Untitled

This is the 16"x20" test cutting for Louis LaSalle's image. It is composed of eight layers, the two lightest of which are exceptionally light, to emphasize the appearance of over exposure.

I thoroughly enjoyed cutting the detail of the figure's right arm.

The off axis is below.

The Vanity Top

After seeing my concrete casts a good friend asked me if I could cast a piece for his bathroom vanity. I thought it would be a simple cast, an inch or so thick, but he specifically asked it match a none-too-distant kitchen counter that had a 3" apron.

Because it would have been exceptionally heavy to cast the entire piece 3" thick, I had to create a lip to raise it up and this posed a few dilemmas - most critically that I would have to cast it in two pours and this would have created a visible seam.

In order to hide the seam I incised a reveal at the midline, and added the "concrete" seed organic details to it to make it more interesting.

Overall I think the piece is a success but I am disappointed in the piece's non-uniform coloring. Although sealed, I'm concerned that it will stain.

Pocket Cutting

The photographer Louis LaSalle graciously agreed to let me use his iconic photograph of Yvan Cournoyer in a cutting.

I decided to make one of the tests, small enough to carry in my pocket.

What Do You See?

Inspired by a friend's suggestion that my previous cuttings leave too little to the imagination of the viewers, I decided to only use as many layers to build the image as it took to begin to form.

I think there's a delicious balance here between the abstractness and concreteness of this piece.

The off axis version is below.

The Seed - Tabletop

I created this piece for a friend of mine after he put his Parsons Cube Tabletop on a table that it was too small for.  This measures 23.5x23.5"x1.5".

Although it works just fine as a tabletop, the decorative cube-riddled cutouts are deep - too deep for a table top.  I think the pattern looks good, but works much better vertically, just as an art piece - although it would be fun to integrate this pattern into inherently vertical functional elements like headboards and table lamps.

This is a test piece furthing the ideas put forth in "The Inner Workings" and the ultimate result of the work of moldmaking of "The Tease".

I wanted to develop the idea that concrete - so ubiquitous and generic as to be continuously looked over - actually had complex and detailed activity going on just under its surface, like quantum foam..

Another way to take it is as a pod holding multitudes of seeds.  Each one ready to break off and grow into its own building.  Strangely enough, in the demolding - a few pieces did break off.

To create the pattern I cut a series of blocks, square on one face, and multiple heights.

This group was then expanded in a similar though non-repeating pattern.

This field was then covered in casting rubber which produced a negative impression of the original.

 The negative then had material poured over it to produce a rubber positive copy of the original.  This original could then be used to create multiple negatives, which could be cut into any shape and set into other molds like the one shown below to produce the final piece.

Retreat

"Retreat" is a re-cropped version of "A Nap a Day" created specifically for donation to the silent auction at TrevorLIVE 2012 held to benefit The Trevor Project.  Bidder #327, thank you.

The folds in the clothing, paricularly the seams in the t-shirt of the foreground figure were fascinating to create.

The photo to the right is the same piece, off-axis.

The video below shows how the piece is assembled from various cut-out layers.

A Nap a Day

I captured some spontaneous cuddle-napping among friends in a hotel room we shared during a weekend away.

Although the contours of the three faces make for interesting shadows and highlights, there wasn't much contrast to work with, so I added an eighth layer to capture the details.

The right ear of the foreground figure is some of the most interesting, cutting I've ever done.  Up close it is barely recognizable, particularly the lobe.  At a distance - it's a perfect ear.

Sunlight

I created "Moonlight" as a test proof of a planned larger work, and then donated it to a charity auction to benefit The Trevor Project.

I didn't know it at the time, but it turns out two friends of mine were bidding against each other in that auction, one of them just slighting out bidding the other.

Both the winner and I felt bad about our other friend being shut out, so I created  a second proof, appropriately titled Sunlight and offered it to him in exchange for him donating his highest pledged amount on Moonlight.

It's a mirror image of the original, and it has a seventh and lighter layer added, in order to make the "sunlit" elements appear much brighter.

An off-axis view is to the right.

Do What You Can...

The night before we were to go hiking, a buddy of mine severely injured his ankle. We went anyway, and during the ride out there, this quote from Teddy Roosevelt came up in conversation

Parking was distant, so I dropped him off (with a braced ankle and in crutches), and took this photo as I walked to catch up.

Both of us are volunteers with The Trevor Project, the nation's only around-the-clock crisis intervention and suicide prevention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. A framed print of this photograph (shown below)  is available for sale in my Etsy shop where 50% of the sale price will go to benefit The Trevor Project.

Buy one here.

DE Logo

The rubber pattern shown in The Tease, was created to serve as a background impression in upcoming designs.  Before I was ready to build it into designed pieces, I wanted to test it out against concrete.  This serves as a small, 12"x15" test.

