The Art Escape Plan

thanks frankie

2012-02-17T05:47:00.000-08:00

2012-02-10T05:19:00.001-08:00

2012-02-09T18:45:00.001-08:00

2012-02-09T05:31:00.001-08:00

2012-01-30T09:39:00.001-08:00

ACC Baltimore

2012-01-19T05:36:00.000-08:00

I am getting geared up for ACC Baltimore. I just got in these bracelets from Shapeways. I am pretty stoked. I was worried they would be too fragile but they are perfect. Very light and VERY strong. I like them so much I might actually make one for myself..... maybe. I am planning on making a necklace version of this but I am still working on the model.

2012-01-10T06:34:00.001-08:00

Getting ready for the semester to start. It's not everyday one gets to scrape all the packing grease off of a brand new South-Bend lathe. I have only used a South-Bend a few times so I might not notice the little nuances between this new Chinese made lathe and an older model. So far it seems that everything is where it is supposed to be.

Trip

2012-01-07T06:41:00.000-08:00

So when we were in Richmond over the holiday (all four days with two days of driving) We barely had time to gas up the ride. We did however stop in to the Quirk gallery. When we lived in Richmond both of our pads were almost across the street. We missed stopping in once a week. We were lucky enough to see Sparkle Plenty 7 and the vault show. We miss Richmond so much. Maybe one day we will move back.

Sparkle Plenty 7: Organ/ism

The world is full of life and organisms that thrive in a multitude of ways. From the seemingly mundane to the flat-out bizarre, "things" have found a way to survive. People are both part of the living world, and manipulators of it. An ever-changing world and life's ability to adapt is the theme for this exhibition. The work presented shows a reverence for these creatures, the inner spark that ignites life, and the ability to survive.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:

* Daniel DiCaprio courtesy of Charon Kransen Arts

* Emily Watson

* Hilary Pfeifer

* Jillian Moore

* Märta Mattsson courtesy of Sienna Gallery

* Masako Ondera

* Masumi Kataoka courtesy of Charon Kransen Arts

* Satomi Kawai

Suzanne Carlsen

This is Canadian-based Suzanne Carlsen's first solo exhibition in America. She explains, "Playing on our expectations of what jewelry is, presenting fresh ways of thinking about ornament, value and recognition - my work is void of the typical diamonds, rubies and pearls. I balance hand embroidery and metal to present social symbols in unusual garb That which appears, upon first impression, to be merely a cute miniature, ultimately reveals itself to be an icon of memory, commemorating our surroundings, imitating our everyday life, and questioning our traditional ideas of home and place."

For all of you traveling abroad.....

2012-01-05T06:27:00.000-08:00

Liz and I will be going to Australia this summer to teach a workshop! We are stoked. It is a long trek. I hope the class fills. If you know anyone in Australia or New Zealand or really anywhere, there is a great line up. It should be a blast!!

bracelet (steel and paint)

2012-01-04T04:32:00.001-08:00

New Years!!

2012-01-02T05:21:00.001-08:00

Happy new year!! We had an awesome time with some wonderful people. Have a great 2012!!

2011-12-23T07:13:00.001-08:00

Behind the Design of SANDBOX from LUNAR on Vimeo.

happy holidays

2011-12-23T06:18:00.001-08:00

Brooch mild steel, stainless steel and paint.

More enamel

2011-12-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

secret santa brooch

2011-12-18T06:28:00.000-08:00

So now that the metals holiday party is over, I can reveal a new piece.

new metals studio training video?

2011-12-11T15:10:00.001-08:00

laser etching on hardwood

2011-12-11T05:09:00.000-08:00

3D hardwood cutting on the CNC

2011-12-09T05:21:00.000-08:00

I have to train our GSAs (graduate studio assistants) on 3D cutting using the CNC machine today. I thought I would brush up on my skills. These are some solid maple boards. Oddly enough hardwood mills much faster than other materials. I am using a 1/2" ball end mill. Three roughing passes running at 4.1 IPS (inches per second) 18,000 rpms and two finishing passes running at 8 IPS and 18,000 rpms.

