountain for the new cistern, which you pass through a series of passages and tunnels to get to.

Thea says "It is very cool"

I think she's right.

Also, having seen many of her other arched pieces, I was interested to see her very successful 'spiral theme' (see lower photo) now being worked vertically both ascending and going into the earth. Thea is definitely building, digging and thinking with her hands.