Restarting an old project

Wow where has the time gone? Scarily it shows I started this blog over 5 years ago with the one posting. I believe it is high time to pull the proverbial thumb out and get back to the plan. Well despite my desparation of not willing to ever depart from what I believe to be my lifes calling of working within the arts I have to admit months after beginning this blog I did. The months ensuing was nothing less than deep depression and emotional tumoil. I left my wife, kids, blacksmithing and Finland behind and moved to the UK. I worked for an amazing company TeachSport for perhaps the best boss and friend one could ever hope to have. R Walker mate you pulled me through the darkest period of my life in the most unselfish manner and I will never forget you for it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Well 2 years of teaching sport to ED, ADHD and many other special needs kids, divorce settled and my kids more accustomed to not seeing me around so often, it was time to not only return to the art realm but after almost 19 years I had to return home. Back to Australia.
During the last year of my time in the UK I was contacted by an old university friend of mine who was also going through a divorce. Katiuska Cruz or as I called her back then "Tush". Well it seems that despite of not having been in contact for over 20 years our friendship was as fresh as ever. Dozens of emails and hours of skype sessions later we realise how much our ambitions were almost identical. She had already begun with the process of looking for a location for where she could relocate and before you could say sold we invested in a 6.2 acre spread in the hideously named Bostobrick. Finally we had found a place where we could begin to build our artistic dreams together.
It had taken a little prodding but I convinced Tush to fly over to the UK to come and visit me. We were so compatible electronically (internet), emotionally and inspirationally but we had yet to test physically. Thankfully that surpassed all expectations as well :P So it was set. Despite the unrealistic sensation of everything being too perfect we charged ahead. I still had to finish a few things off in the UK and obviously arrange for my things to follow me out from Finland but before you knew it I was on that long haul flight back to Australia to Tush, my family and the beginning of the realisation of my/our dreams.
Having now lived in Bostobrick for over 18 months not only has the name grown on me but so too have the locals. I can not impress on you the selling points of this part of the world. It is absolutely gorgous from the beaches to almost vertically 2kms up in the mountains where we live. It would have to be one of the prettiest parts of Australia. I fell in love with it immediately and every time I open my eyes and I am still here I fall in love with the place a little more.
So now you may be thinking "well thats all very well but what about the blacksmithing?" Aha! Well let me inform you that an american barn style shed 9m x 6m has been constructed dedicated to the sole function of WOMBAT FORGE. Presently I have my anvils and tools in operation mode and despite having in my possession 240kgs of coke/coal everything I am forging is by using an oxy/accetelene setup as a heat source. Just to prove to you doubting Thomas' out there you can go and look at the new online shop Tush and I (well mainly Tush) have put together at www.etsy.com/shop/RedHavenStudios Using the oxy/acc setup is great for localising heat but usless in heating up anything large so for now I am limited to the smaller jewellery pieces. having said that, having not picked up a hammer for over 2 years I was pretty intimidated. Actually when Wayne Saunders (fellow artist blacksmith) invited me to pick up a hammer at the Bellingen show.. I flatly refused. Well I was busy but it wasn't something I couldn't have got out of. I was just terrified at the prospects of picking up a hammer for the first time at a show with not only the 10's of onlookers but in a group of about 5 fellow artists blacksmiths. Talk about writers block!!!
Anyway it is almost 2am and I should really think about getting some sleep so that I don't injure myself in the forge tomorrow. I am so happy that not only is my creative side back online but thanks to my wonderful partner Tush, so is my life. People talk about soul mates.. whether you believe in such things that is up to you.. me I've got one so I have to believe in them.
Night all, time to snuggle with my soul mate :)