January 2006
21 posts
Duet
This is one of those designs that helped refine my process. I was playing with shapes inside Rhino and arrived at this. I created an unfolded pattern using an automatic command for doing so inside the software, and sent it off to the laser (see my description of this process in earlier posts). When I started assembling it, I discovered a major mistake: it wasn’t possible! Rhino allows...
Solar Sails
I did this one for the City of Paramount, California. They wanted a fun, whimsical piece that would fit into the center median of a busy street. I subcontracted the metal work out on it, as the 18’ height and the 1/4 inch steel plate they were to be constucted from required tools outside my reach at the time.
Making a Sculpture: Finis!
Making a Sculpture: Part 4
Now that I’ve got all the components folded back up and welded off, I need to assemble them all together to make the finished piece. It’s at this stage that I need to make sure what finish will work best for the piece; if a colored powder coat is desired, I then need to grind off all the welds (“chase” them) to leave a nice smooth joint with no pits or scratches. I like...
Making a Sculpture: Intermission
Just noticed that one of my favorite painters has posted new work to his site.
Making a Sculpture: Part 3
Craptacular image of a CO2 laser at work. The actual process is hypnotic to witness, as the computer-controlled machine deftly cuts out parts with ridiculous accuracy, leaving a mirror-smooth edge that doesn’t require any clean-up. Anyone who’s cut out steel parts with a torch or plasma cutter will tell you that this is JUST TOO EFFING COOL! (And I’m afraid I may be depleting my...
Making a Sculpture: Part 2
After I’m happy with my design, I need to start preparing to bring it into the “real” world. Each component must be isolated and unfolded inside the computer. This process is much easier with a design based on platonic solids (like Pharaoh’s Dream) than one with more free-form elements. Once all the components are unfolded, I place them all on a single plane that...
Making a Sculpture
Here’s my secret recipe for making a sculpture. The first step is to agonize over a design inside a 3d application on the computer; I use Sketch-Up at this point. Back in the dark days on Windows, I used Rhino for my design workhorse. It is a much more powerful, and therefore more complicated, program. There are programs of comparable power on the Mac (formZ pops to mind), but I’ve...
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Digital Sculpture
Sometimes I feel really limited by the constraints of reality on my creativity. Trying to always figure out how to make something out of real-world materials can be a serious buzzkill. Inside my computer, though, I’m free to experiment and do things that would be impossible eldewhere. I use the amazing ZBrush to sculpt digitally what I can’t make with my welder. Very fun.
Micah Lebrun
More here
3d Cartoon Sensei
Creative and fun. This guy has an amazing formal sense; he is the Brancusi of cartoons.
Large Cubetower
A bigger version of the Cubetower, this one is 10 feet tall. The photo was taken in front of Columbine Galleries’ Santa Fe location — at the Inn at Loretto. I’ve been showing with them from the day they opened their doors in 1992. Not just another gallery, but dear friends.
Cubetower
This sculpture is mostly just a whimsical exploration of stacking cubes. A lot of my work seems to involve juxtaposition of simple elements; trying to eek meaning from basic forms and their interactions. I like the metaphorical relationship to… well, relationships. Like most of my newest work, this piece was designed using 3d modeling software on the computer, cut from 16 gauge steel with a...
Biomagnetism
I wanted to express both tension and yielding in this sculpture. I envision the two main elements as naturally straight and rigid, but being inexorably drawn together by an irresistible force to the point of cracking apart. The title refers to an alternative term for “animal magnetism”; the fact that the two components are identical in form is telling — read into it what you will, Dr....
Josh Feldman
Josh creates hybrid sculpture/paintings using digitally created images mounted in clear plastic and oriented perpendicular to the wall. His more traditional “flat” works are fantastic as well, but the new dynamic created by the sequential placement of the paintings is remarkable. I especially like the way the reflected light from the works builds subtle secondary imagery on the spaces...
Me
This is me by the pool in Ixtapa. Now you have a face to go with the words, and I can host my own photo for my user profile on this damn blog!
Aurora Robson
Very cool work- has an almost Chihuly-esque feel. Her paintings and drawings are brilliant, as well. I love to see other artists who can’t seem to settle on one mode of expression. See more here.
Tsunami
When I created this piece, Tsunami were just mythical phenomena to me, events that symbolized the power of nature and the insignificance of humanity in comparison. The initial design allowed the viewer to interact with the cascade of water, which I wanted to symbolize the process of healing after a natural catastrophe. Engineering and accessibility issues mandated a change to the design, but I...
Pretty Picture
Sunset from the beach at Ixtapa, Mexico. My first international excursion, I couldn’t have had a better time. (Just a test to see how image posting works here on Blogger.)
The Conversation Artist
Cory Doctorow, a Sci-Fi writer who also worked for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, has posted an excellent article on BoingBoing extolling the concept of Blogs as they relate to the marketing of creative products. His post cemented my resolve to change the way I utilize the web to showcase my artwork, pushing me to adopt a more open, conversational style. I still haven’t entirely...
Evolution
I’ve ditched my website and my domains in an effort to evolve. Why spend hundreds of dollars a year on something that can be done just as well for free? Stay tuned for more…