MAKE NEAT THINGS

Two Great Links to check out

2009-05-27T10:55:00.000-07:00

Over the memorial day weekend and into this week i have been to busy to post anything new let alone even have much time to work on many new projects. I have started some things which i am quite confident I will have pictures of by the end of the week. For now I want to post two great links that i have come across recently. The first is a great maker who a friend of mine's father is good friends with and who I've found has quite a few similar interests to my own. Click here to see his work: Tim Hunkin. The second link I am providing is for a website which aggregates great Documentary Films from all over the web called Online Documentaries 4 U. Check it out if you are a fan of getting some new knowledge which isn't to readily available in the main stream media. Enjoy!

books on the brain

2009-05-20T21:07:00.000-07:00

It started out as one thing, then turned into another, and now looks like its headed for another. Change is good. I'm open to letting the art evolve and show me things i wouldn't have seen in the beginning about where it can go. It's a process and right now my process is to let happen what happens and try not to resist it. I'm in this new studio space which i am loving shared with my friend Pat Blake and 4 others i have yet to spend much time with but am planning on having a first full group work night tomorrow which i am very excited about. Pat and myself have started collecting a whole bunch of different materials to work with and are experimenting around the stuff to see what we enjoy using and what works good for us. So far the book thing seems to be what i've been spending alot of time working with as well as elaborating on some stencil design work. My first idea with the current book project was to do an arch of books inspired some of Andy Goldsworthy's stacked stone arches. After gluing together about 7 books to form the arch I was just not as impressed as what i had seen in my head and decided to go bigger. My current goal with the book arch is to take the arch full circle and repeat this with 8 or 10 layers of book circles which i then plan on stacking on top of each other to make a very tall book totem pole. I'm anticipating this being quite an undertaking, but i also envision it to give me much more satisfaction in the end. Pushing your personal boundaries seems to be the best way to learn things about yourself that you might have missed otherwise. The pictures i have posted for it really don't show the magnitude of where i am hoping this goes but will at least hopefully give with a little bit of imagination a look at where its headed. Again, i will keep adding new posts to track the progress as it gets built. Enjoy!

Pat Blake - Mushroom Foam

2009-05-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

Pat Blake's newest project is recycling throw away foam he finds and repurposes. This current project is hand carving foam rectangles into mushrooms of all shapes and sizes to mount onto a foam base. I may also be involved in this sculpture as we are talking about attempting to make this little foam world a little more interactive using a micro-controller to control different patterned LED lights around the mushrooms. As this project unfolds I will add a future post to follow up with what came from these bizarre foam shapes.

Grass Ribbons

2009-05-17T19:50:00.001-07:00

These were created on a lunch break at work. Staying in doors and staring at computer monitors all day can drive me crazy, and nothing eases my crazyness like stepping outside and doing something creative in the middle of the day!

Venezuela - Andy Brehm

2009-05-17T19:35:00.000-07:00

New film by Philadelphia artist Andrew Brehm. This weekend I went to the premiere of the film and was thoroughly impressed. Who doesn't enjoy a night out surrounded by retro airline stewardesses. I also was able to meet Andy who seems like a great guy who knows what he wants and isn't distracted by the world around him. Two thumbs up!

Viking workspace, Viking work

2009-05-17T19:29:00.000-07:00

Creating a first project in a new space seems like the project should take on some quality of the new space it is filling. Above are the photos I've taken of that first project titled "the viking" created in the viking mill studio. This was done with 6 hand cut stencils and painted using various spray paints.

The Viking Mill - my new home away from home

2009-05-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

For a few months now i have a friend that keeps telling me about his studio space that he rents out in an old textile factory, recently converted into a workspace for many local artists in the philadelphia area. "The Viking Mill" After checking out the space last week and getting the ok from Pat I've decided to become a part of whats on the horizon for the philadelphia art scene. From seeing the work that is going on in this place I have regained some hope for what looked to be a very stale present state of my local art world. Starting June 1, I will have my keys to the studio and be ready to spend quite a bit of time in what looks to be a very motivating and constructive enviornment.

Bookvase Number Two

2009-05-12T17:35:00.001-07:00

This past weekend i spent some time working on a project i had already made once before but felt the need to recreate and see if i could make even better than the first. The book stack vase is a laborious project to make because it takes a good deal of effort and time to complete. I had made this once before, but upon a good friend's birthday i decided to part with the piece and now was left only to make the once made vase a second time. Number two is not completed yet, but i feel that by the end of the week there is a high chance i will post again with the final product. Enjoy the work in the progress!

