It’s a LOVELY concept, but when you actually see our back yard (above is existing backyard where Performance Stage will be constructed) and have experienced how long EVERYTHING takes to implement in Nepal, you’d probably say this “Mosaic Garden” will be completed........well.... never.
Still, it’s worth a dream!
Last year in Bhairahawa, Nepal, I taught art, English and iris folding (greeting card making). This year, I drew blueprints of the property (who says volunteers aren’t multi-talented!!) and the proposed “mosaic garden” in the back yard that will (we hope and theorize) be an ideal place to hold weddings, receptions, meetings, and workshops. Last year’s tasks were a PIECE OF CAKE compared to drawing these plans.
I almost gave up and simply called it quits quite a few times because:
- I had to measure the property, buildings, gardens, etc. using a 10’ seamstress’s tape (because our one big tape was being used for mosaic installations...after a hundred of so feet at 10’ increments, concentration and accuracy just drift away into the B’wa dusk)
- I eventually succeeded in getting a t-square and a couple angles, some large tracing paper, and masking tape. What I DIDN’T get was an architect’s scale (that allows you to convert feet into inches... thus I ended up doing A LOT of tedious math by PENCIL -- no calculators here!)
- And most challenging (beyond the impossibility of getting an eraser that actually ERASES without leaving horrible gray smudges behind) was to complete the drawings before they became absolutely filthy, ripped, wrinkled, or dumped upon!
After measuring the property with the help of fellow volunteer Daphne, I took my (incredibly intricately dimensioned) sketch to my “drawing board” (an old cupboard door, I think, complete with one remaining hinge)
Sketch resulting from our initial measuring
Within MOMENTS of taping a beautiful clean sheet of white drawing paper to the board (with brown packaging tape), one of the mosaic artists decided to oil his cutting pliers ON MY BOARD, leaving a big blotch of oil in the center of the paper and ruining one of my precious pieces of paper.
(I drew a skull and crossbones on that sheet and it remained as the sheet covering the board each and every time I left the table from then on... it worked!)
Next I discovered that our two parcels are not square; the ends are the same measurement but the sides are not. There is NO WAY for me to determine what angle goes on each end (without a surveyor and THAT ain’t happenin’! I can’t even get a scale!) After puzzling over it for awhile, I took a deep breath and sketched the angles as close as I could determine by looking over the edges of the roofs.
The rest of the drawing documenting existing structures and conditions went fairly fast; I was feeling good... until I went to transfer the drawing to tracing paper and found that someone had squashed my roll of tracing paper and it had several creases running through its length. (Arghhh! If I hate nothing else, I hate wrinkles... especially in paper -- although clothing is a close second... just ask my kids... I HATE WRINKLES and here I was stuck with nothing to use EXCEPT wrinkled paper.!)
I think the arrival of masking tape saved the day; at least I wouldn’t have to tape my wrinkled paper down using packaging tape (that rips the face off most papers). I counted my blessings as I taped my creased paper onto my board.
The result (although smudged by the erasers that don’t erase and the t-square sliding over the pencil marks from pencils that contain graphite on steroids, leaving the entire sheet a dirty gray) was amazingly good.
Existing Property
By now I was on a roll -- the skull and crossbones scared everyone away from my drafting board.... I’d resigned myself to the tools I had.... and I was learning to be one with wrinkles (personal growth at its best).
So over the next week, I created plans for:
THE MOSAIC GARDEN -- PHOTO #1 ABOVE
It’s a LOVELY concept, but when you actually see our back yard and have experienced how long EVERYTHING takes to implement in Nepal, you’d probably say this “Mosaic Garden” will be completed........ never.
Still, it’s worth a dream!
The Mosaic Garden contains three main features -- The Wedding Arch (where newlyweds can sit on a bench and get their photos taken), the Photo Steps and Benches (where the hoards of family members can line up on steps and get their photos taken), and the Performance Stage (where all the gala wedding rituals and dances take place). The three areas can be adapted to similar but alternate uses when, instead of a wedding, the Gardens are hosting receptions, meetings or workshops. The three areas are connected by 81 24” diameter mosaic stepping stones (of our workshop’s original design, of course) and the feature walls in all of the 3 main areas will also feature mosaics.
SEE THE BEFORE PHOTOS & PLANS ABOVE
And the lovely drawings were drawn in my high tech office (see photo above) behind the mosaic workshop, next to the (rather pitiful) vegetable garden in the midst of the future, “verrrry, verrry beautiful” Mosaic Garden of Bhairahawa, Nepal!
So the plans are finished (in the nick of time! I leave for India on Monday!) and ready to be shipped up to Kathmandu for Phillip (head of the charity) to look over, admire and (I hope!) implement. I’m sure there are many opportunities for supporters to sponsor a stepping stone, wedding arch, stage, photo steps, or one of the numerous mosaics that will grace the garden.... so if interested, give me a holler and I’ll direct you to the appropriate person!
And even better.... any weddings or meetings or workshops in your future?!?! Better get your venue scheduled now!!! Bhairahawa’s Mosaic Garden is the up-and-coming place to have it!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment