New Pic

Here is a shot of my old installation changing with the seasons.

update

Updated intensely today. I am going to get some higher quality images for a few of the projects from friends and re-shoots.

Bronze Piece

This is my first experience with bronze casting. I used the lost wax technique. The three forms are separate and must be delicately balanced to stand. This was my first shot at patina work on bronze as well. I'm a big fan of cupric nitrate. About forty coats of that gave me that classic sea foam green. The bottom hole originally had a little creature but the wax shattered in the early stages. Now I use it as a pencil holder.

War Memorial of Hill 404

I'm still not too sure what this one is about. I call it an uninformed war memorial from a time that doesn't exist. The original version had some intense grandma's living room under lighting and a few more elements. I love playing with symbolism to the point where it seems almost like mindless propaganda. This piece is currently decorating my kitchen wall which is why the lighting in these shots is a bit lacking. The American flag has placed on it a mine detector. Opposite that is the Soviet ray gun with extend able butt and extra clip. The middle item is stained wood with found elements. The main object is actually the bottom of a computer chair. These,with the clock, create the illusion of function. The clock used to read 4:04...but i dropped it and the arms moved. The title stuck.

Throw Back Kinetic Creature

I decided to post a couple pictures of one my pieces from earlier in the year because it was so related to the symbiotic work I just finished. This guy had what I believe was some kind of industrial punching machine's motor which I mounted inside a custom steel frame. The punching machine triggered a drill motor that spun a log at the front interior of the creature. The modified machine made the whole piece scoot around. I built it with only two legs so it was in a constant struggle to walk. The motion could be compared to that of a dying frog. I made a little log foot peddle that controlled the hopping. In my opinion the best part of this work was the cracking and snapping noises produced with each hop and the slight trail of debris it left behind as it moved around the space.

Portrait

Here is portrait of me my friend Mando is working on right now. It is, long story short, about me raping a little girl.... Thanks Mondong. Check out this and all his other work at mandoveve.blogspot.com

Menorah

Here is a Menorah I've been making in my "spare time". Ironically it is my mum's christmas present for last year. It is forged and blackened steel and bronze. Finally done, Merry Christmas mum.

Symbiotic Being

This is my newest piece. I had been calling it a tree being, but during transit to the crit room it collapsed. From its new position it seemed to me, more a nest form. It was built around a basic steel frame. I then wove branches and filled the void with vines and leaves. Inside (which I unfortunately did not shoot before I destroyed the piece) is creature made of a 62 pound hunk of steel, plaster, hot glue, latex and acrylic fur. The sac at the bottom is vacuum, then hand formed plastic. I then coated it in hot glue, latex and saw dust. I filled it with water and lit it with three bulbs from the interior. After the collapse I added another layer of translucent leaves. I put a lot of time and effort into this one. This piece is techniquely a failure because it did not meet the assignment requirements, but I'll gladly take the F. Sorry teach.

Skeletal Study Cont.

So here are the study and drawing. The drawing came first. It was a really quick doodle that I just cut out of my sketch book and mounted on carboard, added pastels, add beat up with sandpaper. The picture isn't washed out, it is intentionally faded. I tried some different things with the study. I settled on steal as the medium. Its forged and plasma cut. I think I might make the hands whiter and then weld some Mickey Mouse ears on it

Portraits

This is portrait of my casting teacher. It is hot glue, latex, saw dust and cloth. I'm told that a big Hollywood secret in special effects is hot glue. Its really simple but gives a nasty look to anything.

This guy I did a few years ago and forgot about until about a week ago. Its painted clay. I think it may be one of the goofiest looking things I've ever made.

Updates

I have been doing a lot of updating of past posts, mostly more in depth descriptions of the work.

Stick

This is a digital photograph I took of my friend's "neighborhood kid." He is one of the most entertaining people I have ever met. His name is Rick "Stick" Thetonia.

Skeletal Studies

I was assigned to do skeletal studies, make a drawing and then a small three dimensional model. I went to nature lab and grabbed various limbs, branches, skulls, and what have you. I then haphazardly constructed figures and shot them. I will post the drawing and model soon.