This weekend has been pretty busy with visitors and it looked like there would be no time for getting down into the studio-garage. However a fellow artist dropped in to see if I was interested in joining her in creating functional objects for a stall at a food festival in a couple of months time. She thought I might join her (a ceramicist), fine wood worker and textile artist. My objects would be related to the presentation and serving of food; and be beaten metal.
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| ©2012 Barry Smith - Small salt-pepper spoons |
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| ©2012 Barry Smith - Small salt-pepper spoons |
Today between visitors Fiona and I found we had a couple of hours to spend on art so I thought I'd have a go at a few prototype objects such as the small salt-pepper spoons above; and a larger serving spoon. The starting point was the piece of brass from a jardiniere, a rusted iron rod and a couple of offcuts from an EPNS tray. All pieces were cold formed. The salt-pepper spoons are about 7cm long.
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| ©2012 Barry Smith - Recycled brass, iron and EPNS |
The larger serving spoon shown below has turned out quite well. The spoon is about 32cm long overall; and the spoon form is about 8.5cm long and 6.5cm wide and 1.2cm deep. The spoon form is riveted to the handle with 3 small copper rivets. Not sure of the ergonomics yet.
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| ©2012 Barry Smith - Serving spoon - brass and iron |
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| ©2012 Barry Smith - Serving spoon - brass and iron |
I guess this effort indicates it is possible to make such functional pieces - now the thing is finding the energy and time to do this amidst our preparations for the
Open Studios and
Creative Spaces 2012. Well at least it will keep me off the street.
Yes, it will keep you off the street - good to have a new challenge XXX
ReplyDeleteLove the big serving spoon... and the smaller ones have echoes of leaves trailing behind them....
ReplyDeletewell, anything to keep a sketchy bloke like you off the streets!
ReplyDeletelove love this idea! one of my favorite places to visit is moma's functional design... you fit right in.. love the small spoons - the larger one is great... you have achieved a grace and balance in both scales...
Keeping you off the street is of utmost importance, of course. Who knows what you would get in to then...
ReplyDeleteLove the serving spoon - but wondering about the metal reacting... I can't seem to remember seeing anything used for serving food made of brass... iron, wood, pewter, but no brass. I have a beautiful antique serving spoon that was forged from a piece of iron...
Another string to you bow Barry. Those tiny spoons are so lovely.
ReplyDeletewonderful designs Barry.. while the little spoons are contemporary the larger one has quite a primitive style that I totally adore!
ReplyDeletelove the serving spoons! (mind you they look like they are resting in the middle of the road - so I'm not sure that they are doing a great job of keeping you off the streets...... still.....)
ReplyDeleteN, VA, MJ, S/R, JM & LJ - All - thanks for the feedback. Bit of a hard call when the objects are so different in size and style - primitive versus contemporary etc. And good to know that a number of folk recognise that I am now returning to full health and need keeping off the streets. VA - your comment re leaves is interesting as my next prototype is a full leaf form spoon. See how it works. MJ - you are very kind with your MOPMA comment - wouldn't that be good. S/R - you are right about the spoon material - though Thai cutlery is brass. Though I might give pewter a go or polished aluminium. JM - glad you liked the tiny shiny spoons - pretty delicate. LJ -the big spoon does have a pretty primitive look about it - retro? All- go well and be happy. B
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that artists just "drop in". Wish I could! I love the fact that you both are always so involved with so many different events going on. Seems like we are too solitary here on this side of the world.... sad. Love the spoons - perhaps some words down the sides of the larger one would add a beautiful touch of what you do.
ReplyDeleteSZQ- as Luthien said in her response to your post - it would be so good for some of us junkers and recyclers to gather. F & I are lucky that we have folk who drop in. And you know our house is always open to you. Maybe we could have the gathering of you, Stregata and Luthien here and we could create together. Sorry no hand held plasma cutter available though. I like the idea of stamped words on the iron handle. Go well. B
ReplyDeletethe ladle looks pretty amazing B! something LOTR would use :) and oh! is it open studio again already? how time flies!
ReplyDeleteoh my ... i can just imagine what havoc we would cause in Maleny if ever we all gather at your place! HAH!!
L- still would it not be good to have a bunch of junk recyclers causing havoc on the mountain in Maleny? Go well. B
ReplyDeleteoh ... most definitely B, most definitely!!
ReplyDelete