Newz & Viewz

Doctor and Patient 2012 ...

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:43:00 -0400

Doctor and Patient

2012

repurposed media

Doctor Patient

]H=32 inches                  H=32 Inches
W=19 inches                  W=21 inches
L=19 inches                  L=19 inches

Firstly, this is an entrant into a Juried show….no….I take that back. This is an unfulfilled work from 2011`s Robotany Show. It just happens to work well with the theme for the juried show: `Art and the Garden` coming up next month. At this time, it has yet to be accepted or declined, so I get to enjoy a pensive state while typing this entry; I get to wistfully endure a weeks wait for the results….

I can`t imagine that it will be declined, but then again, it is a juried show. One way or another it`s already a success as far as I am concerned. As well, its creation took on some new twists interesting detours. Typically, when I begin a sculpture or 2D work, I have an pretty good idea of what I`d like the outcome to be; though I still leave room for experimentation and happy accidents. Those are more often than not where the `art` comes into play…otherwise, it`s more about the performance of an artisan, the skill and craftsmanship which contribute to art, but are not the art itself, The art itself is to be found somewhere in the journey of all of these elements….but I digress….

Again, typically, there is a destination in mind when I work, There is also an allowance for experimentation, trial and error, and for the work to inform me about where it needs to go. Sometimes this changes the route; other times it changes the destination. This time it changed both.

Possibly the biggest contributing factor to this was only being able to spend a limited amount of time on the piece per day/night. Often this lay in time stolen before and after my non speculative money earning, which involved 9-12 hour days 6 to 7 days a week. So really, I was only able to spend generally a maximum of 2 hours at a time on this work. This induced a lot more reflection and plotting time, and far less trial and error. Magically, things went right on the first attempt a lot of the time. Parts almost literally fell into place. I recall one instance of breaking one part of a material off from its whole only to find that by doing so, the scrap portion turned out to be usable for yet another portion of the sculpture. Talk about a lucky break!

Additionally, there was a synergy between the job I was working (which involved `junk` removal) and this artwork. I was able to find parts and material in the dumpster which I would never be able to find in the building supply and hardware stores which I was frequent for the `job` I was working. However, while picking up parts for said job, I began looking at certain materials in stores in a different way; noticing, for instance, that a multi-directional faucet aerator nozzle made for a perfectly prefabricated ball joint. This meant that I didn`t have to spend precious time making one from scrap materials.

Weirdly enough, materials and their values started trading places. The parts that I found in the dumpster were one of a kind, and though free of charge, could not be replaced; therefore they became priceless. On the other side, though I had to spend money on the parts from the hardware, I knew that if I screwed them up, I could just go and get more anytime, so their pricey-ness seemed to lessen. Weird. Trash became of great value, and priced items became trashable.

The net result is possibly one of my strongest works to date. The intermingling of recycled and store bought components is fused seemlessly within the realm of repurposing. Oh, and though physically exhausted 90% of the time I worked on this, it was a lot of fun to create. I only hope that it finds an audience that shares the laughter and contemplative joy that was mine during its creation. Enjoy!

A farce...prevarifications, all of it.

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 21:54:18 -0400

Hopefully this is a new leaf I`m turning over here. My new found aim is to not make predictions of future projects, but instead allow for this blog to be a container of projects and conjecture past and present. I mean, I actually KNOW what those things are. The future? Jeezus, that`s anyone`s guess.

The animation projects are put on hold indefinitely. After getting a great set of storyboards scripted for a stellar soundtrack, the reality of not getting the block of time I expected set in…damned gainful employment. Oh well, at least it`s independent contracting, which means I still can afford myself the time to continually apply nightly effort to smaller works, just not the massive undertakings I had planned….anyway, I guess that makes my last post a lie….shit. Apologies.

I can state with certainty that I am, in fact, now represented by Gallery 50 in the GT Commons, and that is definite, positive news! After some well dealt blackmail and other surreptitious ploys, I was able to convince the delightful Christie Minervini to accommodate my GT Commons Bkdg. 50 works into the gallery. The ploy actually worked so well that the works are displayed directly behind the main sales counter. Huzzah! Thanks Christie! (Your skeleton till remains safell remains safely concealed in the closet ….for now.)ly concealed in the closet ….for now.)s

Anyway, here is the latest addition to the GT Commons series (pictured above) . I`d like to tell you that there`s a few more of those on the way, but…well…you did read the first paragraph didn`t you?

Newly introduced line of bendy toys/stop motion animation...

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:53:00 -0500

Newly introduced line of bendy toys/stop motion animation characters. Once life slows down this winter, the intent is to devote all of my time to creating an entry for the 51st Ann Arbor Film Festival…stay tuned!

`No Trespassing` 6 5/8 x 8 7/8 inches Crayoning on...

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 22:20:00 -0400

`No Trespassing`

6 5/8 x 8 7/8 inches

Crayoning on Digital print on masonite

The latest addition to the State Hospital series

!!!!!!!!!!UPDATE (11-5-11)!!!!!!!!!!

