Show/ The Rattles

Alright, I had a request from someone else for more information on the Rattles, how they were made and what they were made off. In posting these so late I did not include a whole lot about them of that nature. So here we go:

So the first one, is the one hanging slightly farther up--the spider web one. This project started out from the idea of doing cocoon's and cocoon rattles is where it went. That particular rattle is made out of Mawata (Silk Hankies), that are made from silk worm cocoons. They were stretched across the branch and then with liberal use of spray starch and a bit of glue they stayed on. However, beneath them are two key components that give it more structure: string was wound around the branch first in various direction to give some added mesh another layer for the hankies to stick to, strung from the strings were a number of silk rods.

I'm not sure that you can see the silk rods on the inside (they are a golden color next to the white of the silk), inside of the rods I sewed bells. Thus when you pick it up and shake it the whole thing jingles. The over all affect was nice but rather quieter then I wanted it too be.

The second one was made out of the silk worm cocoon's themselves, I purchased all that Shadeyside Farms had. The nice thing about these were, I did not get the good ones. I purchased all of their discolored or deformed cocoon's. They were very nice people if you ever need anything I would suggest getting it from them. I was not disappointed, prompt email responses, etc.

As you can tell from the image many of these were dipped in red dye to give them a little more contrast--a decision I'm not overly fond of not as it just looks like blood--against the white wall in the gallery space. All of these were threaded on a red string and wound around the branch that they were attached to.

Which brings me to where the idea for this piece started for me and that was with silk worm cocoon's themselves. I had purchased a couple off of cocoon's and rods from Larkspurfunnyfarm, out of curiosity to see what they looked like. The one thing that really intrigued me was the fact that--with the dead bug inside of them--they rattled. (I actually have ideas and plans to make a dress that has these all over it so that it rattles when you move but we'll see how that goes.) I was so intrigued by this phenomenon that I wanted to do more with them and so it went from there.

Now, we get to the good part. So I was paired up with a Ceramists by the name of Chris White. Chris did a lot of the wood gathering, and helped build/mount the piece that goes on the wall as well. On this last one he also created ceramic tiles that look like little bits of bark.

The under bits of this cocoon are actually made from stitched piece of wool. I was going to make it from undyed silk rods; however, it was not large enough to contain the tiles or the weight at that point. I dyed the wool roughly the same color as the cocoon's and then cut it into similar sized pieces and stitched it with red thread. After it was put together it was stuffed--with raw wool roving--and bound onto the stick. The ceramic tiles were then loosely stitched onto the wool base, so that they over lapped with each other.

Thus when this piece is shaken it is the collection of ceramic tiles hitting one upon the other, that makes the noise.

Over all the project was a lot of fun, though the end result was rather quiet. Unfortunately give the viewing space, it did not have as much effect as I would have liked but--they do not usually have a radio blasting in the corner either. So it was what it is. I hope that, that answers any questions people might have about the production and the collaboration of this project/ exhibit. If you have more feel free to ask. Cheers! J

So Catch up: Collaborative Shows

Since the last time I posted in here, I have participated in a couple of smaller collaborative shows which have been fun. I'm going to put up a few images here, beginning with the oldest and moving on to the one that happened on 11.11.11 (at the start of this month.)

BFA Collaborative Show: Rattles

These are images from the collaborative BFA show, that happened last year actually. *chuckles*. I was paired with and worked with one of the ceramic's BFA's and he created the lovely ceramic (the ones that look like bark), tiles that created the rattle part of the center rattle. Over all it was a fun project.

Textiles Artists Assembling Show: Forces

The theme behind the TAA show was 'Forces', I played around with a circular weave and the way that the wool constrains that when it's felted. The idea was the way that we conform to and confine ourselves to forms within society for various reasons and in various ways. In the end I just liked the form and wanted to try making it.

Eventually I would like to see these things much larger and a whole lot more of them. I would also like to incorporate something coming into or going out of them in some way as well--possibly with a larger or longer fringe on the end of the weaving's.

Cheers!

