03/29/2012 - Completion of Tree Art

I got news today that this piece was chosen to be in a First Thursday show...hooray. To be honest I didn't really figure out what "First Thursday" meant until I was talking to my mother-in-law about it and did a little web research. This and my Portland Bike Lane piece will be part of a 75% recycled show sponsored by SCRAP and Whole Foods. Can you notice anything strange about this picture?

Reclaimed Material: bicycle brake wire (cables)
Other/New Material: none
Tools: cable cutters, electrical tape

How I did it: I finished this piece by continuing to unravel the cables to make the various branches and tucking the ends under the canvas. I wanted to give a 3D effect to the piece, so I raised some of the "branches" and trimmed them at various lengths. I had to bend down the ends because each strand is razor sharp...I have the cuts to prove this. I trimmed off the excess wire from the back of the canvas and used the tape to hold the cables in place.

What I would do differently: Once I start a project I am really excited about I have a hard time sleeping because I just lay awake thinking about my next step, so I didn't get much sleep during this process. I should do things differently by getting more sleep, but it is hard to turn off creative processing mid-stream. I am very excited with how this turned out. My doggie, Max, was outside while I was taking this picture and is sitting right behind the piece so you can see his silhouette in the middle of the piece.

In case anyone reading this lives in the Portland Area, here is the information for the opening, but the pieces will be on display the whole month:

03/28/2012 - Brake Wire Tree

Trees are some of my favorite things. They are beautiful, unique--I can go on and on and on. I was so excited to start the tree once I finished the canvas. I was a little worried this wasn't going to turn out the way I wanted it to when I started the trunk, but as I kept going it came together nicely.

Reclaimed Material: bicycle brake wire
Other/New Material: electrical tape
Tools: brake wire cutters

How I did it: After I washed the wire/cables, I started with the trunk of the tree by using pieces of brake wire that had cable stops on the bottoms, yes, I was just told by my hubby that is the correct name. I threaded the wire through the weaves and twisted them randomly to give it more of a trunk look. I unraveled a strand of the brake wire and used it to hold the trunk in place by looping the strand around from underneath. After the trunk was completed, I spread out the brake wire to make the branches. I unraveled the ends of the brake wire branches to make smaller branches then tucked the ends between the weaves of the canvas.

What I would do differently: I need to be more careful with the brake wire because I got a lot of little cuts. I also scrubbed them before I started this project but there was grease in the nooks and crannies of the wires, so I think I should soak them overnight in Simple Green.

03/27/2012 - Finishing up Rubber Frame

This frame took much longer than I anticipated it to. I was working on it in the middle of the family room floor and I think every family member, even the dog managed to walk on it while I was sitting there.

Reclaimed Material: rubber inner tubes, wooden frame
Other/New Material: staples
Tools: scissors, staple gun

How I did it: I finished weaving the horizontal strips through the vertical, pulled them taut and stapled them to the other side. Because the strips were so thin I had to continuously straighten them out as I went along.

What I would do differently: Next time I do a frame this large, I definitely need to use larger strips (I think I said that already), but it really paid off because the weave looks really nice.

03/25/2012 - New Rubber Canvas Project

This is a project I have been wanting to do for quite a while now...the finished art not the frame. This is a piece I ended up submitting for a show, but I am waiting to hear back whether or not it has been accepted. 

Reclaimed Material: rubber inner tubes, wooden frame
Other/New Material: staples
Tools: scissors, staple gun

How I did it: I cut the rubber into thin strips. There are lines on the rubber that I used as guides. I started by stapling the strips along the top edge of the frame then pulling them taut over the front of the frame then stapled them to the bottom. I then stapled a row of strips along one side of the frame. Furthermore (writing so many "I"s and "next"s is getting boring), I began to weave the strips through to the other side then stapled each strip as it was pulled through.

What I would do differently: I need to remember to take pictures of my projects when I finish them for the day since some are taking longer than a day to finish. This is just a corner of the finished piece, but this picture gives a general idea. 

Portland Bike Lane

 

I made this inner tube canvas a while back and I got inspired to work on this piece. I have been wanting to do a "road" picture on the tires of a bike lane because it seemed fitting with the inner tube. The frame is also a scrapped frame.

Available on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/92729563/portland-bike-lane

01/24/2012 - License Plate Art, Part Deux

Yes, this project looks exactly like the one from the day before. This is the finished product that ended up taking me longer than I thought it would (finished it up today - the 25th) but I really loved how it turned out.

Recycled Material: license plate, rubber
Other Material: paint
Tools: paint brushes, palette, scissors

How I did it:  I painted the 3rd plate similar to the other two, but added a yellow flower because it made me smile. I a couple strips of rubber about 1/4" thick, painted the strips then used them to tie the plates together. I did a round braid to make the top hanger. I painted the strips blue but they look really dark painted on the black rubber.

What I would do differently: Again, I am happy with how this project turned out, so there is nothing I would do differently. Since this project stretched over 3 days the project for the 25th is just a little one.

01/23/2012 - License Plate Art

My original plan was to make a photo album using two of our old Illinois license plates. I started out by painting the plates (sorry Abe Lincoln) and cut out album sheets I got at the SCRAP store. It has been a very, very long time since I have had a chance to just sit and enjoy painting a non-house or child-related project. I really got into these paintings and stayed up way to late working on them. I couldn't bring myself to just turn the paintings into a photo album, so this project is just art.

Recycled Material: license plates
Other Material: paint
Tools: paint brushes, palette

How I did it: I don't think people realize just how dirty their license plates get until they have to remove them. I washed the plates then dried them to prepare them to paint. I used a thick acrylic paint, except for the silver paint. I painted about three coats as the base then let the paint dry. I then painted them with the design I wanted and let the pieces dry. The end...short and sweet.

What I would do differently: I am making a coordinating piece and will put them all together for the 1/24/12 project. There are a lot of cool things people do with license plates and maybe I will eventually make a license photo album since I already have the inserts ready to go.

        

01/17/2012 - Aluminum Animal Sculpture

My sweet grandmother-in-law, Betty June, showed me a picture of a sculpture she saw in a magazine of a horse made from a steel drum. She asked me to try to make something like it, so this is my rendition of it.

Recycled Material: aluminum tray
Other Material: none 
Tools: scissors


How I did it: The aluminum that I used was a mini loaf pan. I loosely folded the pan in half lengthwise being careful not to crease it. I pinched one side of the pan down for the head then cut the opposite side to make a tail. I cut up to what would have been the base of the loaf pan if it was still intact. I cut it a little bit wider than the end product to fold down to avoid sharp aluminum edges. I estimated the leg placement and cut it so there was enough aluminum to wrap the legs in a semi-cylinder. I also left extra aluminum to fold the edges along the body. I cut out the head shape on the pinched section of aluminum. After folding down all the sharp edges I made the legs then had to make sure the body kept it shape by loosely using my hands. I bent the front leg of the horse because it was not even with the rest.

What I would do differently: If I do try something like this again, I will use aluminum from a soda can because the pan aluminum is thinner and wrinkled. I think an elephant would be fun to try.