August 2018 – Wolf #2 Part Two

The long awaited completion of Wolf #2!  We made it back in August this year, slightly different season so no ice but still chilly for summer.

We picked up right where we left off and whilst there has been an 8 month gap since our last visit these guys were totally ready, eager and waiting to get stuck in – really impressive how much they have retained in their short bursts of time with us and so very encouraging to have them chat with us about what’s been happening in their world, their ideas and an excitement to get busy and make them happen.

We sourced out some new materials at the scrap yard, set up our workspace again and picked up our wolf to look him over with fresh eyes.  Oh my goodness, sooo much work to be done to finish, seriously, who said we were halfway there….two guesses!

The boys got stuck in with strapping to get every inch of his body covered, so lots of welding practice.  We got him coated and then decided that his shape was just not coming together quite right, you frequently have to stand back from what you are doing and get a good look at how the structure is taking form as it is so easy to just power on and then discover that the scale is all wrong!!  It was quickly decided that he needed to be taller – gas torch was fired up and his feet were chopped off and rebar framing welded on to extend legs.  Next big change was to find him one shade of fur to coat over existing strapping in order to stand up to the climate as we felt his strapping was not going to be adequate long term.  Metal dump had loads of old oil tanks – perfect – a sleek shade of grey and excellent thickness of steel for longevity.

Fur, fur and more fur.  The fur was cut in a manner so as to depict a layered rock-like texture, inspired by the inukshuks you see everywhere.  With literally each piece of fur being specifically selected and welded and hammered one at a time this was a massive task.  All of the boys worked on this in two’s, it is this part of the process where the artistry is key so Kerry’s undivided attention is required to ensure it doesn’t start looking off (for lack of a better word).  This is where we all become like assistants to the Michelangelo of the build.  We can offer muscle, ideas, critique, take direction and follow instructions but ultimately the responsibility of the finished product lies with the artists eye and expertise in the medium.  That being said it is imperative that the boys be immersed in this process and the complexities of it as it aids their self development and highlights strengths, weaknesses, teamwork, critical thinking and problem solving in a very tangible way.

This wolf had many, many subtle and not-so-subtle alterations to reach his final shape and we were all extremely proud of his finished form!  The boys all cut out their names and welded them to his belly, along with our own and it really felt special!  The next blog will cover the mounting of him in the park – so many great memories to treasure.