Even though two of the background cubes snapped off during the demolding, I think it's a successful test.

It was only after this piece was complete that it occurred to me, the pattern resembles a miniature city and its skyline.

A Tease

I don't normally post pictures of works-in-progress, but because this piece is taking so long, and because I'm happy with how it's developing I thougth I'd show off a bit of the most complex mold I've ever created.

Blade - Framed Mirror

During the office renovation, several bathrooms in the building were redone.  The tile colors and even the fixtures were thirty years out of date.  In order to overcome the "dating", I chose white 3"x6" subway tile, laid up in common bond (reference to the masonry roots of the company) and white porcelain antique-appearing fixtures (a reference to the 70 year age of the company).

In order to make the otherwise cold white bathroom appear warmer, the floors were done in slate grey, and wooden details were added, including these mirrors over the sinks.  They measure 24" x 27" and the frame is just 2" wide.

Because they were cut and assembled by workmen on site, I had to limit the detailing - in this case to just a singular routed groove, cut by table saw.

Corner detail.

Urban Vase

In order to relax during lengthy assignments while still in college, I designed and cast a series of concrete vases. They were simple boxes with recesses cast into their corners.  They were some of my earliest works, and few pictures of them survive because most were given away.  This piece, is the only one I still have.

The Urban Vase is just an updated version of these earlier pieces.  It measures 3"x3"x8".  Although it appears to taper at the bottom, its base is the same area as its top.  It has three levels of recess unlike the usual two of all my previous vases and no canted edges - everything is cut square.

The Inner Workings

I've been working on the design for this piece for years in my head.  The idea was to start with a rectangular solid and cut lines into it that then opened up in organic stomach-like shapes to reveal a detailed texture within the opening.  I imagined it like peeling back the skin to see the fibers of the muscle underneath.  In the original concept it was meant for a lamp.

I'm completely unsatisfied with the result of this cast.  But I do think the idea has potential.  I'll have to play with the details and scales.

Window(s) - Test Cutting

A couple of months ago I came across Davey Wavey's blog, www.breaktheillusion.com and enjoyed his honest in-your-face exhuberence.  He has a unique take on the world and a fantastic body.

But while his body is hard-earned and attention worthy, I didn't want to gloss over what I think his real gifts are... a sharp sense of humor and an irreverent yet relevant vision. What better way to do that than to showcase his eyes? 

At 16"x20" I think this is a pretty good proof of concept for a larger version.  This cutting is based on a self portait taken by Davey. In exchange for his permission to use the photo he asked for this proof, which he auctioned off to a fan for the benefit of  The Trevor Project.  How cool is that? Davey talked about it here and then a few days later posted this video:

My gratitude goes to the winning bidder for his extremely generous donation.  Thank you, sir.

The off-axis shot is below.

Change Order Destroyer

After I had developed a few marketing give-aways that were a little peculiar, notably the toilet paper and business card holder, I wanted to see what else I could come up with.

Three concepts sprang immediately to mind.  The first was that whatever we created had to be something that people would hodl on to.  Too many give-aways develop into things that people give to their children - they approximate toys in some way (a major drawback inherent to the Lego business card holder).  The second was that the item had to be something that people would want to not only keep, but keep out on their desks so that the company name would be in their faces every day.  And the third was that the company tag line would be modified or swapped out entirely depending on what we were putting it on.

The "change order destroyer" was the first item I developed to comply with these concepts.  It made most project owner's smile when they saw it.  One proudly proclaimed "Finally! I've been looking for one of these!"  The original idea was that it be a Mars-Staedtler eraser, possibly the best eraser on the market today, but the idea proved difficult to execute, so we went with off the shelf erasers (which yes, diminishes its hold-on-to aspect).  But in terms of getting attention, telling you something outside your experience, and getting attention, I think the piece is successful.

Blue Halo

This is just a straight up painting on canvas, measuring 36"x48" and using six shades of blue latex paint.  It was done in the same technique as the dining wall.

The painting was designed to integrate with the greater wall behind it.  It looks clever and plays nicely with the eyes, but it results in an unusually busy pattern that I hoped the diagonals would help alleviate. I'm not sure it does this successfully.

Aknowylliw

Let's make 2012 a sweet year.

The subject of this cutting is outside my normal interest, but I did this for a friend of a friend, who happens to be, the biggest fan of this character on Earth.

I'm continually surprised by how interesting a subject's eyes can be portrayed with decidedly un-eye-shaped elements.  This piece highlights that more than most.  Also unlike the others, this piece had to be nearly complete (five out of six layers) before the subject was recognizable.

Below is the same image, off-axis.