Talisman

2011-12-03T06:37:00.000-08:00

core77

A talisman is a physical object that purports powers and meaning beyond the physical. Humans have been making talismans for centuries, we are wired to give physical objects meaning. Take for example an engagement ring. A band of metal with a polished stone mounted on it. It has no hard drive, no 4g connection, no moving parts and yet I can't think of another object that has a higher amount of meaning per ounce. It is the physical embodiment of a promise, of a future together. It embodies all the complexities of love, trust and hope in a single object. It is a tribal indicator to all who see it and a reminder to the wearer. Few gestures mean more than putting on an engagement ring.

I believe we have the ability to infuse a measured amount of meaning into more of the things we use everyday. We live in a world of products. Most people don't a own Picasso, nor do they live in a Frank Lloyd Wight home. They do however own watches, wear shoes, use toothbrushes and interact with their phones countless times per day. What would happen if we were able to put one tenth of the meaning from that engagement ring into the most common objects around us? How would that shift our behaviors? How can we expand our process for innovation to include meaning?

A digital device is also a talisman. It's physicality is imbued with a sense that this thing, this hunk of material, is actually a window into another world. It is a connection to everyone I know, and have yet to know, a gateway and filter to the world beyond me. A great digital device makes this known before you even turn it on. Our most treasured devices connect with us on an emotional level, even when they are just sitting on our nightstand charging. There is not a robust functional argument for these products to be made of metal and glass, but they are not really products at all. They are talismans.

All sketches by Michael DiTullo.

ring thing

2011-12-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

Sterling silver, copper and enamel.

2011-11-22T05:12:00.001-08:00

Creative Roots ep. Jim Cotter from Zac Layman on Vimeo.

2011-11-22T05:11:00.001-08:00

2011-11-17T12:42:00.001-08:00

Handmade Portraits: The Sword Maker from Etsy on Vimeo.

2011-11-09T09:24:00.001-08:00

new brooches/crafted

2011-11-07T12:15:00.000-08:00

I am working on some new brooches for a small holiday craft show. It should be a great event. There will be so many great people, artists, chocolatiers, wood workers etc. I am pretty stoked how the work is coming out. These brooches are made using a wacom tablet with a custom brush in illustrator then live traced. I use the laser to etch the vectorized drawing into an enameled copper oval. Soon they will all have sterling silver brooch backs with stainless pin stems. I should also have some more of the new felt necklaces available along with more of my jewelry. Come on out and buy handmade for the holiday. Directions can be found at the link above. See you there.

oh boy

2011-11-02T10:43:00.001-07:00

Hand drawings laser etched in enamel

2011-10-31T06:49:00.000-07:00

2011-10-29T06:12:00.001-07:00

Wonder Object from Mark & Angela Walley on Vimeo.

Lasssssseeerrrr

2011-10-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

More felt necklaces for holiday sale

2011-10-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

New stuff sent off to Montreal

2011-10-19T05:23:00.000-07:00

So I just finished a couple of pieces for an invitational at Gallery Noel Guymarch in Montreal. It looks to be a great line up. It was curated by Tia Dale and Sarah Troper. Here are some of the pieces for the show along with their laser cut packaging for shipping. I also have started using the laser to sign the back of the work. It is nearly impossible to get it centered. I hope to have some more of these pieces ready for the holidays. Liz and I have also signed up for ACC so if you are interested we will be there. Come find us! We will have lots of new pieces for sale. Back to work.

Crazy busy

2011-10-13T05:54:00.000-07:00

Well I have been doing so much I have not yet had a chance to stop and process it all. With school starting, the flooding, holiday time, tools breaking, more tools breaking, a lecture at RISD, a lecture and a workshop in San Antonio, making work for an exhibition in Canada, teaching, and Damian Skinner visiting I have hardly had time to sleep let alone blog. I find myself coming home and only having the energy to turn on the TV. I would try to read but I know I would only pass out.

I did however have time to take a few photos of the wonderful studio that Gary Schott re-vamped at the Southwest School of Art. I had a great time and miss it already. The food, the people, the everything. I did two workshops, one on salt water electro etching and another on illustrator and laser cutting. The people in San Antonio were AWESOME! I had this feeling that this was one of their cooler seasons where you can go outside. I guess during the summer it can get up to 120!!! It rained while I was there. I guess I brought the "good" weather with me. They apparently needed it being that they were in a drought. It was a whirlwind trip (only two days). I met a lot of fantastic people. It is always nice to be able to match faces with work. Gary's wife, Sarah, gave me a copy of her book (we also are lucky enough to own one of her prints!!) and I got to see all of the great art and photos in their house! Lots of great beer! Anyhoo here are some photos from the workshop and some of Gary's cats.

