Singular Vision Exhibition

Ken and Julie Girardini will be featured in the Singular Vision show in DC. Also on display will be art by Joan Konkel and Sue Klebanoff. Suzi and I will be attending Friday the 5th for the opening. Let me know if you want to tag along.

Sept. 5-28:
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday
Noon-5 p.m. Sunday

Zenith Gallery
413 Seventh St. NW
Washington, DC
• Information: 202-783-2963
• Price: Free
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/?node=cityguide/profile&id=1153274&venueid=791851

Internship 8-29-08

I started today with finishing the brass side bars for the curves clocks so they can be welded. After that it was full speed ahead to get my prototypes done. The first, a tabletop clock is shown after being welded by the talented Ken! He also makes an excellent backdrop holder as you can see in the pic.





This is the wall version waiting for welding! After these are both finished then we turn around and make two identical ones. Hooray production work! I can't wait to show everyone the final pieces!

Internship 8-26-08

So I finished up sanding the 25 rings needed for the faces of the curves clocks. After that it was work on your very own clock time! My first tabletop clock was ready for welding by the end of the day! Next time I'll show pictures!!!

Internship 8-25-08

<-SOLD!
Today we prepared the mailings for Julie and Ken's opening coming up on Sept. 5th and 6th. We wrapped and shipped items, J&K have already sold an ornament holder in August! Julie, Suzi and I had a design review of our sketches and picked which prototype we want to start with. Then I started cutting away at parts!

Internship 8-20-08

I brought in my ICFF book of collected images from the show to show Ken, Dave and Julie since they couldn't go this year. We discussed some of the designs and their strong points. We also got a chance to look at Dave's sketchbook which was a fabulous example of sketching. (I was jealous! Me and pencils don't get along. My sketchbooks are reminiscent of a 3 year olds doodles. ) Later, I worked on cutting pieces for a series of Curves clocks. I cut the square rod with the rotary saw, sanded them on the belt sander and then scotch-brited them so they're smooth. I worked on the Osaka Lamp pieces. I had to grind the bases in a three step process. Suzi meanwhile sanded panels that Ken will later patina. I had a chance to watch the process for that which is more complicated than one would think. Overall, it was a pretty busy day and we managed to get caught up on a lot of work.

Internship 8-19-08

Today we had a patina demo on how Ken makes his steel paintings.

This is a before picture. It shows the steel with just one section being colored.




Here Ken is hand painting a section on the piece.
I can't go into detail on the actual process but it's very interesting and meticulous.







This is the final product. Pretty snazzy if you ask me.








This is another piece he finished that day.
The final product can then be hung on a wall just like an oil painting.

Internship 8-15-08

Today we discussed merchandising, catalogs and pricing for pieces. Julie talked to us about out-sourcing and ways to start promoting your artwork.
We later worked on the final finish on the Ornament Displays and cut rings to begin a production cycle of about 25 of the Curves Clock.
These are pictures off of the Artful Home website of the different pieces we have worked on thus far.
The Osaka Lamp is shown above.


The Flying Dragon Clock









The Hanging Lake Vase (aka the Evil Tension Vase.)








The Luma / Bloom Vase








The Curves Clock ( This is what I am currently cutting pieces for.)








The Asian Wall Clock








The BAC Clock







These we haven't made any as of yet but have packaged or assembled them, this is the Triple Arc Candleholders.








The Double Circle Clock and below is the Easel Clock.

Internship 8-13-08

Today I drilled the holes for the ornament holders on the drill press after Suzi marked and punched the holes with an awl.
This is the photographs from The Artful Home online catalog.
This is the Triple Ornament holder and below is the single.Check out the catalog if you get a chance, there are some wonderful pieces of furniture, jewelry and artwork on the website.
www.artfulhome.com


After drilling the pieces I then sanded a finish onto the bases and sides.
I made up a "tool kit" of different scrap pieces for Suzi and I to use in designing our own functional item. We will either be creating an original clock, bowl, candle holder or simple functional item using the experience we have gained from the internship. I can't wait to have my very own steel artwork!

Internship 8-08-08

There is nothing like a dust mask and ear protection to really make a girl look sexy.
Alas, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. So here's some visuals of me looking at my finest. I'm using the abrasive grinding tool to grind the sides of the ornament holders.




