A library of tiny metal books

 

I have managed to complete a small library of silver-plated metal books that have inspirational words (shine, dream, hope, love) stamped on the middle page. The books are made from recycled silver-plated placemats. I also completed three smaller metal books that will become pendants. The photo above shows the completed stash sitting on my tool chest.

A few process photos follow including taped and drilled books; riveted pieces; grinding of the edges done; and opening of the books with a bone folder..

And a couple more of the completed library - all polished.

Time to assemble some bits

 

I melted a mix of scraps of gold, 925 silver and silver-plated brass to create some special pieces of melted metal jewellery.

During the week I managed to drill, grind and polish the pieces. Though I did not have a great amount of time for my art today I did manage the assemble the stash above.

Fiona suggested that because the metal was more valuable and had a slight rose gold hue that I might make some of the pieces a little more elegant by adding crystal beads. I did that with four of the smaller pairs of melted metal - drops are about 1cm square.

There were others that made a strong enough statement on their own.

The freeform piece of metal has now become an interesting pendant.

Art on the block

©2015 Barry Smith - Dappled light on tree lined terrace on the block

Art can take some unusual forms - including book stacks, book walls and book benches. In the garage-studio I have had a stash of: encyclopaedias (courtesy of the Local library and friends); and telephone books (courtesy of Ken M). As part of my current de-cluttering and reorganising of my work area I thought it was time to turn these stashes into functional artworks.

The encyclopaedias were to become a bench seat in a shady spot on one of the tree covered terraces.

©2015 Barry Smith - Enough encyclopaedias for a 5 stack bench seat

©2015 Barry Smith - Threaded rod cemented into the ground with water proof multiply to clamp the books - nuts need to be progressively tightened

©2015 Barry Smith - Completed bench seat  - I'll cut the rest of the rod off once I have finished tightening the nuts.

©2015 Barry Smith - Completed bench seat caught in afternoon sun

And the telephone books were destined to become a music seat as part of the decomposing organ installation between the mango trees.

©2015 Barry Smith - Rods and telephone books stacked ready for ply top.

©2015 Barry Smith - Top on - nuts to be tightened progressively - thread to be cut off.

©2015 Barry Smith - Ready to tinkle those keys?

Whilst I was making the many trips backwards and forwards carting materials and books I paused to check out the creativity of the small birds on our block - a now used nest in the very thorny native lime bush which has lost its leaves.

©2015 Barry Smith - Art by tiny birds - weaving exquisite hollow nests amongst the thorns

©2015 Barry Smith - Art by tiny birds - weaving exquisite hollow nests amongst the thorns

©2015 Barry Smith - Smart tiny birds use the thorns to keep the predators away

I often think that the changes Fiona and I have made on they block are just part of creating an ever evolving major land sculpture; or at least our own sculpture gallery-garden. Enough for a Friday I think - time for a relaxing red.

Is it a table or a bench?

The triple book stack bench seat I was commissioned to make was delivered and installed on Friday afternoon.

I wanted to cement it into place; but the owner wanted it to just be secured into the soil with soil and gravel. As I had included legs to be cemented into holes as part of the design we decided to use these to secure the bench seat.

And as you can see from the photos below the book stacks just look like they are part of the environment. Good gravel surrounds for drainage.

©2015 Barry Smith - Triple Encyclopaedias stack bench seat installed on a bed of gravel

©2015 Barry Smith - Triple Encyclopaedias stack bench seat installed on a bed of gravel

©2015 Barry Smith - Triple Encyclopaedias stack bench seat installed on a bed of gravel

I spent quite a bit of time getting the stack level as well as secure. In the end we need to check the level in the mandatory way - a spirit level using three glasses of bubbles - which were also doubled as a celebration of the installation of the piece. So at this stage it became a table.

©2015 Barry Smith - Book bench seat becomes book table - testing the level using the old three glasses of bubbles spirit level

In the future the new owner will be able to sit on the bench with a glass beside her and just enjoy the view from under the shade of her trees.

©2015 Barry Smith - Book stack bench seat with views of the mountains from the new owner's place

©2015 Barry Smith - Book stack bench seat with views of the mountains from the new owner's place

This commission has turned out well - a very happy owner; and more Encyclopaedias saved from landfill.

Discovery regarding book stacks

©2015 Barry Smith - Detail of timber from large book stack bench seat

My word for today was discovery; and discover I did.

I had two commissions for book stacks - one a set of three; and another a triple stack bench seat. As you know my book stack in the main are made from hard covered books, such as encyclopaedias and year books that are on their way to the rubbish tip. The woman who wanted the set of three stacks has provided her own encyclopaedias that had been in the family for a long time; and she wanted to repurpose them for sentimental reasons.

I tend to just let the stacks quietly degrade over about 5+ years. But both people who commissioned the stacks were not keen on the natural degrading process. They wanted to keep the books looking more in their original state for longer. I suggested we could spray them with a sealant (yuk); or we could coat them with pure beeswax. They went for the latter. The trick was I had not done that before. So after making the stacks I decided to paint them with molten wax. Fiona lent me her wax wok; and some of the wax we bought recently from a garage sale.

©2015 Barry Smith - Wax melting in the wok

©2015 Barry Smith - Large (900mm long, 500mm high) book stack bench about to get a coat of wax

The painting process left a rough wax texture - I wasn't keen on that. I asked Fiona if I could borrow her heat gun so I could melt the wax onto the books like one does with some encaustic work. As you can see from the photo below the heat gun worked a treat.

©2015 Barry Smith - Painted wax on books

©2015 Barry Smith - Nice smooth melted wax on books

So after a few hours I had painted and melted and ended up with all the stacks coated in wax - hopefully preserved for a while.

©2015 Barry Smith - Large bench seat, rose gum timber - waxed and ready

©2015 Barry Smith - Large bench seat, rose gum timber - waxed and ready

©2015 Barry Smith - Rose gum timber top 

©2015 Barry Smith - Side view of the stacks and rods

©2015 Barry Smith - Three smaller stacks 

©2015 Barry Smith - Three smaller stacks

I must say it was a good learning for me; and I will use the technique again - when folk want stacks that don't degrade so quickly. And you can see the wax brings out the colour and detail of the encyclopaedias. I also went for a modified design with these stacks. Instead of drilling holes through the books I put the rods external to the books - hoping to maintain the integrity of the books; and I think it looks a bit finer. These smaller stacks can be used inside the house or in the garden

Enough of that - it is time for a red wine.