Day on the town with Dustin Kellogg

2009-05-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

Mothers Day, the perfect time to celebrate femininity and the gift of life. This mothers day i had two friends take to the town and bring that feminine touch back into the streets where it belongs. Dustin had been talking about this project for quite a bit that he had wanted to go out and do and asked our friend Ben if he would mind filming the adventure. The concept was simple, going to heavily populated parts of the city and painting a series of different paintings around the town to gauge what the response would be. A detailed write up of the experience and a filmed recurrence the events that ensued will be posted here hundredth monkey effect in the very near future. Check this blog regularly because i know the post is going to be stellar!

Above are some images i snapped with my iphone of the end of the day when i arrived on set.

La Blogotheque

2009-05-09T13:15:00.000-07:00

The only thing i can say to sum up how i feel about LA BLOGOTHEQUE is pure bliss. The filming technique and stories told through these videos are some of the best live examples of band performances i have seen to date. Congrats to these guys on their achievements and artistic endeavors, LA BLOGOTHEQUE has truly shown us something great about the possibilities of what can be created with a little inspiration. I would advise anyone interested in music and artsy film to watch as many of these videos as you possibly can!

Two of my favorite posts that I would recommend starting with are the Philadelphia gypsy rockers Man Man, and the Seattle harmony masters Fleet Foxes.

The Money Shirt

2009-05-09T12:13:00.001-07:00

It all started when from some harmless web browsing and seeing what new interesting sites stumbleupon was recommending to me. Clicking on the Stumble! Firefox toolbar link a site came up that simply stated The Shirt and immediately i knew i had to try to make this, which is a common reaction of mine when presented with something fascinating to me. Some of the folds were a bit tricky but within minutes i had my own miniature collared shirt which moments before had only one common purpose and now took on a new life of its own. As the day progressed many thoughts crossed my mind as to what i would like to do with my newly acquired bit of goodness. I haven't tried much trick photography in my life but the idea of making it look like people were actually wearing this money shirt sounded like a lot of fun. Having an iPhone has served as a handy companion in many instances of me needing to capture a moment of inspiration and that is what the provided pictures are a result of. Featured are some co-workers of mine who were the first subjects willing to try out the experiment. Also featured are a few of my philly friends who are fellow artists and bloggers Pat Blake, Dustin Kellogg, Meredith Frantz Kellogg, and Ben Webb. Here is a link to the site that shows you step by step how to make your own money shirt, enjoy!

Draw, Cut, Spray, Voila!

2009-05-06T16:24:00.001-07:00

These are from a series of stencil art prints that i had created a bit ago featuring Lou Reed, Tom Waits, and James Dean. There were plenty of other pop icons that i have made stencils of, but these three were the survivors that stayed in my collection. Stencil Art is one of those tedious, time consuming, no room for error techniques that produce very rewarding and renewable outcomes. Everyone who creates stencils has their own approach and tricks they use to produce the style they are aiming for. Here is a link to a video I found that shows a pretty basic technique that seems very straight forward and easy to follow for any graffiti enthusiasts out there. how to create a stencil. Probably one the most respected artists out there who is creating stencil art is Banksy. This guy makes some really amazing work that has a real comedic reflection on the state of the world. I plan on getting back on the stencil wagon at some point, but as anyone with a lot of creative interests can tell you finding the time to persue and create all the ideas that are in your head just takes time so i try to get as many of them out while the inspiration is present.

Taking The Handmade Pledge

2009-05-05T11:24:00.001-07:00

"I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE HANDMADE LIFE, TO LOVE AND TO CHERISH BLAH BLAH BLAH" - Supporting independent artists, now that's something i can get behind!

Rebel Without A Cause!

2009-05-04T14:53:00.000-07:00

It is good to see artwork you have created still floating around between friends. This James Dean piece is an 8x8 stencil print done on foam board and framed out with hinges connecting the top and bottom for easier mobility. I'm a little rusty on the actual year i created this but i think it dates back to circa 2004.

Putting Matt Volpe On The Web

2009-05-04T10:30:00.000-07:00

I don't have a lot to say for this post except that I recently helped an amazing artist friend of mine set up and get excited about taking advantage of the technology to expose his work. Matt Volpe - click this link to see some of his work, it's well worth the visit and re-visits as he will be updating it frequently.

I hate the label shabby chic but i love the concept

2009-05-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was up visiting friends in Brooklyn and was fortunate enough to join in on an all day art day saturday in Williamsburg. This is an event where friends get together to share ideas, good times, and plenty of creative energy. I took on the project of modernizing some old thrift store lamps for my friend Alexii. Unfortunately I had not thought to take pictures of how the lamps looked before i started working on them, but the general idea is that they were different shades of rusted metal and wood with cheap dirty plastic stems. The above pictures will show you how they transformed.