Black and Yellow

So, this is the jacket that I did for my final weaving project last semester. While I like what this is, it isn't exactly what I set out to do. This project began with one of the other weavers doing pleats. I thought it would be neat to have a jacket with pleats down the back that got consecutively larger.

I wanted the pleats to be made out of something see through, so that you got a layered effect. (I have been thinking about trying the pleats again and scratching the visibility idea, just because I still have this image stuck in my head of what I wanted it to look like in terms of form... which is this but isn't this.)

I tried a number of different things. The one that ended up working the best was the fishing line. Though my original idea was to use plastic, as I did with the garment in the previous post. However, even if the plastic was cut in very narrow strips, the visibility was lost when it got bunched up in the weave.

I'm currently planning on doing a set up that includes both this piece and the plastic/trashion piece as interacting with each other. Similar in some respects to what I tried to do with this scene. In this scene I plan on working with the silhouette as I did in weighted. The difference being that in this current scene, I would like to attempt to try and make the silhouette look as if it is wearing the garment hanging out in front of it.

I'm going to try a set up that includes on the heads, hands and feet of the silhouette and not the entire thing. The problem that I can see right now, is the fact that different people will be viewing it from varying heights, as we are all different shapes and sizes. This will mean that if I line up the garments and the outlines for my height, it will be off for everyone else.

Though I suppose some wiggle room could be added in there... there is some work that needs to be done, and things that need to be played around with. I'm hoping to get some time in the study this weekend to see what I can do.  I thought about going in today but... I can't carry everything I need with me and that's the only option at this point.

Anyway, I need to figure out how I want to model for the silhouettes for me. Doing myself is hard and easy at the same time. There is something in that thought, of doing to silhouettes of myself. Hmmm... has a different meaning though.

Alright, that's it for now. Outwards and onwards. Poofs.

Trashion, ReFashion

So, for a few months now I've been playing with the idea, working on the idea and sometimes getting somewhere with it. I planned this piece out last semester actually and then did a couple of thing's wrong. Anyway, the idea was to use a great deal of the trash yarn/cord that I have. Unfortunately I spaced out on that when I was setting up for this project. However, all things considered it turned out fairly well. ;)

The above are some images of the top modeled by my friend Clara. ;) The top is made out of cotton and wool, the pleats down the front are plastic (the same plastic that's used for the skirt bellow). The top is all of one piece at the moment, depending on who's going to model it for the show, I might have to make it a bit smaller. We'll see. ;) So that was all done end of the semester last year. Over the break I started working on the monstrosity bellow.

The skirt is made out of trash plastic and was going to be all one layer. However, the single layer was not poofy enough for what I wanted. So I ended up fashioning a fathered under-layer. You can see the under-layer as modeled by myself at the end of the collage. The lamp shade model is wearing the entirety of the thing as it is right now. I plan on fashioning an adjustable waist band of some sort today. Vanishes.

What?

I've been trying to figure out the last few days, why certain images appeal to me. Why do I find one more evocative then the other? What is the element that hooks me and draws me in? I'm not sure what it is, but usually it's because I read an emotional content into it. An emotional content that feels truly expressed in some way. Though, in truth I'm not rightly sure how to show that or to put it into words in other ways.

The reason for attempting to do this, is linked to another problem. I have not posted images of this work, but I've been working in hanging garment forms in my textiles work of late. In creating narratives between these disembodies garments that become representation of people, stories and lives. So in trying to figure out what appeals to me in an image, I'm hoping to try and better express that feeling or thought in the scenes that I create with these garment forms.

I'm also working with pairing specific garments with silhouettes on the walls. Where in this gets a little harder because you have less and more to work with. The trick now is figuring out what the relationship between the silhouette and the garment is. Does it change based on objects and arrangement? Does it always contain some of the same inherent properties? What is the story, image, or emotion that I wish to convey?

