Arte de Wallace

Robotagami Sale

2011-07-20T10:23:00.001-05:00

I have made an executive decision about my Robotagami line. Once they are made, they will NEVER be made again. That being said. There is a quantity of 4 mini Chimera's and 6 Stealth Assault Robotagami left in my inventory at my Etsy shop. They are priced to sell at $20 each. Cheaper than I have ever listed them, and cheap as they'll ever be. Once they're gone, they're gone. Get it now or be sad...very very sad.

www.reaver.etsy.com

Making a Living

2011-07-08T13:16:00.001-05:00

One of the articles I have been dying to write since starting my blog up again is the viability of making a living as an artist and relating it to my own feelings and experiences. It has been a boggy experience as of late trying to make a career from the ground up. It may be a negative attitude seeping in after a few years of small growth as a career seeking artist, but it doesn't seem like making a living is as possible these days in the creative field. Moreover, I don't know if I care about making a living at it anymore anyway. I have primarily experienced burnout making the same merchandise over and over again. Production work just simply sucks the soul out of you if you are looking for rewarding creative ventures as an artist. Some of the best moments are when I have been in the thick of a large project and enjoyed every minute of it. There's nothing like the moment where everything comes together. For example when I first completed the transformer, Homage 1.0, I was transported to being about the age of 10 flying it around the room making jet noises. That is the experience I look for and what is rewarding about creating art for me. It takes you someplace else, just for a little while. Escapism is my basis for creating art, creating something new and exciting, at least for myself. The thought I have lately is that I need to get back to roots, so to speak. I need to create for the love again and be inspired by an idea that sweeps me away to the places I wish to visit. I am starting to think I was misguided to think that I could make a living as an artist, at least the way I perceived. It requires a business mindset that takes the fun out of it all. Plus you wind up creating for other people instead of for yourself. That being said, commissions that I have been lucky enough to receive have been great learning experiences and I wouldn't trade them for the world. I simply had more fun when I created art for art's sake, or just for simply myself.

In this way, art truly is selfish. You are lucky if anyone likes it besides you, but at least you enjoyed creating. This approach may not make you famous, but it will make the best artwork you can possibly make because you enjoy the process and you are enthralled. Maybe I'm justifying not approaching the difficulties of making a living in the real world as an artist, but I feel that if you make great work, love what you do, and put it out there for people to see, the world just might bend to your will. Even if it doesn't bend to your will, you can be happy making what you love. So, I am not out of pocket, I am not quitting. I am just reorienting my thought process on how art makes me happy. I am already looking forward to the next project.

The Art of Pierre Matter

2011-07-01T12:08:00.002-05:00

I have been looking at the art of Pierre Matter for a while now and he has expanded his work to include some awesome pieces. I recommend you take a look.
http://www.pierrematter.fr/

Inspiration

2011-06-30T13:04:00.004-05:00

Where do you turn to for inspiration? For me it's always been an array of entertainment media such as movies, music, books, and video games. I can remember watching several movies as a child and even as a college student where I was inspired to create. Other people's ideas and creations became strangely connected to my own. Sometimes the two have been blatantly similar and other times, you wouldn't guess the connection. Many people look at my work and say it reminds them of __________. I usually say they're right because it has to be in there somewhere. One of my favorite quotes is "Originality is undetected plagiarism" by William Ralph Inge. Odds are there is some old inspiration from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hellboy, Robocop, Doom, Macguyver, Mario Bros, or Lord of the Rings in there somewhere.

Lately I have to say the inspirations have been a little lacking. I don't know if this is due in part to my not looking hard enough, or if the creativity is lacking these days. Everyone has been writing about this lately reflecting the movies we see in theaters currently. Everything is a sequel or a remake. There are exceptions such as the movie Inception which as convoluted as some people criticize it for, was an excellent movie. There is an abundance of comic book movies out, which I can't complain about much because I have always loved comics. The quality can vary, but I love the comic book movies anyway. I just don't find myself inspired by truly original and daring content like I used to. Maybe I'm getting older and more jaded, but I'm not finding what I'm looking for these days. Maybe there needs to be some new blood. Maybe the younger group of artists need to create something interesting to inspire people. This leads to the question, when do the inspired become the inspiring? I assume the torch needs to be passed. I hope there are some people to pass the creative torch to, because imagination seems to be in short supply these days. Many artists these days are simply focused upon surviving let alone coming up with their own creative masterpieces. Maslow's hierarchy of needs takes precedence. You have to feed yourself before enjoying the fruits of creativity. I'm not sure the next generation of artists and creators will be there when the torch is being passed. They might have changed careers or given up by that time. I hope that something redeeming starts to happen in our culture to create something to be appreciated and inspire future generations to create that which they imagine.

