Amazingly Discounted Tools

Since I moved to Milwaukee in August, businesses have been closing down left and right. The ones I have mostly noticed have been the clothing boutiques, specifically on the east side, around the studio. Since I walk around most places on the east side, I tend to notice these businesses a bit more. I have taken advantage of clothing sales, getting 50 and 60 percent markdowns, which really help this student. Sadly, one more business added to that list recently is Out of Solitude on Brady Street. However the fall of another independent is not all sad. Although this wonderful business - who has offered bench job training to so many graduates of the Metals Program at UWM over the years - is moving on, they are having this amazing sale this weekend of all their jewelry and tools. Yesterday, Yevgeniya, Frankie and I went and took at look at all of their stock. There were so many tools and supplies they have collected over the years and were selling very cheap. I picked up some great tools for myself, including ring files, escapement files, a B&S gage, some really nice pliers and chasing tools. Most of these items were on my master list of tools I need, but can't afford. So, I'm very sad they have to do this, but by passing on these great tools to people like myself, the young jewlers that were working there (they got first dibbs, and some of them REALLY scored) Out of Solitude is passing the torch and giving us an opportunity to make some really great work with quality tools. I was so excited I worked in my studio late last night making some fun work. And I have been working mostly in fiber lately, but last night was such a rush, I can't wait to get back into the studio and working on my metalwork.



Other than the great tools I got for myself, the jeweler's bench Yevgeniya got for herself, and the rectifier and vintage polisher Frankie got for himself, we also got some great deals on tools for the Graduate Studio at Kenilworth. Like this amazing ring stretcher! I almost bought one a few weeks ago, but the cheapest one I could find was $125 and another $25 for shipping, and it was no where near the quality of this one. Yesterday we got this guy for only $25! And it has already been broken in, everything is in great condition. He needs a little cleaning, but I'm running into the studio today to set him up. That table behind him is the table next to the windows that is the table that is going to have all of our tools that do not need electricity, like our pump hydraulic press, beverly sheer, and now ring stretcher. We are actively buying and hope to have an opening celebration with all tools installed in May.

Hadron Collider

I am feeling super sick today, so its hard to think properly. So I thought I would post about this amazing event that is happening in our world right now.

CERN or Organisation Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire is one of the world's largest and most respected centers for scientific research. Their latest project (although they have been working on this for 20 years now) is 100 meters under the ground on the border between Switzerland and France, is a 17 mile circular particle accelerator that is the largest scientific instrument to date. This tool is used by physicists to study the smallest known particles that make up our world. What the scientists are doing is is shooting two beams of subatomic particles together in opposite directions, when they collide, the pattern at which they seperate is recorded and compared to what scientists believe occured right after the Big Bang. Attempting to recreate the conditions that created the earth. Currently, the Collider is offline. It went active last May, but had an electrical malfunction, and is currently being debugged. It is scheduled to be restarted this septemeber and the amount of data that it will collect is uncertain, but I imagine it is going to change the way we understand our world. The interest in the human desire of creation amazes me. We all have some interest in creation, whether it is of object, or all of humanity, I guess it's just part of us.

Here are some interesting videos:

Interviews on National Geographic discuss the actual process and implications, as well as a dispute some scientists had that the collider would cause a black hole that would suck up the world.

There was also a 60 Minutes spot done on it as well. The interview has some interesting perspectives from the scientists working on it, as well as some one of kind insights. Like what happened the last time CERN worked on a project, and how useful their results have impacted the daily lives of all people.

The importance of Making

I ran across this really lovely post on Boston.com highlighting people at work. I enjoyed these photos so much because of precious way they are presented by the photographer. Especially now that our world is in such a vulnerable place, and jobs are scarce, I think its really lovely to see intimate pictures of the people that create and make the world work. Although there are images of factory workers and the industrial powerhouses that I attempt to avoid when buying things, what is really nice about these images is that you get to see the people inside the factories. There are also some really lovely images of people who are still making by hand, and I love that they are both presented side by side, as people, just working. I think it is especially important because we depend on each other. I may not agree with clothing that is made in China, but I certainly use steel, and that isn't always made in the US, its factoried out just like a lot of clothing contracts. So this was a real eye opener for me, and seeing the people really makes me appreciate everyone role in our global economy.