2011-09-23T05:19:00.000-07:00

New cool make your own ring app. http://shapewright.com/

A metalsmith won a MacArthur award!!

2011-09-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

magnets

2011-09-13T05:42:00.000-07:00

pe lang - moving objects No. 68 - 79 from pe lang on Vimeo.

moving objects No. 162 - 173 from pe lang on Vimeo.

moving objects No. 92 - 103 from pe lang on Vimeo.

positioning systems I - falling objects from pe lang on Vimeo.

more metals!!!

2011-09-12T05:22:00.001-07:00

kevin potter

2011-09-11T05:31:00.000-07:00

Nice video on Kevin Potter
Thanks Frankie

Thanks Frankie

2011-09-08T05:38:00.001-07:00

Banksy vs. King Robbo on Channel 4 from YSarna on Vimeo.

2011-09-06T13:18:00.001-07:00

Als het niet mogelijk is Flash te installeren kunt u de video bekijken via deze link.

2011-09-05T10:38:00.001-07:00

La Cernia Limestone Chair from Max Lamb on Vimeo.

Hexagonal Pewter Stool from Max Lamb on Vimeo.

Sheet Steel Chair from Max Lamb on Vimeo.

2011-09-04T07:18:00.001-07:00

probably the first 3D rendered video from pixar.

40 Year Old 3D Computer Graphics (Pixar, 1972) from Robby Ingebretsen on Vimeo.

our wedding

2011-08-26T04:48:00.000-07:00

Well it finally happened. Liz and I got hitched. Everything was wonderful. I thought I would post photos of the whole ordeal on the blog. If you want to see all of the photos from the wedding you can check out my flickr stream here

We did almost everything ourselves. We grew cat grass in buckets, picked wild flowers for the tables settings. I vinyl cut signage, we put lighting up in the barn, we made decorations from coffee filters. We had hay bails, little mini cake pops of ourselves, our friend Sara Davis made an awesome ANVIL pinata (which was filled with scratch off lotto tickets and mini booze bottles!) We did so much I barely remember being at the wedding. It was like I was watching a TV show about a wedding where the groom was a sweaty nervous mess. When you are in the thick if it I guess it just breezes by. I do however remember Liz being by my side the whole time. It couldn't have been better!!

We had our wedding at Liberty View Farms in Highland, NY. It was an incredible venue. Farmer Billium and Rene were great! We could not have done it without them. On a sad note, their dog was injured and needs surgery. I don't normally do this via my blog but if you have a spare couple of bucks please find it in your heart to donate it to them to help offset the cost of the removal of George's leg. Donate here

I will shut up now and let the pictures do the talking

2011-08-25T08:20:00.001-07:00

Cool Hunting Video Presents: Lou Nasti from Cool Hunting on Vimeo.

only five days left.

2011-08-15T06:37:00.000-07:00

Only five days left being single. I just saw these videos and thought I would post them. A little escape from all the stress. Go check out Great Spaces. ~~If they get 2000 likes they will make the first episode~~. The first episode is out.

NC BLACK tools

2011-08-06T05:33:00.000-07:00

Just saw this article about NC Black. As you remember they came to my studio and did an engraving workshop. Les and Andrea came by a couple of weeks ago. They seem to always be on a whirlwind tour, conquering the world one workshop at a time. I thought I would add some more photos of their other tools. I especially love their larger Macro Spiculum hammer and Nano Nylon Mallet.

It seems like they are constantly improving designs, making new tools and just really care about metal tools and everything that comes with it. I can't wait to see them again and hear all of their metal tool "picking" stories. If you can take their workshops.

2011-08-05T10:33:00.001-07:00

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

2011-08-04T05:27:00.001-07:00

2011-08-03T04:50:00.001-07:00

3D Printing of the Wallpaper Magazine Logo from Freedom Of Creation on Vimeo.

