
Originally I picked up the top end while Justin lifted the base then when I noticed that I was straining under the weight and he found it easy, I suggested that we switch ends. He willingly obliged. I could easily hold the wood base while he had to hug the sculpture's wings and endure pricks from protruding mire mesh ends.
Getting out of the garage was easy. Carrying it through the front door and down the hall was challenging. (I scratched the paint in the hall and now need to patch it up.) Carrying the sculpture down the stairs into the basement border lined on impossible but we made it. By the end we were both sweating and Justin displayed numerous bloody scratches on his hands and arms. Everyone knew that if it got any heavier and bigger there was no way to get it out of the basement.
The quandary was in deciding what to do next. The fact that it was still so heavy surprised me and I wondered if the clay was still heavy from water weight. Maybe if we waiting a few more weeks it would become light enough to carry. I crossed my fingers and decided to wait while monitoring its weight loss.

Plan B is to remove the top half of the sculpture and replace it at a smaller scale. Being so much work, I hope we don't have to resort to Plan B.


