Last post?

This is probably my last post despite it not being my last week. I will be travelling for the next 2 weeks and am not sure how well the Internet works in other places.
Tomorrow is my show and I have been beavering away in the studio trying to be ready in time. We have international dignitaries coming which adds to the pressure and unlike home, an exhibition here is a big event. No joke, I'm expecting half of Cyprus.
I have 3 pieces of work to show and I'm really happy with all of them so it should be good night. The weather today must have been in the 90s and so the evenings are balmy and perfect for our show. I'm exhibiting my work with another artist, an American, who works in computerised media and sculpture. Our whole show, titled Boundaries, will rely on light and shadow and looks to be a great success.
Saturday sees me leave Lempa. I will be travelling to Nicosia, the divided city of the north. (Half belongs to Turkey while the other to Greece) I plan to stay in the north until Tuesday/Wednesday when I head to the south to Larnica. I will stay one night at the colleges other premises. I have been asked to do an artists talk for the students there and perhaps do a few crits before flying out of Larnica and meeting my family in Paris

Wednesday 10th October

It's raining today. It's rained for three days, Cypriot style, with lightening, thunder, and wind. There is water running down the roads and waterfalls that cascade through the roof and along the floors. This place is in such bad repair that too much water and it'll cave in!
Thank goodness for the car. I feel liberated. We've been on several jaunts to the mountains, north coastal towns and legendary sights.
And work is progressing now and at speed. The chairs are finished and I like them a lot and I've started a new project. I have decided to take my drawings of the Wall of Lempa and reproduce some of the figures in 3D. I'm manipulating fly screen mesh which is luscious, like a fabric that is stiffened. In my head I plan to use spotlights to produce shadows. (See below for my first experiment) It may work?!!!
I have a date for my show here, the 18th October. It will be together with an American, Karen Niemczyk, and the title of the show is Boundaries. Apparently it's a well known venue for seeing good art and people do come. Lets hope so.
I will leave here the very next day or that's the plan at the moment

Week 3 Wednesday 3rd 0ctober

I'm now officially one of the locals! The taverna is full of old Greek men who play cards and I'm expected to join them ..... often! I enjoy it but when i want to work it is somewhat difficult to avoid when I need to pass the place to get to the studios!
Work Is going well and I have a new partner in crime. She's an American called Karen who makes electronic instillations. We have decided to collaborate for a show that we will be putting on right here in Lempa. Below is one of my leggy chairs. It took me ages to make it as I have only a saw to cut the steel (which are extra dense construction bars) and the 100 year old welder is totally different to the one I use at home! I'm also in the final throws of completing a bamboo leggy chair which is meant to highlight the cypriot north/ south divide.
Karen and I have also decided to hire a car which arrives on Thursday. This will enable us to do some sightseeing in the mountains and further along the coast.
I have to say that I recommend the life here. It's still extremely hot preventing me from working in the afternoons however the days start early and finish late so plenty of work can be achieved meanwhile you can swim and hang out with the locals in the afternoon, bliss!