2011-07-30T05:37:00.001-07:00

Letterpress from Naomie Ross on Vimeo.

stuffffffffff

2011-07-25T05:22:00.000-07:00

In between going absolutely crazy with wedding plans, I have managed to make some headway on some brooches. I sent out some wax 3D printing for the backs but have yet to settle on a design that I like. The first round didn't come out so well. They were riddled with problems, marks from the printing process that when buffed out left the material too thin, wavy or melted in sections that compromised the design, and sprues in places that were almost impossible to cut out. I have decided to go in a different direction. I hand fabricated one and then sent it off to be molded and cast. By making one myself, I had the luxury of using easy solder and other metals knowing that when the cast came back it would be all silver. The cost of having it cast is going to be about the same as having it 3D printed. Here are some photos of the fronts, the failed 3D prints and the laser etching on the inside of my wedding band!!. Let me know what you think.

water painting

2011-07-22T05:30:00.001-07:00

Thanks Ayumi

2011-07-16T04:37:00.001-07:00

2011-07-13T15:18:00.001-07:00

happy forth of july!

2011-07-04T13:11:00.001-07:00

more metals renovation

2011-06-29T07:14:00.000-07:00

2011-06-29T05:15:00.000-07:00

maison champs-elysées by maison martin margiela from designboom on Vimeo.

french fashion house maison martin margiela was commissioned by hotel maison champs-elysées in paris
to reconceive the interior design of the building. the soon-to-be five-star estate (set to open in may 2011),
is located within the historic maison de centraliens in the heart of the city of lights and will feature 57 rooms, 5 junior suites, and 6 suites. the architecture of the structure at number 8, rue jean goujon, brings forth the essence of a french maison.

la maison champs-elysées aims to redefine what you might expect from a hotel and bring you a new lifestyle experience, designed with simplicity, yet full of abundant details.

read the full article on designboom!
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/14214/maison-champs-elysees-by-maison-martin-margiela.html

2011-06-29T04:56:00.001-07:00

new dust skirt fro the CNC

2011-06-28T05:20:00.000-07:00

I freaking love our new dust skirt for our shopbot. The skirt itself snaps on with a bunch of rare-earth magnets. Also the skirt itself is denser making the dust collector WAY more efficient. It is going to make changing the bits a lot easier. Instead of moving the head up 6 inches in the Z axis, I can just set the safe Z at 3" and then there is always room to unsnap the skirt. No more stupid thumb screw in the back. I had to alter the hose and how it hangs. I think I might even change it again and make a hinged gantry thing with a hole in it that gets anchored to the wall. We shall see.

yum

2011-06-24T14:52:00.001-07:00

beet cake from tiger in a jar on Vimeo.

silver links

2011-06-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

In between wedding plans and the studio reno I have been making some stuff. I swear.

2011-06-20T09:38:00.001-07:00

Cool Hunting Video: RVS by V from Cool Hunting on Vimeo.

Vidal Erkohen is equal parts eyewear designer and collector. With a love for eyewear that has been nurtured since childhood, Erkohen has channeled this passion into RVS by V, a small-run eyewear line based in Istanbul focused on producing classic high-quality frames. In our latest video we talked to Vidal about the history and significance of eyewear, and the formation of RVS by V.

2011-06-19T16:35:00.001-07:00

2011-06-19T05:32:00.001-07:00

More tool room makeover

2011-06-17T05:24:00.000-07:00

thanks Frankie

2011-06-17T05:15:00.000-07:00

Skilled Labor
Mike Rowe’s Testimony Before the U.S. Senate Committee
on Commerce, Science and Transportation

May 11, 2011

Chairman Rockefeller, Ranking Member Hutchison and members of this committee, my name is Mike Rowe, and I want to thank you all very much for the opportunity to testify before you today.

I’m here today because of my grandfather.

His name was Carl Knobel, and he made his living in Baltimore as a master electrician. He was also a plumber, a mechanic, a mason, and a carpenter. Everyone knew him as a jack-of-all-trades. I knew him as a magician.

For most of his life, my grandfather woke up clean and came home dirty. In between, he accomplished things that were nothing short of miraculous. Some days he might re-shingle a roof. Or rebuild a motor. Or maybe run electricity out to our barn. He helped build the church I went to as a kid, and the farmhouse my brothers and I grew up in. He could fix or build anything, but to my knowledge he never once read the directions. He just knew how stuff worked.