Big Changes

2011-06-28T12:58:00.001-05:00

This blog entry starts as all my most recent blog entries have started. It has indeed been a long time since I have posted anything at all. So, you ask, what brings me to post today? Well, I have made some major changes to my website by basically merging my blog and my website. You can enter in www.dustinwallace.org and you will be directed here. Don't worry. Everything you will ever need is and will be here or on my Facebook Fan Page. I have decided to go more with a blog format because: 1. It's free and 2. It works better with search results so people can find me. So, I plan to pay this blog a lot more love and hopefully make it something to be proud of. In reality, the frequency of updates will range from somewhere between what it has been and daily. I can't promise anything, but I will pay more attention nonetheless. I have taken lately to sharing things that might interest or inspire those who like my work, so you will find a mixture of that kind of entry or a new update on my artwork. I also have some new thoughts on my artwork lately that I will expand upon in the next blog entry as well.

Kickstarter Project

2010-09-06T23:20:00.000-05:00

My Kickstarter project is now live and available for you to view. So, check it out and see what you think. If you feel generous, that's great. If not, please tell your friends who might be interested. Thank you.

Whirl of Random Thought

2010-01-24T21:58:00.000-06:00

I know you're thinking, it's about freakin time. I don't know how many readers hang on my every word, but I know it's been a long time since I have written on my blog....hmm, seems to be a pattern here. Lately, I have been feeling that all of my efforts get me somewhere, just not where I want to be. I always think of random ideas to promote myself like "hey, I should make furniture" or "hey, I should send out custom designed folio invites to galleries". Truth is about 50 ideas float through my head during every day. I have a problem committing to any of them because all I want is a sure fire way to succeed with my artwork. It is extremely hard to promote yourself, research business practices, design a website, price your work accordingly and actually get any good artowork completed. It drives me nuts. I need an assistant, but I can't afford an assistant. I need an art agent, but I can't afford an art agent. I wouldn't even know where to start. I read articles on www.Entrepeneur.com to see how people starting their own business handle all of the nitty gritty details. It is a great site and there are actually articles on there how to market and sell art. None of the resources I read actually tell me a sure way to succeed at becoming a professional artist, because there is no sure way. I have had a moderate amount of success marketing myself locally. I've been on the morning show, I've been participating in something called the First Friday Art Trail and have met with positive feedback and support. It just isn't enough. I get fed up with going to my day job, feeling like a hamster on a wheel doing the same thing over and over again. I go to work to pay my bills so I can afford gas to go to work so I can pay my bills. This endless cycle eats away at me and some days I can't stand it. I know I'm preaching to the choir if you are an artist. Every artist either goes through or has gone through the same thing. I seek no sympathy, I do it to myself. It is a calling and if I don't answer, I will be more miserable than trying without reaching my goals. So I guess I just keep trying and charging through until something happens, or I give up. But giving up is never an option. Apologies for the randomness of this entry, I just needed to vent.

It's been a while...AGAIN

2009-11-11T12:27:00.001-06:00

Things have been busy for me as of late. For all of those who are fans on Facebook, you will know that this last weekend I showed at the Tornado Gallery for the First Friday Art Trail. It was an extremely busy night. There were probably close to 1,000 people in and out through the night. Combine that with the Masked Rider and the Agricultural Department from Texas Tech University and you have yourself a party. I displayed some large scale process oriented prints to illustrate my process in Autocad to create my artwork. There was also a sneak peak at the new project called Sentry Guardian of Fear in the form of a large scale print featured above. The Tornado Gallery will be featuring my artwork throughout the month as well as selling Robotagami. I will also be displaying there for the month of December.

Attending the West Texas Comic Con this weekend was also a great experience. It was a great to achieve some exposure with a crowd I have yet to do so. It feels like I was an unexpected, yet well received addition to the event and I would love to do more in the future. This type of event is a welcome thing in my mind in order to share common interests and establish a sense of community.

Soon you can find Robotagami for sale within Star Comics and Awesome Books here within Lubbock. The robot horde is spreading.

I will continue to work on Project Sentry to hopefully have it ready for First Friday in November. Stay tuned for more updates or become a fan of my Facebook page.

Robotagami T-shirts are still available for pre-order.

Robotagami T-shirts

2009-09-29T11:55:00.003-05:00

That's right, you can now wear Robotagami and tell everyone about it (shameless promotion). I tried to design a t-shirt that I would wear and hopefully this is it. I am currently taking pre-orders for $15 plus shipping wherever you may be. Orders may be placed via my website @ www.dustinwallace.org

Random News & Thoughts

2009-09-09T11:59:00.007-05:00

Several things to discuss as per this entry. First Friday was an interesting venture this month as I was at Identity Ink, a local tattoo shop. The aesthetics and the atmosphere seemed to fit my work pretty well, however the stigma of a tattoo shop kept many people from coming in. There is a trolley that comes by each location for First Friday, and apparently only half the people on the trolley would get off at the tattoo shop. I can't decide if it filtered my audience to only those who were interested in my work, or if it prevented potentially interested viewers from ever seeing my work because of a stigma. The display space at the venue was amazing, relaxed and promoted people to stick around and chat while drinking free wine. Sounds like the people who didn't get off the trolley missed out.

