Where Is My Mind?

The American Craft Council show was held in Baltimore this last weekend. It was a great opportunity to speak with master craftsmen about their concepts and process. I learned quite a lot, and came away from the convention feeling inspired (and with an armful of free swag).

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Art Trade:

Shin-Yeon Jeon, a prominent Baltimore ceramic artist, is trading me her "Where Is My Mind" reduction fired luster tumbler on the left for my metallic wrap blown glass tumbler on the right. AWESOME.

Some of my work is featured on her website under "Modeling: Concept and Process"

Is anyone else interested in trading art with me?

-> SavannaLeighArt@gmail.com <-

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The current state of my studio-bedroom. The drawing on the easel is the half-finished "Vertigo"

madness.

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Life Hack

Upon examining my planner, I've just now realized how many projects I'm actually currently working on. (I nearly forgot my own birthday too, thank god it's in my planner as well) I need a better system of productivity. For a brief period of my summer, I became obsessed with productivity and this new indie movement of "life hacking," that is, tweaking the details of your daily life to maximize output. Most of this starts with the internet- There are thousands of little apps that will run your life for you (especially if you're a Mac user), but I'm a little too old fashioned. I need things in ink on paper. I have a calendar in my bag instead of in my phone.

The problem is, I've never found a planner that works well for me- so I made my own. It's a hacked Moleskine. I know they're super trendy, but honestly I keep using that brand because they don't catch on fire as easily as paper planners. Rouge sparks beware.

The problem I'm running into now is visual space. I think I need to see all of my thoughts laid out at once, so I can more easily delegate priorities and tasks. I'm gonna put them all on my wall. Each project will get its own page featuring its title, its deadline, and the steps and materials needed to complete it. Here's a start, if you're curious about all the ideas I've accumulated:

• Teddy Bear- Rhino 3D Digital Model.
• "Vertigo"- Single point perspective drawing in charcoal and graphite.
• "Mercy Me"- Newest song in the works (think Man Man meets Andrew Bird)
• Ponoko Sales- I need to get my Etsy shop off its feet, selling these.
• "TransBat"- Fiberglass sculpture investigating masculinity and normative gender identity.
• "Blind as a Bat"- Fiberglass sculpture investigating the blindness of Lady Justice.
• Spiral Papers- Hundreds of little paper spirals being made for future site specific. installation art.
• Transmodern Festival: Pedestrian Service Exquisite- Writing a proposal for my participation in April.
• Steel Candle Holder- Still needs to be polished and waxed.
• Business Cards- Need printing and customization. I'm running low.
• "Lil' Dickies"- A multiples based installation project in clay.
• 3D Drawing- As investigated here.. needs to be finished.
• 5 Page Analysis on Hitchcock's "North by Northwest," "39 Steps," and "Saboteur."
• Editing video for Tim McFadden in exchange for studio time.
• Working with Shelly Blake-Plock on his upcoming album.

Oh, and laundry. Lots of that to do too.

Documentary

Yesterday, I was filmed for a short documentary about me and my art. We shot B-roll of me forging and welding steel and working with some clay. There are also some beautifully lit shots of my portfolio, and a short interview of me (awkwardly) answering questions. I've been promised a copy of the film on YouTube when it's finished in post-production, and it will be published here. Keep checking!

Fantasy Landscape

My first big project in digital 3D, using a program for Mac in Beta called Rhino. This is super difficult. Not at all my cup of tea. Eventually though, I'll be using this technology to print my designs from the computer into a real 3D object. I'd like to combine this with Ponoko somehow.. We shall see.

A short video on Rapid Prototyping, 3D Printing:

Good Old Fashioned R&D

Results: Inconclusive

A few (of the many) sketches and maquettes I built over the last week investigating how to crease and bend paper to create new layers and shadows.

Way too painstaking.

I'm not precise enough in my construction to create curves without wrinkles and lines without stray marks. Or maybe my bar for craftsmanship is way too high for my first go round with this concept. Either way.

...This would look sweet in steel...

Snomageddon

Ten days since my last post? To my non-local and international readers, here is your answer.

Though it may not look like alot to you northerners, my poor city of Baltimore simply doesn't have the resources to deal with this. Time to ration the bread and rice.

Steel Face Mask

Last semester I was commissioned by Malcolm Jonathan Rio to design and build a facial piece for his macabre photo shoot. In a little less than a week, I was able to throw this thing together.

It's high gauge steel wire forged and welded to suit the structure of the female face- my first shot at true jewelry. The steel band rests over the ears and slides behind the head, and can be adjusted with a twist of the pliers.

I'd like to do some more like this, but way more complex. I was under a stiff deadline for this one, but with a little more time, I think I could cook up something a bit more devilish.

Seen here modeled by Gabe Jolly

Shot by Sidney Etienne

Seen here modeled by yours truly

Wrapped in bandages and gauze

Shot by Mr. Rio