To give you some examples, here are a few images of some of the pieces that I worked on last semester. Though the locations are not exactly ideal for displaying these garments without background interference, it is what it is. :)

For some reason I'm having a hard time figuring this out. I was hoping that writing this might help but I still have no answers. Hahhaa. Alright enough wasting time on the computer. Cheers. vanishes

Weaving Chaps

Alright, so I've had a few curious comments from people. So, my last weaving project for BFA was a woven pair of chaps. Which seems to boggle people's minds just a little bit.

Thusly, here are a few images from said project. Pardon the unedited versions of images, I'm still having issues getting CS 4 or 5 to work in any form and haven't had the time to sit down with my computer and try anything that takes more time.

 So basically, they were woven all in one long piece on the loom. The wool was inserted into the weave and locked in place by further weaving. Once everything was woven, one long piece was taken off the loom and cut into sections, legs and waist. The sections were then sewn together to create the chaps.

I realize now I don't have a good frontal view of them, only the side view. But this gives people an idea. ;) 

Anyway, so yeah. Now two weeks before the next critique because everything has been shoved together. So, I need to go and start working on that, not to mention reading for my other class and another project for the weaving class (for that kinda got shoved out of the way in the need to finish the chaps... which subsequently too much, much longer then they were supposed to.) But yeah, I will post a few Feast pictures eventually. vanishes.

Conversation/Creak Monster Romance

Original Image Note: Lake Griffy, earlier on this year before the foliage busted out all over the place. I would like to go back down there now that it's more greened out but we'll see if that happens.

The creak that runs into the lake is just really beautiful, I love the color of it and with the colors of the slowly wakening forest it was beautiful. This is first of two images that go together titled, 'Creak Monster Romance', one of the top twenty places to take your creak monster sweat heart. A location that is sure to woe her and make her fall head over heels in love with you. This prime location is good for a number of reasons. Deeper water near by to hide from, a fair number of unsuspecting visitors around the water and in boats on the lake, and it includes a number of small water ways and marshy areas that are perfect for birthing baby creak monsters. The lake is also located in an area that contains large amounts of lime stone, a rock that creak monsters find quiet taste and is key in the growth of the young creak monsters after they are born.

V. Yes, the creek there on the right looks like prime territory. I like the green stuff and the way it ripples away in the distance.

J. I can just see a pair of googly eyes peeking up out of it, floating slowly closer to you.

Honey, is that a log?

Yes, of course dear what else would it be?

A few minutes later: It's moving towards us... are you sure there aren't any crocodiles in here?

Sweatheart we're in the middle of the United States for crying out-loud there are no crocodiles or alligators up here.

What... what about that movie?

What movie?

Lake Placid.

Dear, that was a movie nothing more. It's not real.

But that log... it really is getting closer.

Shall I poke it and roll it over for you? (rummages around for a stick) Will that make you feel better.

Honey it's got eyes!

Finds a stick: Of course it does dear (pulls on stick and it doesn't come up), just give me a minute over here. Wow that was one stubborn stick, I didn't think I was ever going to get it up. (finally managed to break the stick with a well placed hiking boot and a strong arm) Now, dear I'll show you it's just a... log.

conversation/Rainbow Waters of China

V. Oooh, how mysterious. I suppose it's something for hauling stone? Out of a quarry? But wait! What is that long hose thing that's being held up by three little beige benches!? Mysteries abound!

J. I think it's a run off from the plant into the hole. But I'm not really sure, I didn't get any closer to the water it was creepy.

V. Yeah, looks kind of creepy and maybe dangerous to go out too close to the edge there.

J. The water was all frosty and glazed over but some times the color was a little odd. It was quiet like something might come bursting out of it and gobble you up.

V. Oh hoho. I know what you mean... That suspicious color that looks a little too chemical... might harbor some radioactive beastie with glowing tentacles...!

J. Yeah, exactly that odd color. Like the bright green lakes in the middle of nowhere... I'll have to stop and take pictures the next time I see one of those. I think the home owners have made made lakes and add chemicals to them to keep the algae from growing. They are the oddest color.

V. Yeah, I think they have lots of those in Florida! Reminds me of a news snippet I saw about blue water pollution in China from blue-jeans factories... Hmmm...

