Hike in Awenda Park, Georgian Bay in Spring - March 2011 · Apr 5, 05:13 pm
Oh we are so lucky to live in Midland with Awenda Park so close to our doorstep!
If these photos don’t inspire us to create sculpted paintings, I can’t imagine what would. In all seasons, Georgian Bay is STUNNING! Each season brings such diversity!
And many of these beach photos remind me of what the Arctic might look like in the summer. So vast, so quiet!
What a great day!!!!
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Stu getting ready at the top of the Trailhead to the Beaches of Awenda.
Is that Jackie O? Na, just Carol overlooking the Bay from the top of Awenda Park Trail. 
Ahh, into the forest we go! Looks like the shadow of that tree is following us.
Beach One at Awenda Park, March 2011
Amazing Beach contrasts at Awenda - Spring 2011
Black Erratic at Awenda Park
Erratic in the Ice at Awenda Park
If this doesn't become a sculpted painting, I don't know what will! GORGEOUS TONES!
It was FREEZING on shore - had to huddle! (aw shucks!)
Stu snowshoeing on the sand. Well he did need the snowshoes in the bush.
And there goes Stu walking on water again ... what a show off ... haha ... This photo actually makes me feel like we are in the Arctic on a summer day. We are so lucky to live here!
Looks still ... but it was brisk! 
And there's winky. I was able to take off a few layers in the bush, after freezing on the beach.
— Carol Currie
Tripping West to Collingwood, Scenic Caves, Bruce Trailhead and Beaver Valley · Mar 28, 09:11 pm
Between all this carving and painting, Stu and I took off out of Midland and headed West – well not to BC … but we did end up at the top of the Hill at the Entrance to the Scenic Caves overlooking Collingwood – WHAT A HILL!!!! WHAT A VIEW!!!
But not before heading down to the 13th Concession of Tiny Beaches to take a short walk along the water. So pretty!
The photo of the ‘hands’ – yes those are mine – was taken by stu – I was so excited to see this amazing view – right at one of the trailheads to the Bruce Trail – that I said, this would make a really nice tall triptych to show the varying layers of colours from sky to water to trees to rock.
I liked Stu’s version of the view with the lone trees.
We can’t wait to get back there while we start our Bruce Trail hike from there – this view would be stunning in early spring with the bright greens.
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Carol walking along Beach near Balm Beach, March 2011
Tiny Beaches, March 2011 ... Believe it or not, this is looking like the last of the snow for this year! 
Carol at one of the entrances to Bruce Trail overlooking Collingwood. What a VIEW!
Carol marking what might be a very interesting tall panelled triptych ... future idea for a painting!
The view of Collingwood ... more like the triptych I imagined.
View of Collingwood - part two of a potential triptych.
Lone twig trees overlooking Collingwood and Georgian Bay. Stu's vision!
Oh darn, I hope this isn't a sign of my future??? May be the same name, but no relation. Yes, much happier being in the business of creating art!
— Carol Currie
Relief Carving of Killarney, Georgian Bay - SANDING and COATING and CUTTING our most recent sculpted painting · Mar 28, 08:56 pm
Stu is working on our latest Sculpted Painting commission of Killarney Georgian Bay. At this stage, Stu has completed the carving and as shown, has to sand every crevice of the wood surface to get ready to start coating the piece to seal the wood.
Stu continues to work on the piece as a single panel until the piece has been fully coated (front and back).
This piece will be a triptych installed at 34 × 46.
To view the whole wood process from start to finish, visit this link from our Claustro site Claustro Studio Process
Click thumbnail to enlarge each image
After completing the carving, Stu spends hours and hours of fine sanding the work using several tools and techniques. Here, Stu is using one of his larger sanders.
The sky on this piece however requires patience and skill in fine sanding with a much smaller tool. It's crazy hard!
Closeup of how Stu uses this smaller sanding tool carefully in each crevice.
Stu applying the final coating before priming and cutting to size.
Stu brushing on epoxy left to right to seal the surface of the wood.
Stu pooring and brushing the epoxy onto the wood surface ensuring the epoxy is soaked into every crevice.
Closeup of Stu applying the second coat of marine quality epoxy to seal the wood surface.
Getting ready to cut the panel into a triptych.
Laying the lines to make the rough cuts to size.
The panel is flipped on its back and clamped to the table to allow an accurate straight cut with the handsaw. HERE WE GO! 
No turning back now! Stu is making his second cut. 
And that's a *thumb's up*! The single panel is now a rough sized triptych. 
Stu suiting up to use the heavy handtools. He's very safety oriented. yah think?
Once the template is placed on the panel, Stu uses a handsaw to make a closer cut before using the router.
Stu using the router to get the accurate cut alongside the template.
Closeup of the wood panel on the bottom and the template clamped on top ... the router created the perfect final cut.
Carol measuring the spacing between panels to ensure accuracy of composition.
And there it is ... the final triptych. Now Stu will coat the freshly cut edges and put the final coatings on the piece before it goes to Carol's studio.
— Carol Currie
PROCESS of LAMINATING THE WOOD fo our sculpted paintings (relief carvings) · Mar 28, 08:46 pm
Below are photos of how our mahogany wood has transformed from planks of wood, to a refined panel.
It takes hours of careful planning to choose the wood pieces that will fit perfectly together … where each piece has to be lightly sanded to ensure a tight seal.
A ‘dry run’ is performed of each piece into the clamps so that the system is ready to rock when the wood pieces are wet with epoxy where there is no room for error.
Well over 3 Litres of marine quality epoxy is used, mixed one cup at a time on a per use basis. Time is of the essence while the epoxy kicks.
Stu has the patience of a master carver that’s for sure! I am better at staying back and acting as camera man.
To view the whole wood process from start to finish, visit this link from our Claustro site Claustro Studio Process
Click thumbnail to enlarge each image
Stu Leggett starting CLAUSTRO Sculpted Painting #066 - 1" x 26" x 107".
The mahogany strips get a 'dry run' of their clamping procedure before any epoxy is used.
Stu mixing epoxy - this is the first cup of what will be well over 3 Litres of boat builder's quality epoxy resin used to glue up this panel.
Stu brushing the epoxy resin on to the mahogany strips.
Stu placing each piece into the clamps.
Ready to tighten the clamps.
The piece is clamped and the curing process has begun. The piece will stay in the clamps for several days.
View of clamping from the end - awesome joints!
— Carol Currie
Installation of the painting THE PILLAR, Killarney Provincial Park Series · Mar 7, 09:23 pm
THE PILLAR sold to one of our biggest local collectors this past Friday. Stu provided the installation on Sunday over a few glasses of iced ‘something or other’, while I took the opportunity to look around our client’s home at the large collection of originals they have collected over many years, most of which are from local artists…astounding!
Seeing someone’s dedication and passion to the arts never ceases to amaze me … original art truly brings life to a home with stories to accompany each piece.
Our client is waiting for a proper light fixture to be installed at which time we will return to take more photos and add them to the blog.
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The Pillar
Acrylics on Panel
33 x 45
$4600 SOLD
The Pillar
Installed March 2011, Tiny Beaches, ON
Let there be light!
The Pillar is now lit.
What a difference light can make!
— Carol Currie