I also use this same process to grind a nice pattern onto the bases of the stands, for the single holder we use a flat circle and for the triple holder a rectangular piece that all need a ground finish and smooth edges. I took all of the circles and used a sanding attachment on the drill press to sand the interior of the rings. Believe it or not this was one of the more challenging of processes. You only have a 1/4" thick piece of steel to grip and the ring must stay parallel to the floor. You then move it in a clockwise motion on the sanding wheel. After about five I could no longer feel my fingers and my whole arm was vibrating! It think I may have actually sanded more of the finger tips of my leather gloves than steel today.
Later, Suzi and I did a major clean-up using the air tool to blow the dirt and dust from one end of the studio to the other. The piles we swept up after were HUGE; and this from only a day or two of work. The Girardini's are working on an amazing bed design for an individual request. More to come on this later, but as for now it looks to be incredible! Both of the ornament stand pieces as well as several of the clocks in production are featured in the catalog, Artful Home. I suggest anyone in the jewelry program check it out, they have a lot of great, cutting edge design shown.

Internship 8-7-08

Today we worked on ornament holders for Christmas bulbs. I started by cutting all the tubes in different sizes, then Suzi, see picture, ground all the sides as they are visible on the finished product. You start with a coarse, larger sander to remove scratches and cutting marks then move to a smaller sander run on the air line.


I then sanded the outside of the rings on the belt sander. I did most of the spinning of these because I rather enjoy the fact that if you screw up that puppy is flying off the sander. I prefer danger when there's an option.

Internship 8-5-08

Today we did more cutting, sanding and grinding.
We started to grind the edges on all the pipe for the ornament holders.
Here are some pictures of what we've been creating,
<-- The BAC Clock. (Sans hands if you don't follow where it's a clock.)



The Tension Vase ( I'm sure it has a cool name, this is just what I'm dubbing it as it caused me PLENTY of tension)







The Floral Vase Stand. (Again, probably has a way more exciting name) It gets glass tubes that sit in the cylinders that hold the flowers.

Busted

Ok, so as embarrassing as this picture is I feel everyone will get a laugh at my expense, so feel free. Here I am jamming out on Rockband. All the other band members were wily enough to stay off camera. While I may look ridiculous, I am just preparing for when I become a famous rock star. Any day now....

Internship 8-4-08

Suzi is back! Yeah! Who goes on vacation anyway? I don't need no stinking vacation. Actually, maybe I do, that would explain a lot. Oh well.
<-- Suzi's corner.
These are pics of the cutting/grinding room.
Today we worked on cutting pipe on the band saw, cutting rods on the rotary saw, sanding all of those on the belt sander and of course, grinding!



<-- My Corner.








The Bubble Wrapping Room!!!
I love bubble wrap.






The drop/band saw. It's more impressive in person.








Suzi rocking out on the rotary saw slicing up some rods.
Hooray sparks!

By the way..

By the way, just so everyone doesn't think I am the most boring person on the planet: While I am working 24-freaking-7 I did manage to go to a concert the other day.
<-- Note: parking lot pre-gaming is not for amateurs and be prepared for hard hats and mittens. You never know when you may need them.



<--- OAR at Merriweather.
It was delightful. Especially after tasty beverages were consumed.
Like apple juice and such.

Internship 7-31-08

12:45-3:30
Well, some of those delightful tension vases apparently had some wussy welds ( Thanks Dave!) and broke when they were clamped and wired shut, sooooooo, they had to be re-welded. Thus I had to RE-GRIND them all over again. I was displeased. Luckily I didn't have to work on the large arcing side portions which are by far the biggest of bitches ever to be. Still, I think I may have to beat up Dave next time I see him. After those were done and far out of my sight I worked on cutting rings on the drop-saw and sanding them on the belt sander. They are used for a snazzy Christmas Ornament holder that Ken and Julie have in a catalog.

Internship 7-30-08

12:30-4
I worked mainly on finishing the pendulums for the Asian Wall Clocks. They needed a final swipe with the hand held grinder for the finished texture and to remove scale. After they were done Julie swept them off to the spray booth. I finished bubble wrapping everything we had in the storage room so it can all just be boxed and shipped when orders come in. I think I've finally manged to use the tape dispenser without wanting to throw it out the window. That's a big step in my mind. I've been working on sketching ideas for the item we get to design from scratch. All in all it was a productive day.

Internship 7-29-08

1-4:15
Suzi is on vacation so I'm flying solo this week. I had a few Asian Wall Clocks to bubble wrap and the remaining evil table vases to work on.

Internship 7-27-08

12:30-8:30
Today we had a large installation project we worked on. We put in some long hours to get it finished and up. Mission accomplished and fun was had by all.

Internship 7-25-08

12-4
We ground and finished about 20 tension table vases today. Not the easiest thing we've had to do thus far. I would have pictures but I was too busy cursing in multiple languages. I'll get back to you on a visual so everyone can share in my torment.