J. Is the water the same color from the pollution or does it just tie in?

V. ust ties in, I guess. The water turns blue, like jeans...

J. And then when you start getting into colored jeans you get some really interesting stuff.

V. Mmm, yes... The "rainbow waters" of China. We could make a whole tourist trade out of it.

J. Ahahha, the new eight wonder of the word. Go for a swim and you might find yourself cured and able to walk again or you might find that you have a few extra feet and three legs instead of two. It's a gamble and so many people would go for it.

This conversation was conducted on DeviantArt between my friend vanilla-vanilla and myself krazysidhe. For it and other conversations feel free to hunt around, we hope you’ve enjoyed today’s installment.

conversation/The Ranks of the Ghost Squirrels

V. Squirrel? Looks like ghost of squirrel past.

J. Ah you know how those ghostly squirrels are, they just never got away and they are always chattering but you can't quiet hear them. So most people dismiss the noise as nothing but really... it's the ghosts of all those squirrels that get run over every year, they come back with a vengeance. But unfortunately their imaginary nuts, just really don't have much impact on the people or the cars that they throw them at. Thus you end up with a lot of frustrated vengeful squirrels. Eventually they get rather tired of running around neighborhoods and play chicken with the cars that killed them in the first place--after all dead ghostly squirrels really aren't that much smarter then living squirrels--they migrate slowly into the more wooded areas. They live in communes together in the forests and eventually one by one they fade. However, there is always more of them to replace the others--rather like the rabbits. After all they breed like bunnies there are always more of them... living or dead!

V. Oho, this is why there always seem to be more and more squirrels everywhere! Like my back yard, where they keep forgetting where they buried the nuts, so they have to look everywhere... Maybe you'll run across a squirrel commune when you have your camera. After you take that picture of new batteries.

J. Ah but did you know the real reason that they forgot where their nuts where? That's because all of the ghost squirrels, confuse the living squirrels so much that they can't find their nuts. Because the dead ones know where they are but they are so frustrated that they can't eat the nuts--they can't even dig them up poor things. That they usually decide that if they can't have the nuts then those who can actually eat them sure as hell aren't getting a hold of any nuts.

V. Oh! I saw one yesterday afternoon. I was driving, and this tiny little juvenile squirrel darted into the middle of a busy street, then sat looking wildly about and turning in circles as cars zoomed in all directions, and ghost squirrels tried to pummel it with nuts...

J. Poor little squirrel, he so did not know what hit him. I can just hear all of the ghost squirrels cackling from the side walks. Because after they're dead they are much smarter and quiet a bit nastier. At least most of them. I'm sure somewhere there is the few lonely little ghost squirrels who try and do good but their voices aren't heard over the chatter of the others.

The second photograph has been edited by vanilla-vanilla. This conversation was carried out via DeviantArt, by my friend vanilla-vanilla and myself. Feel free to browse around this conversation and for others which may or may not appear here at a future date. I hope your day/evening is a good one.

conversation/The Pine Tree Guru's and Urban Foraging

V. Something nice and "crispy" about this picture, too. Hair of the beast that ate most of the thing that now lies beneath the snow?

J. Ah but you see, it's vestiges of the weeds from the back of the creek monsters. In the snow and the ice he can make it just that far away from the creek. However, what he didn't realize is that he sluffed off some of his concealing creek weed on the fence along the way.
Or perhaps it's simply the little creatures who live in fences. They snuck down to the creak in the brightest light of the day--for that's what creek monsters are slowest of course at least in winter--and carefully plucked creek weed from the back of the creek monster so as to frame him for that which lies beneath the snow. However, little do they know what all that lies beneath the snow is dead grass and nothing at all incriminating. So, instead of framing the creek monsters as they wish, because he enjoys snacking on the little creatures who live in fences when he can't get hiker.

V. Ah, your folklore is getting richer, now populated with more little creatures... with ulterior motives!

J. Conflicting interests. But the poor little guys who live in the fence really must talk to the air headed creatures who live in the pine trees. You know sniffing those pine fumes all day, that's really the best way to figure out what it's all about.