I remember one Saturday morning when I was 12. I flushed the toilet in the same way I always had. The toilet however, responded in a way that was completely out of character. There was a rumbling sound, followed by a distant gurgle. Then, everything that had gone down reappeared in a rather violent and spectacular fashion. Naturally, my grandfather was called in to investigate, and within the hour I was invited to join he and my dad in the front yard with picks and shovels. By lunch, the lawn was littered with fragments of old pipe and mounds of dirt. There was welding and pipe-fitting, blisters and laughter, and maybe some questionable language. By sunset we were completely filthy. But a new pipe was installed, the dirt was back in the hole, and our toilet was back on its best behavior. It was one of my favorite days ever.

Thirty years later in San Francisco when my toilet blew up again. This time, I didn’t participate in the repair process. I just called my landlord, left a check on the kitchen counter, and went to work. When I got home, the mess was cleaned up and the problem was solved. As for the actual plumber who did the work, I never even met him.

It occurred to me that I had become disconnected from a lot of things that used to fascinate me. I no longer thought about where my food came from, or how my electricity worked, or who fixed my pipes, or who made my clothes. There was no reason to. I had become less interested in how things got made, and more interested in how things got bought. At this point my grandfather was well into his 80s, and after a long visit with him one weekend, I decided to do a TV show in his honor. Today, Dirty Jobs is still on the air, and I am here before this committee, hoping to say something useful. So, here it is.

I believe we need a national PR Campaign for Skilled Labor. A big one. Something that addresses the widening skills gap head on, and reconnects the country with the most important part of our workforce.

Right now, American manufacturing is struggling to fill 200,000 vacant positions. There are 450,000 openings in trades, transportation and utilities. The skills gap is real, and it’s getting wider. In Alabama, a third of all skilled tradesmen are over 55. They’re retiring fast, and no one is there to replace them.

Alabama’s not alone. A few months ago in Atlanta I ran into Tom Vilsack, our Secretary of Agriculture. Tom told me about a governor who was unable to move forward on the construction of a power plant. The reason was telling. It wasn’t a lack of funds. It wasn’t a lack of support. It was a lack of qualified welders.

In general, we’re surprised that high unemployment can exist at the same time as a skilled labor shortage. We shouldn’t be. We’ve pretty much guaranteed it.

In high schools, the vocational arts have all but vanished. We’ve elevated the importance of “higher education” to such a lofty perch that all other forms of knowledge are now labeled “alternative.” Millions of parents and kids see apprenticeships and on-the-job-training opportunities as “vocational consolation prizes,” best suited for those not cut out for a four-year degree. And still, we talk about millions of “shovel ready” jobs for a society that doesn’t encourage people to pick up a shovel.

In a hundred different ways, we have slowly marginalized an entire category of critical professions, reshaping our expectations of a “good job” into something that no longer looks like work. A few years from now, an hour with a good plumber, if you can find one, is going to cost more than an hour with a good psychiatrist. At which point we’ll all be in need of both.

I came here today because guys like my grandfather are no less important to civilized life than they were 50 years ago. Maybe they’re in short supply because we don’t acknowledge them they way we used to. We leave our check on the kitchen counter, and hope the work gets done. That needs to change.

My written testimony includes the details of several initiatives designed to close the skills gap, all of which I’ve had the privilege to participate in. Go Build Alabama, I Make America, and my own modest efforts through Dirty Jobs and mikeroweWORKS. I’m especially proud to announce “Discover Your Skills,” a broad-based initiative from Discovery Communications that I believe can change perceptions in a meaningful way.

I encourage you to support these efforts, because closing the skills gap doesn’t just benefit future tradesmen and the companies desperate to hire them. It benefits people like me, and anyone else who shares my addiction to paved roads, reliable bridges, heating, air conditioning, and indoor plumbing. The skills gap is a reflection of what we value. To close the gap, we need to change the way the country feels about work.

Solor Eames

2011-06-15T05:09:00.001-07:00

via the goldensmith

making stuff in Zbrush

2011-06-07T11:41:00.001-07:00

making a bracelet in Zbrush from arthur hash on Vimeo.

