[mark yundt]

Following my credo of looking for work when you have plenty on your plate I landed this job yesterday. The church converted it's confessionals from having three doors to two. The priest had used the center door and the flanking two were for the people to enter. The center door is now not needed as only the two outer doors are used and a divider installed where the center door used to be.
The priest gave me this small prayer card as the inspiration of what he had in mind to disguise the door. I suggested a shallow relief carving depicting this scene of the Prodigal son asking for forgiveness,,but with a twist. I don't know how I got this idea ,,and it might sound crazy but I plan to not only carve it as a relief,,but to pierce it as you would a pumpkin. By cutting out the door and building a shallow light box covering it with frosted glass or plexi then overlaying it with the carving I could create an interesting image that would show up in the usual soft lighting in the church. Or when the lighting is on full,,you see the carving itself.
I've never done anything like this and I'm not sure how it will work out but I've thought of several ways to check out what the results would be and how to plan the carving and cutouts to blend seamlessly.....I hope.

Then,,never one to leave money on the table,,I made a comment on how I thought the panels behind the presiding chair looked a bit dated and did nothing for the Sanctuary. "What do you suggest" was all I needed to hear. Well,,,the center one would look good with swags of roses ( the church is St.Theresa and this is her symbol,,roses) overlaying linenfold type panel with possibly a Eucharistic symbol in the center,, with matching panels on both sides.

They are currently done in a dark burgundy velvet type material with grape leaf/vine designs in silver and gold thread,,with embroidered rose designs around the edges. It's not as bad as it sounds,,but a bit dated and tacky. The center panel is approx. 5 ft wide X 8-9 ft tall,,and the side panels are maybe 4 ft.x 7. Well he was just thrilled and got him thinking.
How about the water damage from the AC on this fresco..do you know anyone who could repair it? Well,,,sure I know just the guy! And then he asked what I thought of the panels covering the radiators which wrap around the entire church,,,and do you think you could do anything with this statue over here,,,,and would you have any ideas for a new Ambry???,,,,You know me already,,,he shouldn't have asked.

[BobD]

Awsome my friend!!! I'm so happy for you!!!

[Just Carving]

Amazing what a little gumption will do for ya, huh, Mark?!?! Fantastic! Glad for you and best of luck in the littel project!

Bob L

[mark yundt]

Wow Bob,,were you reading my post AS I was writing it for you to respond so quickly?

Thanks though for your support ,it means so much. I really do appreciate it.

I guess the post might be construed as long winded and YIPPEE for me but with the recent posts about "MAKING MONEY' and such,,I thought I'd give a glimpse as to how I go about finding work,,a birds eye view of what happens once at the site,,and how I go about building a ticket once I'm there.
It's amazing how if you don't stay stuck on only one idea,,and think you're there for only one job,,how,,with a bit of imagination,,suggestions,,and a sketch book handy to rough out a quick idea or two,,you can break open the flood gates. All you need to get work is an open mind,,a piece of paper and a pencil and off you go.

[mark yundt]

Thank you BobL..yup ,,,a little gumption. Of all the hats I have to wear in my work ( laborer,,designer,,installer,,carver,,salesman etc.) I really do have fun wearing this one. Something comes over me when I'm face to face with a client and I really have fun. I have always called it my "Dog and Pony Show",,somehow it seems to work. And I manage to sell tickets to get in on the next show.

[gene messer]

Mark .. Congratulations on the job ..

Somehow I have a feeling .. we have a another masterpiece coming ..

In other words .. I cant wait to see this one started and finished ..

Gene

[mark yundt]

Thanks Gene,,,I can't wait to see what happens with this one myself,,I'm curious to see what I end up deciding to do.
A masterpiece? well ,,I don't know about that,,all I do know is if I want to see one I'll just go and look at Freds' latest piece.Then I can feel both depressed and elated at the same time.

[Thor]

Mark, I read your messages with a breathless voice in my head as if you are thinking outloud and letting one thought lead the other with a contagious enthusiasm. I would guess that you could catch anyone up with you and carry them off on a voyage of artful carvings never to return to a mundane, lack of interest in less.
Congratulations, and I, for one, will enjoy watching you through this one.

Thor

[Alice in Wonderland]

Man oh Man ,Mark congratulation I think only you could tackle such a project and pull it off, especially "the prodigal Son" awsome. we will be looking forward for your posts to show us what you do .Thank you for being one this board
Alice

[Coffeeman]

Mark,

Thanks for the lesson in salesmanship 101, I loved it!

Really a fantastic idea you have developing with the "Prodigal Son", think about backlighting it with some low voltage lights, might just produce the effect your looking for as well as economical for the church to leave turned on. Bill