V. !! I love it. Wow... Pine fumes. Hmm, reminds me of teenage years... Hmmm. I feel a picture coming on...

J. Climbing pine trees and getting the sap stuck all over your hands and never being able to get it off. Though it did smell rather nice.

V. Ah, haven't done that for years. Near where I lived as a kid was a row of 5 or 6 enormous fir trees and we'd often climb into them, way up near the top, where you sway back and forth in the wind. Sometimes pretty scary; great views.

J. Yeah, pine trees can be great. I used to climb mango trees over seas, they had a similar sappy problem. But when left they could get ginormous, and made the best climbing trees. Sometimes on the biggest ones we couldn't get up the trucks so we'd pull down the lower branches and climb up them. Mango's aren't overly strong but they bend quiet a lot before they break.

V. Oh, now I have to find a mango tree to climb!

J. You really should. Though I'm not sure how much luck you will have finding one in this country.

V. Yeah, I don't think I've seen one, but maybe in Hawaii...

J. I think you would in Hawaii, though I can't remember seeing one when I was there. That would be closer to the right climate though. Maybe it's like most fruit trees they don't tend to grow them in the cities or populated area's because of the fruit mess. I haven't been much outside of Honolulu, in a while.

V. Heheh, yes, the fruit mess. People around the neighborhood here tend to have orange and lemon and olive trees, and then instead of eating the fruit, they let it rain down and rot on the ground... I had an apricot tree that died a few years back, but when it fruited, it gave the best apricots in the whole wide world.

J. Yeah, I never understood the idea of having a fruit tree and not at least eating or using some of it. I know a number of people around here who have apple trees and they do that. We had a neighbor who had one and we'd made tones of apple sauce every year because she didn't want the apples. I can understand having more then you can use yourself but to just let it all sit there.

V. I also have an apple tree, in front by the driveway. The fruit isn't very good really, and we only eat a few each year... But not because it falls and rots. It never gets as far as falling or rotting. People come by in the middle of the night and steal it! Once last summer, I woke up in the middle of the night to some sound out front, and when I cracked the blinds to look, it was interesting. For half an hour I watched a woman with a flashlight going around the tree, picking apples and stuffing them into a bag. When it was full, she departed. Another time in the dead of night, I saw a family of people stop their car, all jump out, pick a bunch of apples, then pile back in and drive off. Jeez-o. If they really need the apples, they're welcome to them!

J. Urban foraging. There is a map floating around of this city and where the fruit trees and berry buses are in town. Someone on one of the groups I'm on was complaining about urban foraging, that because of the amount of it, people aren't leaving anything for the local wild life to eat.

V. Wow. I feel like a total dolt! It never even occurred to me. I guess it goes on here, too: [link] I guess my "old home town" Berkeley is a hot-bed of this activity. Who knew? Ha ha, maybe this is why all the 'possums have disappeared. But the squirrels and crows seem to do well here with all the oranges. The back fence is always littered with orange peels dropped by plump squirrels who eat the innards and leave the husk.

J. *chuckles* It's rather interesting. For instance I wouldn't have thought about all of the smaller urban animals that rely on that as a food source. I was reading a conversation going on between some of the members of the local Permaculture group (email), [link] [link]

The second photograph has been edited by vanilla-vanilla. This conversation was carried out via DeviantArt, by my friend vanilla-vanilla and myself. Feel free to browse around this conversation and for others which may or may not appear here at a future date. I hope your day/evening is a good one.

conversation/ Hatch

Image Note: So, I couldn't resist. I found this on my campus walk and well... It really rather does look like an Alien Egg, sitting on a stump just waiting to be hatched.


V. Wow! What a wonderful surprise it will be when it hatches! (Or maybe we don't want to be hanging around?)

J. *sits on the ground in front of it and starts changing* Hatch, Hatch, Hatch, Hatch, Hatch, Hatch...

V. Yes, chant hard... But don't sit too close!

J. I think I shall beat my hands on my knees and make faces at it.

V. Oh! In my crystal ball, I see... an indie film. The Dangerous Pastimes of Weavers... Make sure it doesn't have a mother lurking in the trees.