This is a time lapse video of modeling a bracelet in zbrush and then printing on a Dimension 3D printer

Stelring silver 3D Print

2011-06-03T05:05:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the opportunity to test out Shapeways silver 3D printing service. I have used Shapeways before for a number of projects but mostly for just doing a quick print, never for a final product. A while back I had designed a piece using Zbrush my new favorite organic modeler. I had a versions of this model that I made as a bracelet and now I have made it into a ring. It is interesting to see how it translates. It is magical/scary how you can just wave your mouse and the bracelet is now a ring. I can remember many many critiques where someone would hold up a piece and say "You should make this into a ring" The model is first printed in wax and then cast. Apparently this is the same way that class rings are made now and most production jewelry (Tiffany's etc) I am shocked at how well this works. I was very skeptical. I thought that it wouldn't be quite what I wanted or it would have some pitting or something. It is perfect! I love it and and I have three more on the way. Each one different to test how well this process works. The first is this ring and the others are brooch backs that have built in catches and pin stems. I would HIGHLY recommend you all try it. I will report all of my findings on the blog. Back to work and the tool room make over.

muscles of seeeing.

2011-06-02T05:18:00.001-07:00

"I am a very very highly tuned appreciator of objects"
"I better have muscles of seeing"
"it is only through the parts that the whole gets delivered"

2011-06-01T08:18:00.001-07:00

holy crap

2011-05-30T06:38:00.001-07:00

Thanks David Neale

Tool Room Makeover

2011-05-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

I just started the SUNY New Paltz metal program, tool room makeover! Holy crap we have a lot of stuff. I am trying to make it easier for students to access the tools. I have also decided that it has been hard to determine what tools we have therefore it must be almost impossible to know what you will need. Everyday I discover a new tool and say to myself "If I had known we had this I would have used it".

Using the CNC I have made the ultimate pegboard. I am going to use shaker pegs with 1/2" tenons (the kind with mushroom heads) to hang stuff up. The hole grid will allow me to change it on the fly if I need to. I feel like I am waist high in tools and supplies.

I will post some in process photos now and some finished photos later. Wish me luck.

2011-05-27T10:42:00.001-07:00

2011-05-19T05:22:00.001-07:00

2011-05-19T05:20:00.001-07:00

F5 2011 RE:PLAY Film Festival. Inductance from Physalia Studio on Vimeo.

2011-05-16T12:56:00.001-07:00

Beauty Through Bamboo from Turnstyle Video on Vimeo.

2011-05-10T12:43:00.001-07:00

fake ikea manuals

2011-05-10T09:58:00.000-07:00

jello

2011-05-05T10:28:00.001-07:00

new felt necklace

2011-05-02T12:11:00.000-07:00

Just got a package in the mail from Filzfelt. They are making curtains with holes punched out and they make great "beads". Is it funny that all I see is jewelry? Also the cat can't help but be involved.

2011-04-30T17:01:00.001-07:00

New toy! I mean tool.

2011-04-26T16:13:00.000-07:00

I finally got the stationary planisher that I pre-ordered almost a year ago from Otto Frei. At one point I was so sick of waiting I almost had a tool maker make me one. I now know that it was worth the wait. I freaking love this thing. It is great. I have been dying to get my own for literally three years (well three years in a few months). If you need to make something flat quickly this is the only thing that will do. It will make washers from jump-rings. It will make round wire square, it will flatten the edges of a ring, if you wanted to work harden some nickel silver for a box clasp or quickly take a low dome to a flat disc, this thing will do it in a couple of blows. It has a three inch upper platten and a 4 inch lower plate. It weighs a ton but again totally worth the back pain getting it down into the basement. The upper platten comes off so you can re-finish it if you have to. The spring can be replaced and the blue is a nice touch. They used to be red. Now I just need things to make flat.

2011-04-26T05:10:00.001-07:00

2011-04-26T05:06:00.001-07:00

The Glass Eye Maker from Tomas Leach on Vimeo.

2011-04-25T11:07:00.001-07:00

Symmetry from Everynone on Vimeo.

2011-04-25T05:14:00.001-07:00

The Hourglass from Ikepod on Vimeo.