I might also have an opportunity to be a visiting artist at my old alma mater, Texas Tech. I think it would be interesting to revisit my school after struggling in the "real" world for a few years. Maybe I might have some perspective to offer current students.

I am also working on the next large scale project tentatively titled "III". The shell pattern is currently featured on my Facebook Page

A new Robotagami version will be coming soon that will have the shell pattern derived from "III" so wait for that as well.

That's all for the news. Thanks for reading.

First Friday Here Again

2009-09-01T10:14:00.003-05:00

That's right, the First Friday Art Trail is happening again this Friday from 6pm to 9pm. I will be showing at Identity Ink on 1413 19th Street. I have been working on a giant 4 ft Robotagami for display outside the venue, so look out for the big robot. For all those who can't make it, I will have pictures next week.

Designer Toys

2009-08-19T17:44:00.003-05:00

Recently I have been enlightened that my work may fit within the realm of designer toys. I have always thought of designer toys as the vinyl designs you are probably used to seeing in magazines such as Juxtapoz. If you look it up in Wikipedia, which is the obviously infinite source of all knowledge, it specifies that a designer toy can be made of ABS Plastic, vinyl, wood, metal, and resin. My question is why don't you see more designer toys made of metal. It is such an obvious choice to me. Working with resin and vinyl is so messy for me. I love the permanence of metal. I have been introduced into the designer toy world via www.vinylpulse.com. They were kind enough to feature me on their Follow Friday feature for Twitter. I have gotten a great response from that community, and I think it might be a place for me to introduce my work.

Long Time No See

2009-08-02T20:49:00.002-05:00

Well, I have to apologize for the infrequency of my posts here. I have been concentrating my efforts elsewhere, but that is no excuse. One thing that has been on my mind lately is regarding the site most of you probably found me on...Etsy. I have continually been growing disgruntled with average atmosphere of the site. While I still think that what they are doing is quite valid, I would simply like to see more representation of other lines of work, and less emphasis on the craftier side of things. Mostly, I think I am disgruntled simply because of the lack of men on the site. I constantly feel like I am drowning in a certain aesthetic. I would just like a place to sell my work that would feel more like home. I want a place where I feel like it caters to my interests and other people visit for those same interests. As of right now, I think that people who find me on Etsy are not always there for my aesthetics. Etsy has it so close to what I would want, however it just doesn't cater to my tastes. I don't think people come to Etsy looking for my work, nor would it be the first place they would think of. Maybe all of this comes from the fact that sales have dwindled so much in the last 6 months. Maybe I'm just blaming Etsy for something I should just do for myself. All I know is that I crave something different. I crave something better for me.

Why Does The Villian Never Win?

2009-07-16T10:06:00.004-05:00

I think it is a good question. I myself generally root for the villains in a storyline. They are more interesting all the way around. They have the bigger weapons, they have the cooler items, and they have the crazy monsters that always make things more interesting. Essentially they are insanely overpowered yet the "good" guy always finds a way to defeat them. I would like a surprise every now and then. Say you are watching a movie, and all of a sudden the hero dies. Wouldn't that throw you for a loop? I have found that American cinema is typical for the happy endings. Everybody loves a happy ending, including myself. It makes you feel good, like life doesn't suck and anything is possible. It is a good feeling, but logically things don't always turn out that way. In real life the bad guys win much more, unfortunately. It seems lately that in movies, the good guys ALWAYS win. You get desensitized to that. The happy ending is expected, not enjoyed. I think we should inject a little unpredictability into our entertainment and let Megatron win, just once. I want a happy ending just as much as anyone else, but a little variety never hurts, much.

The Next Step

2009-07-06T11:17:00.002-05:00

I have considered my options and have decided on the next couple of steps before I begin designing new work again. Promotion has been on my mind and I think I might have a few good ideas, but we shall see how they go. For one, I am going to send a Robotagami to G4's Attack of the Show and see if they will mention me for a freebie. That would be great. I also plan on sending one to the technology blog Geekologie to see if I can bribe them into mentioning me as well. I think if I could get mentioned by these two entities it might be fruitful. The last, but not least is to send a design submission to the Museum of Modern Art Design Store. They sell some really creative designs by other artists at their store and I think some of my work would fit in quite well there. All the while I shall be finishing my current Robotagami orders and updating my website. I think I might also start a Robotagami of the Month club and give away one a month to anyone who joins my email list or follows my blog. Stay tuned for all of these new developments.

