Mud Slinging

For the last few weeks there has been an ongoing project at the Boatworks, this year's BAC community project. To this point I have had a limited role in its making. My biggest contributions have been introducing project leader Kat to the Belmar Arts Council last summer (she wanted a place to attempt some cob building projects, and I figured that if there was an educational component, the BAC would go for it) and taking dozens of photographs for the BAC blog. On the first day, I got there later than expected and they were almost done with the day's planned work. (I did a weave a few branches into the wall) On the second day I was there from the beginning, but there were so many people wanting to get involved in the messy fun, that I was told to stay clean and take photos. Work continued today, and with no crowds, I was given something dirty to do.

One of the main components of the cob mixture being used to build this wall is clay, dug from a site in central Jersey. The clay has a lot of rocks and stuff in it, so one task that has gone on from the beginning is sifting this clay through a screen to remove the unwanted materials. Today I took a turn on clay sifting duty, spending a few hours turning the clods of dried clay from chunks (shown above) to dust (shown below).

It seems like very little result for two hours labor, but I guess it will be more impressive when water is added to it.