Maybe this is not such a smooth transition, but when thinking about making and bringing it back to a more local scale, I have been making objects by hand (academically) for about 5 years now, and yesterday I had an opportunity to step back into the first days of my training through the eyes of my students. Well, I guess I should also mention, they aren't really my students, I am shadowing Frankie Flood, but they are my surrogate students, hopefully I will be teaching next year and I can only hope to get such a good bunch. And I have to say I am amazed at these kids! They are involved, excited and bringing in some really great ideas. The assignment they were given was to make a piece based off of tattoo imagery and they brought in a much bigger range of ideas that I expected. And they were definitely thinking outside of the box, putting their adornment in unexpected places, and really committing to the research and the assignment. I'm really proud of them, and I'm super excited to see how they grow over the semester.

Here are just a few examples.

Jake's deathly disease dripping from his mouth:






















Ruby's Celtic tattoo face shield:




















and Lindsey's swallow hair pin:

Aphrodite's Kestos

I have decided that I am not posting enough. Also that posting is an excellent way for me to work out subjects and content that I am researching in my own work. I am going to try to post every day(although the posts will probably be fairly quick) this week and see how much work it is. Essentially, for this blog to truly be about what is in my mind, I feel I should be discussing my research and my investment into these subjects.

In my desire to find a form that speaks to the emotion, femininity and seduction that parallels the sexual power of jewelry and bodily adornment, I have come upon the Kestos of Aphrodite. There is not a complete visual image of Aphrodite's kestos (at least that I can find), other than it was worn diagonally, crossing in the front between the breasts and in the back. Some describe it as being "pierced through," which I feel lends to physical properties of embroidery or filigree. Homer's story of Hera's struggle to seduce her husband Zeus, distracting his attention from his Trojan warriors, unable to assist them in battle, so Hera's Greeks could win, is of particular interest to me. The power of female seduction, through gaze, has directed my attention to feminism, which I will discuss in a later post. One of the first brassieres, as we know them today, was called the Kestos-also specifically referencing this Greek story. Although in modern times, the brassiere portrays the feeling of constriction, it was actually a symbol of freedom in the early 1900s. Women of class were bound to their corsets as a status symbol, but younger generations sought freedom of movement for, among other things, dancing. Therefore I find the brassiere particularily interesting as a dichotomous symbol of restriction and freedom, vulnerability and power.

CEASE! Milwaukee

In my wondering around the east side I have come upon some interesting Milwaukee guerilla art. CEASE! is all the over the place. I love this imagery. Just wanted to give a shout out. Hey CEASE! I think you work is sweet. Thanks for giving me a reason to peek into the crevices of Milwaukee streets. If you are down, we should collaborate...

Lurking and Observing

I've just been in my own head for about a week now. Tied to the emotional power of the work I am making now, I find myself humbled by the power of myself. Not narcissistic, but aware of my intellectual ability, or at least my attempt at my scholarly self. I feel myself growing as an artist, as someone who is actually able to speak about the work that I am making in a professional capacity, but I find myself more detached - in more solitary situations. Moving through areas not commonly traveled permits me more time to myself, inside my own head, trying to figure out exactly what I am trying to say, and more importantly, "why am I here?" Why Milwaukee? Something just works for me here. However, in my personal success in clarity and growth as an artist, I find sadness in my lonesomeness, which just seems to propel my work farther. I remember a lecture from Jerry Saltz, New York art critic, who authorized the fact that being an artist is exactly that, being alone. So for my solitary state I am thankful, because it allows me more time inside my own head to make decisions that are crucial to my growth now, but I am left to wonder, does this mean that I can't be a successful artist if I am happy? Not saying I am successful now, but I feel more successful in this work than ever before. I feel like I am starting to get the big picture. More to come. Something more formal. Very soon.

Modern Puppetry

I have started a new blog www.objectifiedbodies.blogspot.com in which I will be responding to a variety of texts I will be reading for my "Body as Object" class I am taking this semester at UWM. The class is being taught by Colleen Ludwig and Heather Warren-Crow. I'm super excited about it. For our first day we had to do a variety of performance exercises like picking up imaginary objects and making noises and movements and getting others to follow our lead. Considering how intimidated I am at performing, perhaps this will bring me out of my shell! Especially considering we have 2 required public performances. But I am excited, and I am putting up my first blog post tonight. I will probably post here as well when I post there, just to let everyone know, so be sure to check it out, and please comment if you have something to add to the coversation. It should be fun!