Transformers Revenge of the Fallen

2009-07-02T08:37:00.003-05:00

Well, like any other fanboy out there or random person that saw the movie, I have to offer up my opinion. I have to say that I didn't go to the Transformers movie expecting much. I went to the first one expecting the world and I was sorely disappointed. I have watched Transformers since I was 5 years old and that leaves 22 years of expectations to build. I have to say that I feel that this movie was more loyal to some of the characters than I expected. They actually featured Soundwave as a satellite which I thought was a smart modern adaptation to his character. Boom boxes are not necessarily the rage any more. He even launched a jaguar/cat creature to earth to do his bidding which I thought was reminiscent of his old minions. People have said that the plot was lacking, but energon was all they were ever after in the cartoon, besides each other. I truly enjoyed this movie better than the first, maybe because expectations had come down to realistic levels. I was prepared for the campy humor, the injected love story, and the possible product placement. For me personally, it's all about the robots. I always secretly wished that the Transformers in the cartoon would step on the human sidekicks because they seemed gratuitous to the storyline. Unfortunately, people have to be part of story lines to make it "relatable." I did get my secret wish fulfilled sort of in the opening scene by "The Fallen." All in all, I saw some really cool Transformer designs, it had a decent story for me, and they were a little more loyal to the original cartoon. So, you could say I truly liked it.

Carry On

2009-06-30T07:18:00.001-05:00

Well, as of right now I feel the show went well. Many people came and they seemed to enjoy my work on Homage 2.0 as well as my Robotagami store. I had some artistic conversation that I have not had in a fairly long time and it was refreshing compared to most of my everyday experience. I have to say that I feel a little bit of an empty feeling asking myself, what do I do now? I already know the answer....carry on. I will definitely carry on after my vacation at the lake for July 4th. I assume the best time to start on the next project is while the wheels are warm from turning and I can more easily get started again than after they get cold.

Getting Ready

2009-06-26T09:08:00.002-05:00

This week I have been getting ready to head to Ft Worth for the show at the Fort Worth Contemporary. Last night I cut somewhere around 17 Robotagami Minis to expand my display at the gallery. I will be posting the Minis on Etsy or through my shop at my website.

I think the Robotagami Minis will be an on location thing and only through my actual website. So look for those to come.

The funny thing through all of this is that I am actually getting excited about starting my next monstrosity entitled "III". I have had the design for the creature for about 3 years now and she will be vastly different from the Homage design. Check back here to see the designs. After the show I will be updating on new projects and posting pictures of the show for those of you that are interested and can't make it.

Homage 2.0 Finished and Ready to Show

2009-06-22T15:25:00.002-05:00

Well, I have completed Homage 2.0 and have had a weekend of recuperation. For a while I felt like I was glad to be done with it, but soon a feeling of a void creeps into my head as I don't have this huge project looming in my head any more. Now at least I have a show to look forward to this weekend at The Fort Worth Contemporary. I am already concocting the next behemoth to be created within the next year hopefully. I already have the patterns ready to be put in the computer for tracing in Autocad. Anyway, without further ado, here are the pictures for Homage 2.0. Hope you enjoy.

2009-06-22T15:22:00.001-05:00

2009-06-17T08:33:00.002-05:00

Well, after staying up until 3 am last night I can officially say that there is little progress on Homage 2.0 (HB). I assembled the legs and most everything is together, but I'm at one of those points where it doesn't seem like you do anything for a while and then all of a sudden it all comes together.....I hope. I have had so much trouble with the hip joint. It has annoyed me to no end to get something that is anatomically mimectic while functional to transform from the jet to a humanoid. Ah, the perils of making things such as this. It is like my own set of legos that require me to make new pieces when they don't fit together or work as planned. I'm very tired today....

2009-06-15T12:51:00.001-05:00

Reviewed at Battlegrip.com

2009-06-11T11:40:00.008-05:00

I have been reviewed by a website called Battlegrip.com. The owner Philip Reed does reviews of toys/designer toys and gave my Robotagami a great review. He also takes amazing pictures of my work. I may have to commission him to do more for me.

Thanks to Philip for the great review. This is exactly the audience that I would hope for.

Click here for the review and great pictures.

2009-06-10T12:58:00.001-05:00

New Website!

2009-06-09T08:39:00.004-05:00

I now have my own domain name and website to boot at www.dustinwallace.org. It is my full blown website where I will be adding content constantly. Essentially it is another place for me to promote, so this blog is still part of the whole. This blog is actually linked to the website, so I hope that it will all incorporate to become one huge entity where you go from one site to another to see every bit of cool stuff you can.

Beating a Dead Horse

2009-06-03T09:28:00.004-05:00

While I am working on the HB project, I thought I would offer a philosophical quandary of artistic proportions. The question of art and the definition thereof has been the never ending debate among the art world. What is art? Is craft different from art? Can anything be art? The definition is a constantly evolving jumble of opinions, events and movements. Truth is I don't think anyone knows what art is anymore, despite best efforts. My personal philosophy was lauded in school simply because it seems like a cop out. I think that it is up to the individual and that art is the most subjective thing on earth. I truly think it is futile to define it, to add shape to it, or to try to even moderately agree on anything unifying about art besides it's fundamental principles. Even it's fundamental principles can be disputed with the right head on your shoulders. Personally I dislike the argument of what is or is not art due to my own opinions.

