Rustnstuff

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Rust and other matters

Our weekend has been given over to maintenance on the block and house - lots of pressure cleaning by Fiona, weed-snipping and painting for me.

One always gets the chance to be distracted by the rust table when your doing other jobs. The rust shall be shared with Fiona - I believe it is now our rust bank.

One other job was cutting up a plank and glueing reinforcing rod into the cut down bits so they can be installed (cemented into the ground) at the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre. Lucky there was a bit of rod in the rust bank.

And go course there was the painting in the landscape - done to the sounds of calming music. Not so hard to do in the shade and with a gorgeous sky.

We visited my brother and sister-in-law in Townsville - she had lost one of the drops of a "found" bow earring - I knew they were one offs - so offered to show her a selection of other possible "found" pieces.

A very good weekend of taking steps to regain control of our block and house.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Something new & something old

When Fiona and I went to Portland (Oregon) in December last year I spent a day with Greg Wilbur - master metalsmith. I wanted him to check my Pod metal work; and give me instructions on how to go beyond the pod form to create sacred water container forms.

A few weeks ago I started to create a form that went beyond the pod. The photo below shows where I had got to - looks like an ugly slug.

Today I decided to finish this metal trial. After many cycles of heating and hammering I was getting the shape going. But there was one piece of Greg's advice that I could not quite grasp at the time and needed to test. I pushed the metal both forwards from and back towards the pod form.

This was ok for one or two cycles to get the shape going; but too much repetition made the metal in the neck thin and it began to split - so I ceased doing that; and turned the form into a very lovely organic pouring vessel.

So I have learnt from this trial; and hopefully will improve my skills as I do more of these forms. And because one can't just do one piece of work I decided to make some small raised bowls from the copper bases of wine goblets - in photo below.

After about 5 cycles of heating and hammering they were taking shape.

With a bit of hammer finishing they were good to go.

And after a grind and then a polish with a brass wire wheel they are ready for my shop.

So Friday has been a good art day - I have learnt something new; and created something from old and discarded stuff.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

The beauty of books and paper

I was fortunate to accompany Fiona to Cairns and to see the exhibition Booked she was in; and meet a bunch of impressive and energetic artists.

The artists books in Booked made strong statements for International Women's Day.

We also used our time over the 2 days in Cairns to check out a few other local galleries. We were lucky to come upon this very evocative body of work by Hiromi Ashlin in the emerging artist's gallery of the Cairns Regional Gallery.

I took photos of fragments of some of the pieces which I share below.

The exhibition of her work just reinforced how much I enjoy the use of multiples and 3D texture on works; and some lovely peace themes also running through some of the pieces. Serendipity is a good thing when it comes to discovering art that you don't expect!!!

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Shiny - bowls for ladles

I need to supply another stash of small-medium handmade ladles to Maleny Additions. The process always starts with making small bowls - most are shallow; but ones for sauces and chocolate are smaller and deeper. The widest bowl in diameter is about 9cm; and the smallest is about 2.5cm.

Often I cut a stash of bowl bits as part of a metal cutting morning. All the ladles are made from recycled metal - in the main silver plated EPNS or copper.

Then the bowls are given up to four more rounds of hammering (with wood mallets and iron hammers) - both inside and out. The final hammering on the outside gives the textured, patterned or faceted look.

And the after grinding the edges, the bowls are given a couple polishes inside and out.

They now rest on the bench awaiting handles to be made and then riveted to the bowls - but that is for another time in the garage-studio.

Friday, March 7, 2014

Artist and/or shopkeeper?

Fiona and I periodically talk about the various roles that an artist plays. We all like the creator role - hammering away and making stuff. But if you don't want your house-studio to be totally overcome with your creations it is necessary to gift them on or sell them. Fulfilling commissions and keeping up the supply to sale outlets means production, packaging and posting - a bit like a shopkeeper - but it is just part of being an artist.

Over the week I turned the dining room table into a collection point.

And then selected the best 10 Leaf Letter Openers to be sent as the next batch to my commissioning client.

Of course they needed to be boxed and posted.

Fiona really helps me out with the swing tags for my Ladles and Leaf Spoons that I supply to Maleny Additions. I believe without the swing tags these items would not attract the attention they do.

So whilst one of my roles as an artist is that of shopkeeper the sales do allow me to spend time in my studio recycling metal band forming metal in my own way to the sound of ACDC, Wolfmother, The Angels etc - so what is not to like about that.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Disgorging an organ

Over the weekend I took delivery of a broken organ that was to go to the rubbish tip. As indicated in my earlier post I am planning to use the organ as a sculptural piece - breaking down in the weather.

Today I took a couple of hours to open the organ up and take out parts I can reuse or gift to other. I wanted to do thuds in such a way as not to impact on the external look of the organ. You can see the man at work photo taken by Fiona - not great weather - misty rain - occasionally drifting into the carport - guess one must suffer for one's art.

I was amazed by the huge number of circuit boards and miles of wiring.

After a couple of hours I had a big stash of stuff.

Good set of large speakers including a rotating unit called a Tremolo Unit - never hear of it before. These will be given away.

Lots of interesting electronic components - also for sharing if others want some.

Views of the keys from underneath.

And the keyboard, pedals and foot control have all been retained.

Not only has the disgorging saved a lot of good stuff - some of which can become Steampunk pieces; but it has made the organ a lot lighter so Fiona and I can struggle it down into place near the Mango trees.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

This and that on the weekend

This past weekend has had so many art fragments in it - so I will share a few.

Well Saturday started with taking delivery of an electronic organ that was to be thrown in the rubbish tip.

The body of the organ - including keyboard will be installed down by the Mango trees on our block as an ageing installation - not a new idea but new for our block. I will remove all the electronics and give good speakers etc away; and use other electronic bits in Steampunk influenced pieces.

And then Saturday afternoon saw the completion of 10 Leaf-spoons - quite a shoal of them - 7 shown.

Saturday night - the opening of the Garry Myers Maleny Art Gallery with my, Noela and Kim's work in the cases. I have 10 pieces of work in the case - very restrained!!!!