>From: Ralph Walter <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The fundamentally unclean listserv
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: New Thread
>Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 11:24:20 EST
>
>In a message dated 1/15/2003 2:52:56 AM Eastern Standard Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
> > After 17 years in the URBAN environment and
> > no cows, I have come to Switzerland to make up for lost time.
> >
>
>Nick,
>
>Just what in hell are you doing in Switzerland?
>
>Ralph

Well Ralph:

As you know, in life, many factors contribute to the fateful steps we take.

My wife is Swiss. We met and had our two kids in Gotham. In the spring of
2001, we were fed up with the real estate situation, were missing nature,
Karin was missing her family, the kids were pre-school age, we wanted to
expose them to more German language, I wanted a bit more time to make
sculpture, after 17 years NYC was under my skin and my in-laws found a cheap
apartment for us. Seemed like a good time for a mid-career sabbatical. I
figured if teachers can take one, why not a self-employed masonry
conservation craftsperson. The bags were packed, all of the house hold
things were put in storage in my work shop in Long Island City. Then I
watched the towers come down on the way to a job meeting at the Cooper
Union. Seemed like an even better idea to leave.

I have been back to the US for small projects and have been working here
with a stone carver on some smaller projects. We also organized a sculpture
school, that takes place in the evenings in an abandoned apple juice
factory. German is the language of the area and the school (Swiss German),
people are kind and put up with my beginners High German. Karin is a graphic
designer and has designed a website foir her families wood working business
(www.schneebeli.ch). Kids are loving it.

My carver friend makes alot of gravestones. The cemeteries are full with
beautiful marble, limestone and serpentine stones. In the US one sees so
much cold granite. When I asked him about this from a durability standpoint,
he said it was no problem. After 30 years, they take the stone out and
recycle. He showed me a whole pile behind his shop, waiting to be re-tooled!
Land is at a premium in this small country!

Nick




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