the snowdrops

Today's the last day of finishing up the actual work on this commission--the snowdrops. This is another one of the repeating elements in the Vertical Garden. Like the grass blades, their subtle repetition helps establish a ground for the complexities of this installation. I call them snowdrops after one of my favorite flowers--the first bulb of the year to raise its head out of the earth. They come up in late January in these parts, when I'm feeling cold to the bones. It's a nice reminder that the earth will warm up again...not yet but soon. The snowdrops I make are various colors, each with a fuzzy flocked dot on the top. These studio shots were taken in process, so the flocking sort of looks like snow. I'll blow it all off in a few days and start packing these babies up to ship south for the winter. (Lucky buggers.)

one in 900 (19)

one in 900 (18)

one in 900 (17)

one in 900 (16)

one in 900 (15)

one in 900 (14)

one in 900 (13)

one in 900 (12)

one in 900 (11)

one in 900 (10)

one in 900 (9)

one in 900 (8)

one in 900 (7)

one in 900 (6)

one in 900 (5)

one in 900 (4)

one in 900 (3)

one in 900 (2)

one in 900

vareigated grasses

This installation will include almost 900 individual pieces. Half are one of a kind flowers, and I'll start posting some portraits of my favorites soon. For now, I want to talk about the other parts that make up this Vertical Garden--the grass and the snowdrops. These repetitive elements give an overall texture to the work.
I made the grass out of used chopsticks and dowel bits. They're painted different shades of green and white and one single red blade. I'd love to do an installation of only grass....although it sounds a little droll to make it. The snowdrops are very simple little flowers. Will post images soon....gotta go paint about 300 of them today.

artikulation

Fascinated by this--reminds me of the project I did in Finland.

Click here to read the full explanation in the Guardian, but here's a snippet: "Artikulation (above) is one of two electronic pieces Ligeti composed in Stockhausen's Cologne studios, just after he escaped the Soviet invasion of Budapest in 1956. The piece lasts just under four minutes, but it packs a lot of drama in its diminutive electronic frame. In 1970, Rainer Wehinger created a "listening score" for the piece, which is a sort of graphic score in reverse, designed to articulate the work's musical relationships in visual form, and to create a multimedia experience from Ligeti's pure electronics, which a YouTube user has expertly synchronised."
via Reb Roush

scifri

I really love the way these balloon sculptures move.....

this came from one of my favorite radio shows Science Friday on NPR. They have a nice online supplement to the audio show--every week they talk about an interesting science-related video that you can see on their website. I love this one from last week's show: Light up Squid! Nice way to talk about the subject using simple drawings and animation:

And here's another about the new putt putt golf course at the The New York Hall of Science in Queens, NY. Someday I want to design a putt putt course.

Last but not least, here's another good one about the artists at the American Museum of Natural History.

Still want more? I know just how you feel. Click here to go to their website, where they post new ones each week.

having a (bra) ball

I invited some of my creative friends over yesterday to help with Mary Lou Zeek's latest endeavor--the Bra Ball. Here's some pictures from my group's efforts.











I highly recommend this kind of group activity--click here to read more information about how to contribute to this great project and have a bra ball sewing circle of your own.

more calculations

the other day the math told me I had made enough pieces, but made a full scale grid just to make sure. I laid out all pieces, finished and unfinished. My calculations were correct--I have enough to fill the space, plus about 40-50 extras, to make sure I am not short on installation day due to breakage in transit.



I then sorted the entire group of finished pieces by color to help me inform the new flowers I have yet to paint.

future file

I don't know what's in the air this week....okay, I'm sure it has a LOT to do with this commission I've been working on...but I have been getting all sorts of great ideas for future installations. Then artist Elizabeth Frank showed me this today and my head's been buzzing big time all afternoon. We did a lot of mold making in my metalsmithing courses--can you imagine putting that knowledge to use and collaborating with nature? Click here to read about these Buddha pear molds designed by a Chinese farmer. More about the commission soon....I definitely have things to show you on that front.

hungry eyeball

Do you know about the Hungry Eyeball? It's Portland's latest addition to the "what's going on in the art world" online databases, started by Greg Pitters. (My loyal Bunny with an Artblog readers may remember him from this video I posted of him and my cousin Tripper a few years back.) Hungry Eyeball is holding a contest to determine what readers' favorite Portland artist and gallery is, and it's a formidable collection. Click here to vote. (scroll down the page a bit to get to the contest part)

studio shots

had a blast this weekend making my new little flowers....more pictures this week as I continue the construction phase. I think I'm going to end up making more than what the project needs, just so I have ones to pick and choose from when I'm on site. All I can say is that I am so happy to be working on this project.