Living Mobile and Sustainable

2009-04-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

Two friends of mine presented this idea to me which at first sounded pretty out there, but the more thought I put into it the more I realized this is so perfect for how I would like to live my life. The idea is converting an old school bus into a mobile living quarters. A. I love roadtrips and seeing the country, B. I love meeting new people, and C. I love freedom! All signs in this adventure are pointing me to "go for it." The goal now is not to plan for a new job, or plan on how to move to a different location, but rather plan for sustainability and after that the possibilities seem endless. Here is a really good link i found on Jake's School Bus Conversion Project which really breaks down all the pieces that this particular Bus Resident went through on his journey into mobility. 9 to 5's and retirement...bleeehh. The most secure feeling is learning how to take care of yourself and live the life you want to live because it all goes by much to fast to waste on fitting a mold that your going to regret in the end.

The Maker's Mecca

2009-04-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard about this I strongly advise you to follow this link MAKERFAIRE and see what your missing. It's a two day event May 30 & 31, and the whole thing focuses on people that have been making really incredible things and want to share them. The event covers Arts, Crafts, Engineering, Food, Green, Music, Science, and Technology.

Sounds like something I don't want to miss out on!

Paper Gears and Mechanical Magic

2009-04-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

Original concept: making the gears, taken from a tutorial on instructables
New concept: attaching an electric motor and switch to turn on / off
Future plans: elaborating on the idea to create a whole space lined with sensors to create an interactive enviornment

I plan on posting all progress that I make on my interactive art advancements as they develop

This is just the beginning and it feels like for me lighting this fire, y'all better start carrying around fire extinguishers or you might get burned.

When Inspiration Strikes

2009-04-27T21:04:00.001-07:00

These pictures were taken from a few years ago, but i just stumbled up them recently and had flashbacks of childhood and all the wonderment and imagination that comes so naturally during that period. A weekend at a music festival, surrounded by good people with a fresh sense of inspiration to just simply create something from the resources around them. When everyday becomes like that day, I'll finally feel like I've arrived.

Welcome to Geekdom!

2009-04-20T16:58:00.000-07:00

I've been playing around with different ideas of things I would like to make and what direction I would like to take my art in, and have come to the conclusion that there is no conclusion. From where I'm standing it just doesn't make much sense to try to limit myself to one thing when there is this ever evolving world around us with so much advancement happening every day. Why stop at one thing?
My latest love has evolved out of a long standing passion I've had for the art of robotics. The intimidation of how complex designing and developing a robot has always kept me away from attempting anything of the sort, with the exception of a series of Rock em Sock em style robots i had painted a few years ago. Recently I have encountered what i think may be the bridge to carry me into this brave new world and it comes in the form of a little thing called "Arduino". Arduino is an open-source electronics board which comes with a multitude of add on parts and forums full of people sharing their ideas and creations. This little doozy lets you hook up all kinds of sensors, LED lights, cameras, motors, switches, and the list goes on and on. Once you've thought up the project that you would like to create and bought or found all of the components you would like to include, there is some basic computer code needed to be written and then sent to the board via USB connector and vuala the magic begins. Essentially in my still simple understanding, the Arduino board can be used to make any for of neat self thinking robot you can conjure up.

Here is a link to their site which is packed full of great information about the Arduino: http://www.arduino.cc/

For lots more info from the open-source community you will want to go here: http://www.freeduino.org/

I have also recently found a class here in Philadelphia which is geared toward anyone interested in how these little boards work and requires no previous experience necessary, which is right where I am at in the process. Check it out here: http://thehacktory.org/classes/arduino-beginner-microcontroller-amp-electronics-class-0

Books, Not Just For Reading Anymore

2009-04-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time these served only one purpose to me, but i have since found some new uses. As I look for new ways to push my artwork further trying new things seems to be the only way to go forward. Here are some pictures of what has been coming out recently.

Finding an outlet for those creative urges

2009-03-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

It's high time I start exposing the ideas in my head. Recently I've been working on some new projects and time permitting hope to continue expanding up those. First off I made this wonderful dining table from salvaging old tree branches that I found in the woods behind my workplace. I built the frame from lumber purchased at my neighborhood home and garden store, and then surfaced the whole table with the hand cut reclaimed branches that i sawed into 2 inch high segments and glued in place together. I was quite happy with the result.

Very Fun Flash Site

2008-02-28T11:33:00.001-08:00

This Site is a very fun flash site

Inspired talks by the world's greatest thinkers and doers

2008-02-15T09:42:00.000-08:00

www.ted.com

Arthur Ganson makes neat machines

2008-01-07T11:23:00.000-08:00

( HIGHLIGHT ) THEO JANSEN

2008-01-06T12:21:00.000-08:00

Theo Jansen is a kinetic sculpture artist whom i stumbled across a few years ago and was very impressed with his ability to invent these amazing creations. Sometimes there are not enough words to describe how you feel about something. Enjoy this little bit of genius captured in video.

manifesto

2008-01-03T06:57:00.000-08:00

In a world where ideas are a daily and plentiful reservoir, hopefully we can collect our thoughts enough to focus for a short enough period in order to make something interesting. Stay tuned to see what develops...