2011-04-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

More here

Engraving workshop

2011-04-18T07:10:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend Liz and I hosted NC Black tool company and Les Bryant for an engraving workshop at our home studio. It was great. Mainly the workshop was on hammer engraving but on the last day we did flush setting and pave setting. We learned so much in two days my hands went numb. Les and Andrea were great we had a blast. I think Liz found out that she is an expert at flush and pave settings and on her way to becoming a great engraver. I found out that I am all thumbs. I need LOTS of practice. I also rolled my ankle half way through the workshop (ouch). Here are some photos. Les brought a really nice gun that he has been working on. It was really really nice!

2011-04-14T13:14:00.001-07:00

Omer Arbel's Series 19 from Core77 on Vimeo.

2011-04-14T08:48:00.001-07:00

electro etching

2011-04-11T04:57:00.000-07:00

So I have been doing some experimentation. When I went to MassArt to do a visiting artist gig I was shown a etching technique by Peter Evonuk that used salt water and electricity. The by-product is copper chloride which really is not any worse than spent pickle. We dispose of our pickle in a big vat in the basement and a guy comes and gets it. For us, the spent solution after etching can go in that same vat. This technique will also etch steel, aluminum and titanium. I am not sure what by-products those other metals produce. I am just going to stick with copper. If you try this please check with someone before dumping. I am thrilled at the possibility of being able to replace some of the acid in the SUNY metal studio with a salt water solution. It kind of blew my mind. I had to try it. It works so well and so fast and it was home studio safe. This is the way I did it. I am sure I did something wrong. There is also some electricity involved so there is a shock hazard (under 9 volts and 1/2 amp).

The results below are only meant as a guide please consult an expert before trying it at home.

Here are my results.

I bought a medium height Tupperware container, two copper bars and a LOT of kosher salt

I marked the copper bar to cut a groove so they would sit on the edge of the tank

I also drilled holes to run a stainless wire to create my anode

I used a stainless brazing rod, stuck it in the hole I drilled in my bar and bent it in a U shape around the bottom of my tank

Next, I painted some 24 gauge copper plates that I drilled holes in and etched off the paint using the laser engraver

The result after the laser had removed the paint

Next I added hot, almost boiling water. I then added kosher salt. Lots of Kosher salt. I think it was almost 1 part salt 3 parts water. Just keep adding salt until it stops dissolving. This is your super saturated solution and how the etching works.

So here is the setup, the negative is your anode and the positive is connected to what you want to etch. Notice that my piece that I am etching is NOT touching the stainless wire. This is VERY important. I also used a silver wire to hang my piece. This method does not etch silver.

After everything is hooked up I switched on the rectifier and watched closely as the bubbles started to stir things up.

This is a plating rectifier I bought from Rio. I think it was $130 or something. As you can tell you are only using a few volts and less than one amp. You can use two double AA batteries. One of those radio shack black battery holders and some alligator clips works just fine.

After about 20 minutes the water looks like this. The brown stuff is just copper. When adjusting things make sure the power is off!

Before pulling out my sheet I was careful to shut off my rectifier and un-clip my alligator clips. It was getting pretty deep and the paint was starting to get worn away.

Once I was happy with the depth I sanded off the paint and viola! etched metal.

thanks frankie

2011-04-09T05:38:00.001-07:00

New Website!!!

2011-03-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

Just updated my website

more from Projectione

2011-03-28T05:13:00.000-07:00

A while back I had posted a bathroom renovation that used a CNC and a vacuum former. That same design team has now conquered another project. See all the details here

EXOtique from PROJECTiONE on Vimeo.

Show coming up.

2011-03-28T04:53:00.000-07:00

Tom Herman: Poppy brooch. 18k gold, chyrsoprase, spiney oyster shell and shakudo

Jamie Bennett: Posteriori No. 3, Brooch with gold chain. 2008 enamel, copper, 18k gold. Photo courtesy of Sienna Gallery

Jamie Bennett: Posteriori No. 7 Brooch. 2008 enamel, copper, 18k gold. Photo courtesy of Sienna Gallery

Pat Flynn, Bracelet, iron and 22k gold and 18 k gold

I am honored to be a part of this exhibition. So many heavy hitters. It is also my first big city show!! eeeeeeeeee. At the Forbes gallery no less.

I have included images above and links below.

Here is the Press Release:

Living within the immediate vicinity of the New Paltz area in upstate New York are a number of important studio jewelry artists whose work will be the focus of an exhibition at The Forbes Galleries in New York, April 9 – June 25.

