scanning

Our Sense 3D scanner finally came in.  

Much like the xerox machine.  All I want to do is copy my face.  

MAKERBOT INVASION!

So today is the day. I can finally post some images because in a few hours we will be cutting the ribbon on our new makerbot array/innovation center. So many makerbots. There are so many people that helped make all of this happen. From administrators to electricians, it was a HUGE endeavor. 
Last night, we almost made all of them print at the same time (video below).  They are all running just fine, I just thought it would be epic to make them all run at once.  They also look super cool with the lights off.  
I think that this will allow an unprecedented level of access to 3d printing here at SUNY New Paltz.  In just a few short years our little lab has grown by leaps and bounds.  I am happy to help be a part of all of this and I hope this continues to grow.  I also hope all of this translates into a major and we eventually will expand into a larger facility.  
Thank you to Bre Petis, the CEO of makerbot and all of the other people involved.  
Now I have to go to work.  I am sure there will be a line of people outside of the lab today.  

learning sculptris

In attempt to add to my digital curriculum I have started experimenting with Sculptris (a free hybrid software that utilizes parts of Zbrush).  First things first master the head sculpt.  I am also stalling until Tuesday to post photos of our "Big" announcement.  

I am making slow progress. Mind you these "sculpts" start off as spheres.  I need to make a video.   

METALS PARTY

     After being postponed three times the metals department finally had their holiday party.  Jamie Bennett hosted the party and after the hoopla he gave us a tour of his studio.  The last time I had been in Jamie's studio it had just been finished and he was moving all of his stuff in.  This time it was full of work! 

      Every holiday party we do a secret santa. This year I got an incredible handmade copper tankard.  It had a glass lens in the bottom!  I miss hanging out with the metal peeps. 

  

Amazing! 

  More adventures.  

I am actually finding bursts of energy here and there to make some stuff.  Mostly experiments.  Things that I had been meaning to finish up.  We have some incredible things happening at school.  I can't quite talk about it yet but it is kind of big.  I have two commissions, a solo show, two classes, two workshops, one group show and of course the digi lab to manage.  There is a lot on my plate right now.  I am keeping up but just barely.  So far so good.  I will try to keep things going on the blog but it is a stretch.  

  I had this bag of prints sitting on my desk and I finally strung them together.  Also we finally put the last layer of ink on the Cyan, Magenta, Yellow prints. Not too bad.  I still think they need something more.  Good news is we wont run out of spoil boards anytime soon.  

ECU symposium

Liz and I recently returned from a whirlwind tour of the south. In a lot of ways we miss living there. Living in New York for so long has changed us and we forgot what it is like to interact with happy people.  It is so strange when you go into a store and hear  "Hello, good morning, how are you darling?" or "Are you two okay? can I get you anything?", "Just hollar if you need something."  It just makes you feel good. It is such a contrast from what we have grown accustomed to.  While the conference was incredible our visit was somewhat bittersweet. My father is recovering from a serious illness and needed some TLC. So our visit down south dovetailed together neatly with a visit back home. 

 I was invited to demonstrate electrolytic etching at East Carolina University's Metal symposium. This year the theme was Material Topics: “Image and Meaning”. It was the first time in a while that I have had an opportunity to lecture on my complete body of work. While the schedule was a tight, two, two hours sessions back to back, I think that it was a hit. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces in the audience and poking around the symposium. 

The following day I was off the hook. I tried to step into as many demonstrations and exhibitions as I could.  I have found that you can go crazy trying to do everything.  I am sure my experience was just the tip of the iceberg.  I think I came close to seeing everything before I ultimately succumbed to sleep. 

 So in order here are the highlights: David Clemons kicked off the conference. His lecture was great. I have to say that it was one of the more captivating metals lecture I have attended in years. His work crosses boundaries few dare to go.  I also scored a sweet print from him which I am stoked to get in a frame and up in my studio (pictures soon). Teresa Faris's lecture was also compelling and moving. It was amazing to see such emotion balanced with humorous collaboration. The 50/50 show was a power house of an exhibition. It was a who's who of metals folks. It was curated my Bob Ebendorf and Tara Locklear. I was honored to be a part of it (photos below). I was so mesmerized by all the work that I didn't take any photos. I am stealing Tara's facebook photos for the blog. There was a reliquary show with some great pieces (Lin Stanionis pieces pictured below.  To quote Bruce Pepich from his great lecture during the symposium her work ".....totally rolled my socks down!"), I do I do an exhibition put together by Nicole Jacquard and the IU grad students and finally the Saw, File Solder relay! They should title next years relay "There will be blood!"  I also loved the demos by Avery Lucas (chaising), Andrew Kuebeck (photo transfer and leather embossing) and Alison Pack (micro shell forming).  At the end of the symposium the president of SNAG Renee Zettle-Sterling announced that Bob Ebendorf was receiving the Life Time achievement award.  It was an emotional acceptance and the cherry on the sundae for the whole event. CONGRATS Bob! 

 So to sum it all up, it was a smaller, more intimate conference when compared with SNAG. It reflected the younger, vibrant, energized metals scene. It is such an amazing group of people, all doing different things yet functioning normally unlike some of the more sterile, antisocial, faceless conferences that I have been to in the past.  It was invigorating and exhausting at the same time. I miss having such a positive creative community. I am excited to be able to start the semester again. There is so much great stuff happening at school. It is nice to be home with Taco and I am happy to sit still for a minute before getting back to work.