Paper Pendants

I think I've decided I want to make flower shaped pendants from paper that you can then plant once you grow tired of that design. I'm off to find interesting seeds!!! Let me know if you have an ideas.
I'm going to look for Gerbera, Sunflower and vegetable seeds.

Blood Diamonds Final Product

Rubber molds and models of cast pieces.








Resin cast deer teeth, welded steel

Bronze cast hands, leather






Bronze cast teeth, leather or chain






Bronze cast bone
Bronze cast teeth, velvet beads

Stitches Update

I had my stitches removed.
Unfortunately the cut didn't heal very well so I am still stuck wearing bandages.
Since I know how much all you gals love looking at grotesque images of carnage, Ive got a picture!

Paper Casting

I've been researching casting with paper and alternative materials.
I found a really great book, Paper, Metal & Stitch by Maggie Grey and Jane Wild.
It covers paper making techniques, incorporating paper, metal shim and fibers into art pieces.
A lot of the designs can be made to include ephemera and found objects as well as printing designs on metal and fabric. The book also describes texturing for paper designs, such as embossing and additives. Mold making techniques discussed include polymer, softsculpt or formafoam , collagraphs and latex rubber methods.
I think these ideas will work well with the designs I have thus far and the book was very informative if you've never worked in paper craft before.

Blood Diamonds: Wax Models

Responsible Design

Since I can't go any where I've been doing some one handed googling.

These images are from the molly m designs website

www.mollymdesigns.com



She uses bamboo, a rapidly renewable material as well as reclaimed and salvaged materials including wool and suede.



I love the fact that her designs are simple and nature based.
I think incorporating found material is a great idea and is eco-friendly.

Researching new materials.

I am not having a great week.
So far I've been to the doctors three times in three days.
My thumb is blue and I can't feel my fingers.
I'm on enough hydrocodone to kill a small horse so I apologize if my future blogs are a little on the incoherent side.
The upside is I've had a lot of time to google and read mags.

The new project involves using alternative materials so I have been checking out some different ideas. So far I am leaning towards working with found objects, recyclables and organic objects.
My brainstorming includes:
Natural Materials:
leather, straw, dirt, sawdust
minerals, wool
Binding Materials:
Plastic, resin, glue
Recyclables:
Fabric, chalk, aluminum, wood

I did some research on artists mentioned in class, I think Marcel Wanders is a little too IKEA for my taste. I liked Hella Jongerius' simplistic designs. I feel like both of these artists are more into furniture and design is definitely their strong points.
Hella's Office Pets are awesome. They're fun and functional.
For inspiration however, I feel more of a kinship with Jurgen Bey and his wacky exhibition art. I really enjoyed his Z33 Exhibition with a piece called Tea Bag Garden. It was simple bags of potting soil that he planted mint into and invited people to brew tea on the spot. The bags, once depleted were simply taken off the stack.
His Vacuum Bag furniture cracks me up and is very eco-responsible. Why throw your dirt away when you can use it to cushion your butt.

http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2007/03/designing-criti.php




















Also, American Craft has an article on new jewelry materials that was interesting. The materials include, animal fur, Colorit (synthetic ceramic-plastic alloy) plasti-dip, rubber, gum and leather for starters. I really like when I find artists incorporating more of what I would term craft materials and inventive items in their artwork. I really want to investigate casting items with natural material backgrounds or fillers. The use of LED lights in pieces seems like another interesting way to incorporate technology with crafts.

Maryland Art Place

The Maryland Art Place 'Out of Order' show is this Friday at 8pm. I will probably hang something for the show dependent on if my hand is in working order. Hanging times start tomorrow and run 24 hours until Thursday. The art is sold through silent auction with half the proceeds donated to MAP. Let me know if you have any questions. Info is located on their website: http://www.mdartplace.org/exhibitions/upcoming.html

Woops.

Warning: This Blog is GRAPHIC in NATURE.

So, I was cutting my rubber molds with my brand new Exacto knife and woops.
I manage to slice my hand like friggin' butter.
13 stitches and 2 bottles of numbing agent later I was released from the ER.
Perhaps 2 part molds would be a better option in the future.



Before.
And yes, I was FREAKING out about the "stuff" sticking out, and strangly couldn't stop looking at it.

(Thanks Rebecca for keeping me occupied with chatting.)




After.

If anyone would like to enter a suggestion for super cool story as to how I got this scar let me know. Currently I'm going with I broke up a terrorist invasion, that or I was attacked by a rabid triceratops.

Internship

www.girardinidesign.com


I met with the Girardini's on Friday to discuss my internship over the summer.
They are exceptionally nice and fantastic artists.
I cannot wait to start!



Check out their website if you get a chance.
They make a variety of products all made from steel.

Casting Round Two

I made my molds the other day.
I'm using a rubber, cut mold.
I hope to cast multiples of teeth, jaw sections and bone.






This is my second bronze casting.
Note the perfect button!





One of my wax studies cast.
Shiny.

Steel and Resin Project

My office, also known as the welding station at school.










I was making steel chain for my Blood Diamonds Project.









I really like the necklace so far.
I'm going to make a few more with steel.

The High Price of Low Cost

I just recently was discussing the upcoming union negotiations at Safeway with someone and they advised me to watch a movie titled The High Price of Low Cost.

I currently am employed at Safeway as a part time cashier and had no idea the implications of the upcoming vote and just how much the decision could effect me. The Safeway company was trying not only to take away overtime and differential pay but they also wanted to make the employees pay for medical coverage. One of the reasons I decided to take the job in the first place was due to these benefits. Without these benefits I would be perilously close to poverty level income. Also, if Safeway were to strike I would receive no pay unless I picketed, and the pay even for that is minimal. This would not only be disastrous for myself, but many of my co-workers as well since the majority are single moms trying to make ends meet.

The movie The High Price of Low Cost is about the Walmart empire and how they run their businesses. How Walmart compensates and treats their employees is in my opinion terrible and they take jobs away from local markets. Walmart's products are often produced outside of the U.S. to save on cost as this gives the corporation a higher profit margin. I feel that everyone should try to get a copy of this movie just to view the detrimental effects Walmart has on the economy and get a new prospective of how where they are shopping may contribute to the decline in the economy and job market.

A few clips are readily available on youtube and I found a copy of the movie at a local library that I placed a request on. Go forth and enlighten yourself!