One of my own personal quests is to be honest about my work. I feel there is a thick air around most explanations about what art means. There feels to me a contrived tendency when art is asked to be defined. A hunch I have about most art that is historical is that the artist was inspired, then created their work, and then our culture has assigned most of the accepted meanings of the work. That meaning assigned by culture then becomes the universal truth and the artist goes along with it in order to succeed. I know that if I created something and everyone assigned a meaning to it that helped them connect with it personally, I wouldn't argue. I would be happy that someone found a connection with my work and I would go with it. Art is such a pit of lions going for a single piece of meat. If I were thrown a bone, I would take it and say thank you.

Please debate and leave lots of comments.

Tour De Shoppe

2009-06-01T15:11:00.004-05:00

Here is a tour of the shop I work in. It starts at the work table and ends at the waterjet. I just thought it would be nice to share where my art comes from. This is where I spend my time after 5 pm everyday I can spare it.

A New Day

2009-05-30T11:13:00.005-05:00

Well, I am about to start getting to work on the monstrosity that I have been working on for a very long time. Good news is that I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It might look like a sparkle in the distance, but I swear it's there. Anyway, here's a new video of me working which I know is very exciting. Just keep in mind that I will be doing exactly this ALL day. Art is tedious. Good thing I love it.

Shop Shenanigans

2009-05-28T09:52:00.006-05:00

I thought I would show the waterjet I use to cut out my parts in action. In this video it is piercing through 1/4" steel like butter.

No Rest

2009-05-25T10:37:00.004-05:00

Today is Memorial Day and I am at the shop about to start working on my sculpture to try to have it finished soon. That's right, no days off for this artist. One thing I've always noticed is that holidays for artists are days to catch up or work on something else. When I was in school, Thanksgiving week was a big week for work because there were no classes and you could hammer out multiple projects at once. So, here I am, working on a holiday. The tradition carried on from school. I will be documenting my progress and please watch the Supertrailer for my show up above.

Big Weekend Ahead

2009-05-22T09:49:00.004-05:00

Well, I have a big weekend ahead of me of solid work. Three days of uninterrupted robot making await me for Memorial weekend. To some degree I wish I could rest, but this is one of the pivotal times where you have to keep in mind what you want for yourself as an artist. If you choose work, success has a better chance of finding you. If you sit on the couch and watch reruns of Lost...well, you get the picture. Lost is a great show, but I would like to have a success equal to or greater than that creative venture, so I can't spend my time vegging out to someone else's creative sweat and tears. I will try to have updates on parts and progress on the Hell and Back project this weekend. Stay tuned.

Chrome Dome

2009-05-13T10:14:00.004-05:00

Here is the picture of the head of my new creation polished to a shine. It brings the phrase "Chrome Dome" to mind which has all sorts of memories attached to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Good stuff.

Robotagami Instructions

2009-05-12T16:06:00.004-05:00

I just wanted to share the graphics for the Robotagami instructions. Please give me feed back as to their clarity. I want people to be able to put them together like legos or something of the like.

Picture of Progress

2009-05-11T10:42:00.004-05:00

Well, I have made some progress on my robotic project entitled "Through Hell and Back," which I have mentioned before. I have been steadily cutting out parts and most of it is now cut out, but now the tedious work of cleanup begins....grinding, sanding, buffing, drilling, tapping, etc... All the fun stuff. Then the final and most exciting step...assembly. Assembly is by far my favorite part of the process. Creating and designing is a close second, but seeing your vision become reality is the best euphoric drug there is as far as I'm concerned. Hopefully I'll get my fix soon. Mmm, artistic eupohoria. Featured in the picture are the wings, which are 26 inches long a piece, the tailfin components, and some leg components. There are many, many more pieces cut out, however these are the ones that are cleaned up. Enjoy.

First Friday Tonight!

2009-05-01T07:50:00.003-05:00

Well, it's that time again. I will be displaying on the First Friday at the Alderson Mercedes dealership tonight starting around 6:30 pm. I don't think any of my readers are actually from Lubbock, but if you're around, check it out.

There are also several other venues tonight...you can look them up at www.ffat.org

Very Early

2009-04-29T07:32:00.004-05:00

Well, it's very early for me on a Wednesday and I realized I haven't posted in a bit, so here goes...

The progress on "Through Hell and Back" has been decent considering that I do all my work after 6 PM everyday. I have most of the legs cut out, and it looks like the mechanism I designed for the ratcheting joints in the knees and hips will work. I just hope they can support the weight of the entire piece when all is said and done. I know that art is always difficult or at least can be challenging at times, but engineering a piece plus being creative in the design at the same time can eat my lunch.

