Friday, February 25, 2011

beauty rest

A few years ago I began taking photos of mattresses throughout my wandering. I was intrigued by the way people would discard their used, tattered, lifeless foam pads that at one time stood as the pinnacle point of the bedroom. The mattress has so many connotations beyond the obvious, so many dreams have been had on the top of these thick pieces of material. There are very few other objects that have had the pleasure of absorbing so many unconscious peoples thoughts merely by existing. Some of the most candid conversations have taken place on the bed. Secrets shared, stories exchanged, mundane end of the day dialog that helps slow the mind before slipping into the darkness of the night. Romantic excursions, one night stands, and affairs have all played a role on the surface of this object.

This idea takes me to a place of discomfort and  further questioning, especially when thinking about how after years of using this object we can so easily throw it out of the home environment and onto the curb. I see these discarded objects taking on another life once removed from the confines of the bedroom and cast into the harshness of the outside. Pathetic and used they start to take on a different form, as the original intention of them is taken out of context. Somehow I wish to pay a respect to these loaded objects so I will continue to document these castaways.







Tuesday, February 22, 2011

A motor bike is only as cool as the people that are riding it happen to be.

Another bad ass dude with a knack for extreme motorcycle design aptitude. Where was he heading, OB of course...

Mr. Samuel Cohen


So I met this craftsman the other day in Hillcrest, he informed me that he is a 4th generation Russian Jew immigrant who just happens to make hula hoops. What are the odds he knows my great grandmother? Just look at the bend on that hoop, this guy is a natural...

Shelter

So after a couple weeks of deliberating on what the term "shelter" means to me, I began deconstructing some found ladders I acquired. The process of deconstructing these objects became my form of shelter, it has always been an attraction of mine to take things apart.

  The choice to use the ladder came from my innate attraction to the objects many uses. Eventually the ladders began to take shape in the form of a shell, a reference to the outer shelter that a crab uses to protect oneself. I liked the idea of these ladders coming together to create another inner form, a shape within oneself. They also need one another to support each other, the ladders took on their own persona eventually when fused together. I especially appreciate the way they activate one another. It is my hope that the viewer will visually engage with the object as I have and conjure up their own meaning within the formal qualities present.

Friday, February 18, 2011

studio happening

So after many years of wrestling with unruly dust collection blast gates, the most obvious solution popped in my head today while I monitored the shop. ADD SOME LUBE!!! More benefits of paste wax and why I should keep some in my back pocket at all times.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Shelter








Im currently working through the process of deconstructing older wooden ladders with the intention to reconfigure them in a more abstract fashion. It is my intention to transform the iconic wooden ladder into something that hopefully provokes the viewer to conjure up associations within themselves in regards to this domestic household object. For me the ladder has always been a continual source of loaded content within the home environment, growing up there was always a need for the ladder and its obvious nature as a tool to gain perspective. Whether that perspective be; to fish a kite from the tree, get onto the roof of a house, hop the neighbors fence, collect something put out of reach intentionally by adults, spy on the next door neighbor, painting the ceiling, repairing the home etc. To me the ladder has become a sense of shelter for the mind, it creates a pathway to the intangible nature of physical and non physical elements. More to come...
Egypt has shown what is possible with a united people and a peaceful progressive revolution. Hooray for a liberated Egypt!!!!!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

studio happenings

a few days ago I was assisting the beginning woodworking class at San Diego State University. While helping a student conquer her very first wooden bowl sculpture, I was shocked by her timidness to the material. I had gone over grain direction in length at this point till I was blue in the face, sketching diagrams , doing demos on scrap wood, showing her other examples from other students. I was beginning to loose my patience then she looked back at me with seemingly lost eyes, I gave it one more chance. I instructed her to "feel" the material, let the wood depict where the gouge should go. She nodded intently but with still a sort of hesitation, I realized at this point I needed to walk away and give her a bit to be with her bowl.

Upon returning to the student she had made quite a bit of progress in a short 15 minutes. I asked her what she did differently to render better results. She let out a quick laugh and told me that she had ,"just felt it." "Honestly, I thought you were some sort of wood hippy when you told me to feel the wood. Like a yogi telling their student to feel the universe or some shit like that. I thought you were full of it. Then I began to carve and within a short time I noticed what wasn't working and what did. So I continued feeling my way around the material, keeping in mind what worked until I noticed I was making progress with ease." I was sort of offended at first when she told me she thought I was full of shit then I realized there was only one way to get a point across to her and that was to let her figure it out, and she did. So not only was I a douche anymore but I helped her figure it out on a "universal level." We both got our way.

Using my own advise I decided to steer away from my initial ideas for shelter and go with my gut, I am beginning work with some found ladders and will see where it goes from there...-V

v-room


A motor bike is only as cool as the people that are riding it happen to be. 

Monday, February 7, 2011

structure






Sea Dreams

there is perhaps nothing more comforting in this world to me than being in the ocean. I've posted a video of one of my surfing heros, who happens to be a San Diego local and who has dominated the long board competition scene for over two decades. Joel tudor is not only one of the most influential surfers of our time but he also happens to be an amazing craftsman and creator.

I like thinking of surfing as being a psychological shelter for the mind. Those who surf or have a hobby that can transform your state of being can relate to this past statement. It is a state that takes you from the terrestrial into the unknown. A place where you can clear your mind from anything that may be puzzling you, frustrating you, or impeding your thought process from going in circles. It can also cure sadness, a lonely heart, or the loss of a loved one. This state has the ability to refocus what is truly important in life, the connection between nature and human interaction could be possibly one of the strongest shelters ever built. The best part is it takes no material or matter to build one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qLqUYf_Aw8

netting

thinking about shelter in the form of something poetic I've included this video on you tube. I especially like the conversations about how this piece comments on or creates a dialog between the local fishermen of the area. For the local fisher catchers of this area, a net serves as a way to make a living. By a simple object that is weaved together for the sole intention of catching perch or whatever is down there, a family can survive. So the net becomes the shelter for those who own one, a shelter for life. So through this sculpture, possibly indirectly there is a homage paid to the locals of the land.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7VtnkMzxPs

Friday, February 4, 2011

divided thoughts

half horse, half table, half chair, half the story is what you get when hearing only some of the story.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Shelter

separating myself from the current state of hysteria over the shelter project, I have given into what seems like an excellent way to communicate. This will the the first blog in a series of others that collectively gather my thoughts from time to time.