Studio Activity

 

Today seemed like a good day to get up to the Studio and get some work done.  I had an idea for a future project, and nothing more important that I had to do today, so I took the ride after breakfast.  I used by new power saw to cut a block from my sheet of plywood.  I don't necessarily have a project for it yet, but I will eventually need one and it fits a frame I have.  I did some sketches in my sketchbook of things there in the basement, and idea I have, but I don't know if it will turn into something or not.  All the sawdust generated by my cutting off a piece of wood gave me an excuse to sweep the floor around my table, so I did that as well.  I also retrieved a bag full of plastic parts, mostly bottle caps, I had in my Studio.  These are for my niece, who I heard collects them as part of her Girl Scout troop for possible recycling into a bench or something, so I planned to offer them to her next time I saw her.  If she doesn't want them, I guess they will go back.  I used to save such things for my 3D students at my colleges for use in their artificial materials projects, but I don't work at either school any more, so I don't need them.  I also used to give them to an artist I know who used such things to make art, and she was a regular in the critiques we used to hold there, but that stopped a few years ago also.  

I had noticed an envelope with Molly's name on it and a piece of tape, on one of her tables, which is something the office had planned to do, so I stopped by on my way out to confirm this.  Had my bag of plastic stuff with me. I had been jokingly accused to stealing things from the building (not that they have anything worth stealing there), and to prove what I had was not something from there, I showed them what it was.  This led to a whole discussion about recycled materials and holding some kind of Earth Day celebration there.  If that happens, they could do worse than get Lisa Bagwell involved.  Above we see one of Lisa's sculptures, from a juried show in Belmar.  (she's the artist I had been saving them for in the past)  Back when I taught 3D as a college class I used to borrow some of Lisa's sculptures as examples to show my students, and they were always very impressed with what she could do with what most people would consider to be garbage.  I also have a lot of photos of her work from various blogs, such as the one you see above, made from corks, plastic caps and lids, gloves, razors, and whatever else is in this "Giant Hoagie" of hers.  

Later in the afternoon, I sent Elyse the contact information I had for Lisa, in case she wanted to look her up and get her to be part of whatever Earth Day thing she wants to do.  It's now in Elyse's hands, but I did my part.

And my niece came by still later to drop off some Girl Scout cookies, and is still collecting plastic stuff, so my father gave her his small collection, and I gave her the giant bag full I had in my car.  A good trade I think.