Here's a picture of progress.

Ah, The Mess

2009-04-15T10:07:00.005-05:00

Well, I just thought I would take a moment to share with you the assorted parts screen capture for the next sculpture I am working on for my show in June at the Fort Worth Contemporary. Right now it is a jumbled mess, but the components are there. In progress reports are always interesting I think. Believe it or not, if you assemble all of the parts, it forms a robotesque figure.

Who Voted "Yes"?

2009-04-07T12:45:00.003-05:00

I have been running a poll on my blog asking the question "Do you feel like you can afford art with the current economy?". So far, there are a grand total of 4 votes on the poll, yet all of them say "yes" as an answer to the question. One thing about the poll is to be anonymous in your voting, however I would like to know who voted yes and why. I think it would also be interesting as to how much you would spend on art with a vote of yes. In my estimation, I assume it would not be in the $1000's, but if it is.... I have a lovely transforming toy for sale for a mere pittance.

Upcoming Show!

2009-04-06T14:56:00.005-05:00

Well, it's official. I have a show coming up in June at the Fort Worth Contemporary Gallery. I have to put my nose to the grindstone to get the new piece done by then. In that vein, I have to officially place my Etsy items as inactive from now until the summer. I will still be selling on the First Friday Art Trail next month in Lubbock, if you happen to live here.

That Time Again

2009-04-02T18:06:00.003-05:00

It's here again! For those of you in the Lubbock area, I am showing on the First Friday Art Trail tomorrow April the 3rd. I will be showing at the Alderson Mercedes dealership on 1702 Texas Avenue from about 6:30 to 9:00 pm. Hope to see anyone there that can come.

NEW! Professional Bottle Opener

2009-03-27T12:33:00.004-05:00

Since the Bottle Opener Ring was a success with people, I thought I might offer something practical for the drinking crowd. This is modeled after the bottle openers that bartenders use for their fancy tricks opening 5 beers at once. You can even twirl it around your finger and put it in your back pocket. Of course I had to add my spinal graphic to it.

Robotagami - NEW ITEM

2009-03-25T08:31:00.006-05:00

I have been trying to come up with more affordable items for my store. I really enjoy making the robotic items that I feature in my shop, so I tried to focus on that. Most of my robots are so time intensive that they cost mucho dinero in the end. I want to get my work out there to more people if possible, so I came up with the concept of Robotagami, a foldable, poseable, robot. Hope you guys like it, I welcome suggestions and commentary.

Real World Vs Virtual World

2009-03-19T15:06:00.005-05:00

In the never ending pursuit in the artistic endeavor, I have been asking myself, "Which is better?". Is it truly better to show your work online, or show in person locally, live and in charge. I have come to the conclusion that it takes a combination of both. I have begun asking local shops whether they would mind selling my work in their store. Some ask for a commission, others are happy to support local artists. It is interesting to see the reaction. I feel like a cold call salesman trying to sell my work to people who aren't asking for it, but the reality of it is, all they can say is no and most people think it's interesting if you catch them right. I'll have to keep posting about this topic in order to let you know how it turns out. I will definitely try to exhibit at First Friday again this next month too. Even if people don't buy anything, it is fun.

NEW! Industrial Belt Buckle

2009-03-13T14:14:00.003-05:00

Well, I spoke of it before and now I have one complete. I'm actually wearing the prototype right now. I've been wearing it for the last week. It's great, and I have no complaints about my own work so far. Who would have thought? Actually I am quite proud to have designed something that I myself would wear on a daily basis. I think a good standard is if I would wear it, then others would as well. So, without further ado, here is the Industrial Belt Buckle.

First Friday Results

2009-03-09T10:31:00.003-05:00

Well, I have to say that I met some interesting people on the First Friday Art Trail this last Friday. Many people stopped by to take a look at my work. Most were a little confused as to what my jewelry was, as they had never seen anything like it before. Mostly I take it as a compliment that my work is different and unconventional, but a part if me can't help but wonder if people can't tell what it is, will they appreciate it? As it is, this is my first "First Friday" and I think it could only get better. I consider it a small success because I met several people, socialized, talked about art, and simply had fun. No sales, but the experience was definitely fulfilling. Next month I hope to have a new toy ready to display. I think it's time to focus on what is truly fun and enjoyable.

New Items!

2009-03-06T15:18:00.004-06:00

Here are two new items listed in my store, more to come soon including an industrial belt buckle.

First Friday Art Trail

2009-03-04T14:43:00.003-06:00

Well, I have good news, I am going to be out in the real world this Friday on the First Friday Art Trail. It is a local venue where several businesses and galleries correlate exhibitions so that the people of the Lubbock community can come out of their homes and view some art or anything else creative. I will be exhibiting some of my jewelry work and some sign art that I have done for members of my family this past Christmas. I hope to introduce myself to the community in a positive way and build some connections to people that might enjoy my work. The official site of the First Friday Art Trail is:

www.ffat.org

I know, it's kind of comical, the only funnier abbreviation would be "PHAT".