This piece not only took 3rd place in the ‘Uncommon’ show at Reynaldo Hall in the GT Commons but also sold before the show opening! So accolades and a sale, yippee! Thank You Life for throwing me a bone….and further thanks for not aiming the throw at my head !

OK. After the wonderfully successful Robotany show this past...

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 17:03:21 -0400

OK. After the wonderfully successful Robotany show this past April/May, I decided to do a palate cleanser exercise. The result will be a mini-body of work involving the State Hospital in Traverse City, MI. Here are some shots and details of the work.

It seems important (for some reason), to not lose sight of the fact that this stunning architecture has so much more history than a renovated retail facility. In as recent as the 1950’s, 1 in 4 families had a member interred in just such a psychiatric facility. Though decommissioned, renovated and stocked with wonderful shops and restaurants, these buildings also serve as a reminder of the still (reasonably) dark ages of psychotherapy. let’s put it this way: It’s a good thing that cordless drills didn’t come out until the 1980’s.

This actually made it into the Leelanau Enterprise…and...

Sun, 08 May 2011 21:39:00 -0400

This actually made it into the Leelanau Enterprise…and here you thought my only appearance there would be in the district magistrate proceedings!

Robotany Show Interview

Sun, 08 May 2011 21:02:00 -0400

In case you missed it, here is a link to the Radio interview on IPR from Apr. 29th’s Robotany show. (There’s also a nice pictorial on the web page as well!) Enjoy!
http://ipr.interlochen.org/arts-and-culture/episode/13364

Robotany Show Photos (April 29th, 2011)

Sun, 01 May 2011 12:06:00 -0400

Robotany Show Photos (April 29th, 2011):

Here’s an album of pictures from the show! http://gallery.me.com/cyclinglinda#100034

It doesn’t have any touch ups in it. To view a Show highlights album visit:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.2002707993023.2124761.1403303871

Robotany Garden Markers !

Sat, 09 Apr 2011 20:25:29 -0400

Here’s a new solution to the standard garden marker. Let these fellas help keep things organized in your garden this year. Each one features 90% recycled materials and is lovingly (well painstakingly anyway) coated in clear coat enamel and sprayed on the inside with under body coating to assist in their longevity!

New Robotany Show Poster to help celebrate the first day of...

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:38:00 -0400

New Robotany Show Poster to help celebrate the first day of Spring!

Because robots certainly must eat while camping in nature;...

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 20:47:00 -0400

Because robots certainly must eat while camping in nature; here’s a snapshot of one with a tin can in the frying pan…

(It is worth noting that the framing is partly comprised of the casing from a DVD player and power cable sections lining the top and bottom lips of the frame.)

Here’s a friendly little robot with a head for...

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 20:44:14 -0400

Here’s a friendly little robot with a head for gardening…it’s a water pitcher!

(materials: coffee container, irrigation tubing, reinforced tubing, Christmas Tree ornament, tuner parts from a computer monitor, sand, and spray paint)

These Robotany earring backings are made of circuit boards...

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:24:00 -0500

Boards are cut to strips, then squares..

Squares are marked for circles...

Then they are sanded...

...until you get these.

Finally, the polymer leaves are baked on

These Robotany earring backings are made of circuit boards harvested from obsolete electronics. These pictures are highlights of their production process…

New Robotany earrings….

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:09:00 -0500

New Robotany earrings….

eehhhhh….yeah. It has come to my attention that the 29th...

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 19:17:58 -0500

eehhhhh….yeah. It has come to my attention that the 29th is on a Friday not Saturday.

OK….here’s the first promotional poster for the...

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 22:52:53 -0500

OK….here’s the first promotional poster for the show…now to take back some can deposits and make some hard copies!

These are some Robotany earrings which I just finished putting...

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 21:59:00 -0500

These are some Robotany earrings which I just finished putting in my Etsy shop ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheNic ).

Soon they’ll be available at The Wild Raisin Gallery:

http://www.wildraisin.net

and for The Robotany Show

at InsideOutGallery on April 29th http://www.insideoutgallerytc.com

The best part is that the arms are movable…technically this makes them kinetic sculpture.

…and a close up. The kite string is actually real thread...

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:28:00 -0500

…and a close up. The kite string is actually real thread wrapped around a splinter of wood.

Lately, I’ve recycled a landscape for it’s inclusion...

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 22:39:00 -0500

Lately, I’ve recycled a landscape for it’s inclusion into the Robotany Show (April 29th)….

Fly Fisherbot

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:20:00 -0500

Here’s an abbreviated sneak peek of the piece featuring a fly fishing robot in the early morning. You can’t see it from here (you’ll just have to wait for the show: (April 29th 7 pm) but, the frame is made of walnut with a computer circuit board inlay. Without any ego what-so-ever, I can tell you that it looks really ‘king sweet!