Hoot

This was framed temporarily so I could photograph it for my website. Just waiting for Sister to chose a fabric of her liking so I can put together a permanent display.


In Progress... (7/7/09)
In Progress... (6/2/09)

The Best Laid Plans...

I tried photographing my lovely paper owl today, only to have my digital camera battery die after just a couple shots. Even so, I will not let this little set back derail my schedule. I sent off four rolls of film for developing, and sorted out magazine pages for future projects. So far, so good!

Off to fold some magazine pages while enjoying Infomania on Current TV.

Staying Busy

I've made myself a schedule that I intend to keep. Every week day I must work on my art in some capacity. Today I worked on framing my paper owl, by preparing mounts and picking out fabric for the background. Tomorrow I will finish up the framing, photograph the finished product, and update my website (For real this time; I swear).

My hope is that by making a schedule and sticking to it, I will become more productive. I also hope to build up a big enough collection of artwork that I can start selling some of my pieces this fall (Anyone in the market for magazine page bowls and animals? They make excellent Christmas gifts!).


Having a mother who sews and is also a fabric pack rat can come in handy.

Curiously Strong Design

Today I got a mini-education on "steampunk" thanks to the Stuff You Should Know podcast. While I don't think I'll be donning Victorian Era garb anytime soon, I did love these etched Altoid tins that were discussed by the SYSK guys:




Photos from isitcruchy's Flickr page. More Altoid tin etching and Steampunk fun at The Steampunk Workshop.

Summer Distraction #3: Birthday Break, Part 2

Point Loma, CA:

Old Point Loma Light House



Cabrillo National Monument

Summer Distraction #3: Birthday Break, Part 1

My birthday was this past Wednesday, so I've been slacking off a bit. Well, a lot actually. In fact, I think I'll milk this a little while longer and separate the past week into several blog posts.

Presidio Park (San Diego, CA):


Serra Museum

"The Indian" by Arthur Putnam

My (not so) Green Thumb

This past winter my sister brought home some very lovely smelling soaps by Pangea Organics. I love companies with a strong commitment to the environment, especially when "green living" is incorporated into something fun and interactive.



Each bar of soap's packaging is biodegradable, and full of plant seeds. Simply flatten and moisten the box, bury it in the soil, and tend it following directions on the packaging. After just a couple weeks, your plant will grow...



...ummm, sort of.

Unlike my mom I am not an avid gardener. I suspect the problem is a combination of the hot summer and occasional over-watering. While I think my little plants are quite cute, they look nothing like the Google images I've searched of Amaranth Cockscomb.



On a brighter note, my cactus is thriving! I acquired this guy on a walk with my sister and mom. Mom was nice enough to take a cutting for me after I inquired if such a thing was possible, and suffered tiny spines in her lips as a result (that's a very long, hilarious story).



I am worried that the cactus is developing a symbiotic relationship with the dead rose bush it shares a pot with. The plant should be moved into its own pot with cactus soil, but I'm too afraid to do that at this point. Best leave well enough alone if I want some gardening success.

Next stop Mars...

(This has absolutely nothing to do with art or design-- I just think it's very cool!)

Today may be the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, but Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins aren't looking back. Yesterday the astronauts voiced their desire to send men to Mars, not back to the moon. While President Obama endorsed George Bush's plan to return to the moon, a panel of experts have been asked to reconsider that goal. Perhaps we'll see a Mars landing by Apollo's 50th anniversary?



(Please see my previous post to view Walter Cronkite's coverage of this event back in 1969.)

And that's the way it was...

I wasn't planning on posting today, but I had to sign on and say goodbye to news legend Walter Cronkite. "The most trusted man in America" passed away just a few hours ago at the age of 92. Mr. Cronkite delivered the "CBS Evening News" for 19 years, covering the highs and lows of the 21st Century: the assassination of JFK, the arrival of the Beatles in America, the first man on the moon, the Vietnam War, the Iranian hostage crisis.

I am too young to have seen any of Mr. Cronkite's live broadcasts; he became the CBS anchorman a year before my mom was born, and left three years before I was born. Still, I've come to know him through TV clips, documentaries, and online videos. It is obvious from this plethora of tape that Walter Cronkite loved the news. He loved journalism. He loved America.

Goodbye, Walter Cronkite. The news will never be same.

Typewritten Art

Another fun art pod from Current:

Pinhole photography sounds a little dirty, but I swear it's not.

The same class that produced those lovely Lomo photos from my previous post also introduced me to pinhole photography. Now, you can buy actual pinhole cameras, but our project was strictly DIY. My camera was made from a cereal box that was masterfully taped up with at least two rolls of black electrical tape. The cameras were loaded with a single sheet of photo paper, so there was a lot of walking back and forth between where we took our images and the photo lab. The limitations were a great way to get creative without the luxury of film and portability.

Here are a couple images I created:


Fountain/lake thing in a CSUF Art Department courtyard


Sculpture in the CSUF Art Department's admin building courtyard

For the life of me I cannot remember how we got the negative images. I'm sure it's a pretty simple process, but as it's been nearly five years since I took the class I've completely forgotten the steps.

Instructions on how to make your own pinhole camera, here.

Some cool pinhole images from other people, here and here.

Action!

I dug out my Lomography Action Sampler over the Fourth of July weekend. It was a lot of fun playing around with a non-digital camera again. Now I'm waiting to finish my last roll before sending them all off to be developed.

In the mean time, here are a few shots I took several years ago for a college class. The assignment involved photographing shadow and light.

In Progress...

An update on a previously posted sketch:



Made from magazine pages, adapting paper bowl making techniques.

Website Sneak Preview

Hoping to have the new design up and running by this weekend.

UPDATE: I probably won't have things finished by this weekend, but I'm still trying!

Current TV Programming + Chalk = Yet another reason I need to visit NYC

The TV has been on nearly all day today (Fourth of July recovery was needed), but the channel hasn't been changed once. That's because my family has recently discovered Current TV. Well, re-discovered it actually. My dad showed it to me last year, but we both kind of forgot about it, what with the regular television season being in full swing.

Anyway, they aired a "pod" about street artist Ellis Gallagher that I particularly loved. Ellis has made a name for himself by creating chalk outlines of shadows on the Brooklyn streets. The outlines are of everyday objects like mailboxes, streetlights, or his bicycle. The effect created is really beautiful: transforming the mundane sights of everyday life into something people actually stop and look at.



Also, a quick shout out to my friend Amy who is currently residing in Brooklyn. When I saw this video I thought of her. I also got a little jealous because she probably has a good chance of seeing Ellis' work in person. I'll make it up to her by plugging her blog, all those nothings. Enjoy!

Happy Independence Day!

Have fun and be safe!

Inside the Jefferson Memorial (Washington, D.C.)

New Blog Banner & Website Redesign

I finally made a banner for my blog. Actually, I made two. After trying out the first Pollock/Punk design I decided I needed something cleaner. The second banner also ties in with a new design I'm working on for my website. I hope to have that finished by next weekend (*fingers crossed*).

Summer Distraction #2: Mountain Biking

I forgot to bring a camera, so here's a visual approximation of San Diego's fine mountain biking trails:


Oil on canvas.

I'll remember the camera next time, and I might even take a few short videos if I can manage it. It's good being back on the trails and getting some fresh air.