Everybody's A Critic

2009-02-25T09:49:00.003-06:00

So, as always I am trying to market myself to the general public to see what the reception of my artwork might be. Recently I have taken to posting on Craigslist to see if the crowd in my home town would cater to my work. I have confidence that there is an audience for my work here, but as with most things, the bad is remembered more than the good. I posted an ad for my Bottle Opener Ring and the following day I received this commentary in my email from someone named Mr. Whitehead, although I owe him no respect. Caution for the expletives.

"You are a flaming idiot if you think that someone would
buy a piece of metal for fifty dollars. If somebody already
has then they are equally as inept of any shape or form
of normal brain function. WOW! You really are a dumb
piece of s***!"

I assume his countenance is quite pimply. Apologies on behalf of Mr. Whitehead for my customers who have purchased from me. Comments are encouraged. I wonder who else this man has badgered in his apparently abundant spare time.

Art Through Technology Part 1

2009-02-17T10:05:00.004-06:00

In an effort to educate the masses and more specifically the artists of this world who do not have the luxuries I have, I am starting the Art Through Technology series here on my blog to illustrate CNC processes and their possibilities within the art world. I truly feel that this is a valuable tool that most artists might not consider or have access to. I also think CNC is an intimidating thing when you are used to the general arsenal of tools an artist has. So here is the beginning of my tutorial.

I'll start with the basics. CNC stands for "Computer Numerically Controlled". Essentially a machine uses a series of code with numbers reflecting geometry in order to create a part for use in industry. This code is called G Code. This language is like learning C++ or old DOS for computers, but it is not necessary to know in order to program. Basically, all it boils down to is you draw a circle in Autocad, specify a size and it will cut out or machine that size on the machine.

There are three basic elements to programming CNC machines:

1. CAD - Computer Aided Design
2. CAM - Computer Aided Manufacturing
3. The actual machining itself

You can get as complicated as you want, but it boils down to these basic elements. You essentially draw and create in Autocad. Autocad is easy to learn, but I will reserve that for another article. Computer aided manufacturing is where you tell the computer what you are machining and how you want it machined. All that is left is to run and oversee the machine to make your part/artwork. I feel that with these basic elements, you can grasp what CNC machining is all about. Next time I will illustrate the fundamentals of CAD and show the different programs out there that you can use to start the process.

Sci Fi Wire Feature

2009-02-10T12:36:00.006-06:00

So, apparently I have been featured in a story in SciFi Wire which is run by the SciFi channel. The news editor seems to like my piece entitled Homage, my transforming toy featured to the left. I sincerely appreciate the publicity. Maybe now I can be rich and famous. Unfortunately it doesn't seem like everybody likes it judging by the commentary.

Check out the article at:

The coolest $2,000 human-to-jet transforming toy that isn't a Transformer

Wallet Progress

2009-02-10T10:04:00.007-06:00

Well, I have to say that the wallet didn't turn out the way I thought it would. I guess that's why they call it a prototype. I tried it with rivets and the corners don't look as clean as I would like. I think micro screws would look better. On the bright side, the etching came out nicely. The 1/16" stainless is a little heavy for using as a wallet, so I need to adjust that as well. I have considered adding a hinge mechanism for more functionality, so this might become a very detailed project. The slot is designed to slide your cards out (credit cards, license...etc). I want it to be a very slick wallet when I'm done, so I don't know how long it will take to finish. Input on what you would look for in a wallet is always welcomed. Currently I am inspired by the work of Roland Iten with his insanely detailed work. Check out his work, it puts mine to shame. www.rolanditen.com

Wallet In Progress

2009-02-04T10:01:00.009-06:00

I have been designing a stainless steel wallet for some time. I always have trouble with my normal wallets because they wear out and always, always eat my debit card. I have no idea why. I've tried different wallets including a bifold and even a really nice leather money clip style wallet. All of them have the same trouble, thus I thought if the wallet were solid and impenetrable, then my cards would last longer and maybe this might be a viable item for Etsy and beyond.

I will create several designs for the decorative side of the wallet over time, but for now there are three. I use a waterjet to etch and cut out my patterns and it all starts with Autocad. CNC machining is an interesting process and I plan on illustrating how this works so you can understand what goes into making my artwork and designs. My next few entries will be about what has gone into the wallet and I will end by showing you a finished product.

Above is a picture from where the waterjet had been etching my gear design that will be one of the decorative faces for my wallet.