Jewelers of the Hudson Valley, will feature the work of seven prominent jewelry artists: Jennifer Trask, Tom Herman, Pat Flynn, Jamie Bennett, Myra Mimlitsch-Gray, Arthur Hash and Sergey Jivetin. In addition, there will be pieces from the collection of the Samuel Dorsky Museum, State University of New York/New Paltz on display and selected works by students and graduates of the metals’ program at SUNY/New Paltz.

The guest curator is Elyse Zorn Karlin, co-director of the Association for the Study of Jewelry & Related Arts, Post Chester, N.Y., which is sponsoring the exhibition.

The Forbes Galleries are located within the lobby of Forbes magazine headquarters in New York, 62 Fifth Ave. The Galleries are open free to the public 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays.

A curator’s tour of the exhibition is schedules for June 18 at 2 p.m. for anyone interested in signing up or one can be booked for groups of 10 or more by contacting Elyse Karlin at ekarlin@usa.net. There is no charge for a tour.

The Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts, LLC is dedicated to the advancement of jewelry studies by individuals and in schools, museums, and institutions of higher learning. AJSRA publishes Adornment Magazine, a weekly newsletter, runs an annual fall event, numerous additional special events, and offers a number of other benefits.

Link
Link
Link

Jennifer Trask

2011-03-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

Liz and I had the pleasure of going to Ornamentum last night to see Jenifer Trask's opening titled Vestige, Written in Bone. Fresh off the heals of Schmuck and soon on to a solo space at this year's SOFA NY Jen's new work combines elegant jewelry with a twist ending. Included in the exhibition were pieces made from sewing needles, gold, and bone. Each piece drew me in with a guessing game of how, what and why. "What is that chrysanthemum made of?" "Beaver teeth." "What about that one?" "Penis bone?" "Are those sewing needles?" Personally I would have easily worn any of the jewelry pieces but the larger necklaces which seemed to be made of a wonderful combination of antlers and highly decorative, gold leafed wooded picture frames called out to me. All in all a great representation of her new body of work. Congrats Jenn. Look forward to seeing it at SOFA.

bike wheels

2011-03-16T08:47:00.001-07:00

Production from H Plus Son on Vimeo.

new job

2011-03-14T06:09:00.000-07:00

So it is official. After careful consideration and negotiation, I am now the full time instructional support technician for the State University of New York at New Paltz Metal Program and Digital Fabrication Lab. It is full time and tenure track. Liz and I are VERY happy and are now going to be able to settle down in the Hudson Valley area. I feel blessed to find such a wonderful job with so many amazing colleagues. I hope to spend more time appreciating my surroundings and hopefully spend much more time in the studio making. I also hope to find the time to write more on the blog. For the last six months, regrettably I have only had the time to post craft/design/art videos and photos. I hope to add to that by sharing more technical images, process shots and semi-critical reviews. Thanks again for reading. Check back soon for more exciting things.

2011-03-11T17:38:00.001-08:00

*No paper was harmed during the making of this film. from Tommaso Minnetti on Vimeo.

The Art Escape Plan

thanks frankie

ACC Baltimore

Trip

For all of you traveling abroad.....

bracelet (steel and paint)

New Years!!

happy holidays

More enamel

secret santa brooch

new metals studio training video?

laser etching on hardwood

3D hardwood cutting on the CNC

Talisman

ring thing

new brooches/crafted

oh boy

Hand drawings laser etched in enamel

Lasssssseeerrrr

More felt necklaces for holiday sale

New stuff sent off to Montreal

Crazy busy

A metalsmith won a MacArthur award!!

magnets

more metals!!!

kevin potter

our wedding

only five days left.

NC BLACK tools

stuffffffffff

water painting

happy forth of july!

more metals renovation

new dust skirt fro the CNC

yum

silver links

More tool room makeover

thanks Frankie

Solor Eames

making stuff in Zbrush

Stelring silver 3D Print

muscles of seeeing.

holy crap

Tool Room Makeover

fake ikea manuals

More videos from Frankie's blog

jello

new felt necklace

New toy! I mean tool.

Engraving workshop

electro etching

thanks frankie

New Website!!!

more from Projectione

Show coming up.

Jennifer Trask

bike wheels

new job