Getting on with it...

In the spirit of putting pencil to paper, or in this case, wood to saw..

These are preliminary sketches, beginning with the first inkling of an idea (13 Feb), of the piece I am embarking on. Also, a mockup (or "sample", although not 12x12) of the metal "hair".

Trip to the Keys

One of the most rewarding aspects of the recent family trip to the Florida Keys was snorkeling 5 miles off the coast in the John Peenekamp Coral Reef State Park. I was mesmerized by the brain coral...actually the multiple varieties of brain coral. 

I've been developing the piece that I'll use this patterning. I'm feeling a VERY strong urge to "just do it" and get a piece underway. Yesterday I began the layout of this piece. The investigation will continue alongside the fabrication of the piece. Hopefully, the dialog between making and imagining will reinforce each other, as they have in the past.

NOT my photo - copyright Bob Haff - http://www.seadwellers.com/picturegallery1.htm

Been a while

Having been to a conference in St. Louis, and then a trip to the Florida Keys, I've fallen a bit behind in posting. I came across "Clouds" from Eric + Ronan Bouuroullec. Apparent connections to the folded investigation mentioned earlier. Great way to "commercialize" the idea.

http://www.kvadratclouds.com/

Reference

I've mentioned a number of texts that have, over the years, proved either inspirational or invaluable. I realized today that I've not included "Immaterial / Ultramaterial" from Harvard/George Braziller, Inc.

After working with a variety of commonplace materials over the last few months, the following quote summed up what I've been working with. Marco Steinberg, in the "surface" section, says "Construction-related materials often have latent possibilities that exist well beyond the uses for which they were created. Usually generated in response to quantitative criteria, these materials tent to have significant (though often unsuspected) potential for innovation and progress". 

In many cases, it is this unsuspected potential that I seek.

Pattern

After working on the piece that was exhibited at the A+D Gallery, I've been looking a great deal at natural patterns. Funny, it grew out of a fascination with the non-repeating (at least visibly) pattern of quilting, which led me to topographic maps, and now to nature again. I've been looking at a good deal of brain corral patterns after being struck, upon a visit to the Brookfield Zoo, by the obvious correlation. 

Links to original images:

Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4, Image 5

More Fold Sampling

Photos of gyp.bd. version of "folding" (and back showing ad noc support) and metal mesh "sample". I've been wanting to build "furniture" out of gyp. for many many years. What is more common place? I even enjoy the associative qualities. 

I regret the level of "mastery" of the material demonstrated, but it is a really quick sample/mock-up.

Looking outward

Discovered a wonderful piece of textural architecture.

Rest can be viewed at site.