J. With numerous musical numbers and really bad subtitles as of course the whole thing is in French.

V. Ah, lovely. Sounds like my kind of film, sort of...

J. It has potential but will it be realized or not? That remains to be seen.

V. Maybe someday a movie poster might be made, though...

J. What comes to mind is old school cover art for books or pulp fiction magazines. ^^:

This conversation was carried out via DeviantArt, by my friend vanilla-vanilla and myself. Feel free to browse around this conversation and for others which may or may not appear here at a future date. I hope your day/evening is a good one.

conversation/Human Addiction

V. Something lurking down there, but can't quite tell what it is... Oh, wait! It's moving!

J. Slowly inching it's way beneath the snow.... it's the river monster attempting in vain to escape from the confines of the river, to breath out while there is snow upon the ground because only then can he walk on dry earth. The snow creates a buffer layer between him and the cruel water sucking earth that would normally be fatal!

V. Getting ready to pounce, I'm sure! Or is he just dying for someone to read him a story?

 J. That story was just so good, it made me so hungry that... well, I just couldn't resist a little nibble and after a nibble, well you might as well go for the mouthful.

V. Exactly, that's how monsters succumb to "human addiction".

J. Ah yes the dreaded ''human addiction'', it is afflicting more and more creak monsters of late. Their natural food supply is simply diminishing and the tasty but addictive human's are growing more and more abundant giving the poor creak monster little opption.

V. Another instance of human encroachment on wildlife habitat! Well, at least humans are edible, eh...!? And if they're also addictive, well, that's a great bonus! Helps cut down the human population and feeds the creek monsters...)

J. Only perhaps then we might end up with an over abundance of creak monsters and then were would we be? When their hunger and their addiction gets so bad that they try and creep out of the creaks more? In the winder when it snows enough to allow them to travel farther and farther from the safety of the water? Mmmm and the down fall of the human race has been found.

V. When the city streets and parks are crawling with creek monsters! Aaagh!

J. Lions, Tigers and Creak Monsters! Oh My!

V. :)

This conversation was carried out via DeviantArt, by my friend vanilla-vanilla and myself. Feel free to browse around this conversation and for others which may or may not appear here at a future date. I hope your day/evening is a good one.

conversation/Creak Monster Munch 2

Creak Monster Munch 2

V. There's that river monster again, just below the surface... This one also has a nice mood; I like the almost b/w quality.

J. Ah, but you know now the river monster doesn't feel the need to break free because he can come up and breath whenever he wants to. So he's not as restless as he is when the river is frozen over completely.

V. Tis the season where he loves to stick his neck out and stretch after a winter under the ice...

J. He's like, "MMmm... I can just smell all that freedom and all those tasty hiker toes in their yummy stinky hiking boots... and I can't wait to eats me some of those!"

V. Oh, I have a pair of hiking boots he can have... I'll keep my feet, though!

J. There you go. Fishing for creak monsters by taking off your hiking boots and dangling them in the water instead of your toes. You are definitely one of the smarter hikers around.

V. Hopefully that'll keep me out of the monster's belly for another season.

This conversation was conducted on DeviantArt between my friend vanilla-vanilla and myself krazysidhe. For it and other conversations feel free to hunt around, we hope you’ve enjoyed today’s installment.

A Return To Nashville, 2

Alright, so the opening of the show down in Nashville was Friday. It went quiet well, over all. At least I was impressed with the turn out as compared to last year. Here are some of the over all images I took of the work that went up, mine as well as others.

Over all, we got some really good comments and we saw a few people who weren't out here last year as well as a few people who weren't friends or friends of friends or family, so that was nice. As compared to last year, I also think that over all things look a lot nicer this year... though I have yet to put my finger on why that is.

Alright, so that's it. I hope you have a good day or evening. vanishes