Saturday January 8, 2011
After many months of planning, painting, promotion, pain and praise, the day finally dawned – the scaffolding was there, the paintings ready. There was nothing to stop the beginning of the end – and it began! Mick, Tony and John erected the tower in record time, and when Andy and Adam arrived at 6 o’clock, everything was ready. They measured the first panel and cut a cardboard template to size, but there was an unforeseen problem….the panels are concave both vertically and horizontally, which had not been considered! Move to Plan 2! Due to three of the images having to be re-scanned, we have extra sheets available, and it was decided to use one of those as a second template, as this is the material which would be installed. The template was duly cut and offered up.
Amazed at how easily the board splits after being scored, we watched as December was fitted into place. The colours work beautifully against the white and green paint of the rotunda ceiling, and December sat there in solitary splendour overnight, as it had taken two and a half hours for the first installation. We went home excited that the process had begun, and greatly looking forward to seeing the others installed very soon, after a year’s anticipation. The process resumed the following afternoon. Surprisingly, the template showed that there is not such a great difference in the size of the various panels, and Andy and Adam were able to make subtle adjustments to the boards with apparent ease. Within three hours, another six panels were in place, and they truly lift the whole space to another level. Photographs of the whole process can be seen on the Gallery page – Rotunda Images.
Andy and Adam returned on Wednesday evening to complete the installation process. All did not go according to plan, as, having just offered up the template to measure November, the final image, Tony noticed September was coming adrift! It was all hands to the pumps, as they scuttled down the scaffolding, moved the tower, and went up to catch Alice before she tumbled any further! It was refixed, but they decided to leave the final one until Thursday morning, leaving the scaffolding underneath the September panel, so that if it came away again, it wouldn’t fall far and become damaged. Thankfully, all were still in place on Thursday morning, and the last month was installed at 0850, on the morning of January 13, 2011. After nearly two years of planning, the project has come to a successful conclusion. Bring on the party!
