As it happened (from my Journal archives)

June 15, 2008

Sunday 6:52 pm - Yesterday I had too many "maintenance" things to do, plus a good afternoon nap, and did not get any puzzle work done. Today, in what truly was a real marathon of work, I started and completed #796, Gragnana, about 500 pieces, Long Round! I'm quite sure this is the most pieces I've ever cut in a single day. The effort was demanding, and the last hour was like running the final leg of a marathon uphill (not that I've ever done that), an intense effort that required the highest mental discipline to successfully conclude. I was focused on maximizing speed while maintaining quality. I did elect to have no figurals in the puzzle. What an effort, and something not to be repeated any time soon! Cutting went very well, a nice puzzle for the 100 Puzzles Project.

June 16, 2008

Monday 6:37 pm - Sanded the back of #796, Gragnana; auction delayed until tomorrow, too far behind on dance notes.

June 18, 2008

Wednesday 10:55 pm - Today I did inspect, box and pack #796 so it is ready to ship as soon as the current Auction is successfully concluded.

From the auction description:

This puzzle, Gragnana, features an excellent photograph by master photographer Michael Seewald, the photographer whom I've featured several times before within the 100 Puzzles Project. This image was removed from one of Michael Seewald's limited edition art calendars (the September page from year 2002), of which 499 were printed. This puzzle is a limited edition of ONE, I will not accept other orders for puzzles with this image. Note: Michael Seewald has now discontinued his calendars with year 2005 being the last year they were published. This is the second and last Seewald to be auctioned this year, and is the first one I've auctioned since September of 2006 that was cut in Long Round style.

The picture was taken in the small village of Gragnana, Italy.

This puzzle is cut in my Long Round cutting style with small pieces. The puzzle includes my signature piece (signed, numbered and dated on the back). I also marked a second piece on the back indicating that this puzzle is the 79th puzzle of the 100 Puzzles Project. There are no figurals nor any color line cutting.

As for Gragnana (Italy), Michael wrote:

Winding thru the narrow, treacherous mountain roads above Carrara, I drive thru the small village of Gragnana. Images fly by my scanning eyeball too fast to contemplate. I rely on my sixth sense, and lots of prayer to help me determine possibilities for a great piece of art. When asked I say, 'I'm looking for all the elements that would make a great painting'. 'A toilet, a group of trees, or what it takes to work'. The subject matter has always been irrelevant to my mind. Sounds of a Sunday soccer game emanate from the local bar behind me, as well as the heads of a half dozen inquisitive men, watching me teeter totter precariously on a brick wall in the rain. It gave me the elevation needed to capture this scene, and them the comic relief from a tough match.