Less Burned Out

2009-02-03T10:01:00.003-06:00

Well, now is the time that I am ready to start working on new projects. Etsy has dwindled long enough from a crawl to absolutely nothing now that Christmas is over. March will mark my first full year of selling on Etsy, so I have no previous experience of selling after the new year. Point is I have no idea if this is a normal slowdown for selling online or not. I've decided instead of moping around about my lack of sales, I will make new work. One discussion I have had with my wife is if you want art to be a job, then you have to treat it like one. Tonight marks the beginning of a new cycle of work after the holidays. I know that it is February now, but I am finally less burned out so that I can focus on my work more intently. Creativity is a fickle maiden with mood swings and she sometimes just doesn't like me very much. I think she's coming around though.

Featured Dr. Steel Video

2009-01-28T12:54:00.002-06:00

A delightful video from a crazy person known as Dr. Steel...very amusing, yet true.

What Am I Worth?

2009-01-27T22:45:00.003-06:00

As an artist, you inevitably face the demoralizing question, "What am I worth?". As things progress from the beginning.....you are creative, you decide to go to art school/college, you graduate, you decide not to waste your degree and start making a line of work in your own whimsy. After creating this said line of work, you have to face the question. How much do you sell your work for? Am I worth charging this much to make a living doing this? Will someone actually value what I have made and buy my creation? These are several very hard questions that are very closely tied to your self-worth as an artist and as a person. You definitely want to charge enough to make a living as that is the whole goal for most to begin with. I have found that for some things, people are willing to buy my work, but not for the larger, grander projects that are closer to my heart. I have sold one of these large projects to a museum collection, Homage, but that is the only occurrence where I have achieved this. I know what these large art pieces are worth, but people are either unable or unwilling to purchase them. Most of the time I get the impression that people are mostly unable, therefore unwilling. I myself don't have thousands of dollars to wield around at my impulses, but if I did, I would definitely purchase art for myself. You follow down this logical path and you will eventually arrive at the conclusion that art of a certain price scale is definitely not for the average income in this world. I know I sound like I'm stating the obvious, but it is a thought process on where to market your work. My work, I do not feel that it fits in the "high art" world where these prices are justifiable. My work is inspired by many movies and cartoons that I watched as a kid and even now....yes I still watch cartoons. Where do you go? If I figure it out, I don't know if I'll share because it will be the holy grail. I sincerely think that selling your art is one of the hardest professions that you can aspire to because people do not value it enough. Art is one of the things that informs and enriches our lives that we take for granted every single day. It makes our world more beautiful and worth living in. I wish that on the hierarchy of needs that art would replace shelter so that in times of recession I could still make a living. It is so frustrating to me that I can't even convey the feeling appropriately. I'm sure that I will dwell on it repeatedly throughout the entries of this blog, and for that, I apologize. If you are an artist, or a fan of art, please leave your thoughts about this subject.

New Followers Section

2009-01-27T20:36:00.005-06:00

So....I have added a followers section to hopefully....eventually have many many followers who care greatly about what I have to say and wait with baited breath for my next entry to give their lives meaning. As of right now, sadly, I have a big whopping ZERO followers, so if you feel like providing a remedy for that, please sign up. In the future I plan on conducting many things through this blog, including: new product designs before they are posted on Etsy or put in shows, in progress designs for your viewing pleasure, possibly some contest giveaways, and maybe even some discount merchandise for those who are loyal followers. So once again, please sign up for my blog and I will work on rewarding you with intellectual conversation and the aforementioned list of possibilities in the near future.

The Grey Area

2009-01-26T10:13:00.003-06:00

One of my main quests in life is to find out what the bridge is between aspiring artist and successful artist. Some get a pivotal moment where they are discovered and lifted up to success, others I'm not so sure. Any stories I hear remind me of Seinfeld...."I was working on my art yada yada yada, I was selling my pieces for $20,000 a pop." What happens in that grey area? What do successful artists do in between that time after college and making a living on their work. I've spoken to a successful artist peronally and it's like he couldn't pinpoint it for himself. I suppose that it depends on your definition of success, but my definition is making a living and having money for frills too. It might sound greedy, but that's what I want. The artist I worked for flew all over the place meeting with clients and had seen the world. Somewhere in between the realm of excess and poverty would be perfect for me, in that grey area.

NEW BLOG

2009-01-23T15:40:00.004-06:00

So, apparently maintaining a blog is actually a good thing in the vein of establishing an online presence as an artist. The goal is to put my name in as many places as humanly possible by one person, trying to let the world know that I exist. I have been posting a blog on Myspace, but until recently I was not aware that blogs on Myspace do not show up under search engines, thus completely ruining my delusions of being discovered by someone significant who could launch my career. If you happen to be one of those people who could actually help me get somewhere, I retract my delusions and replace them with realistic/hopeful expectations. I don't know who the people who contribute to artistic careers are really, but I've resigned to think that if I want it done, I will do it myself. Nobody in this world is really looking to give free handouts without something in it for them. I don't know where I got the thought of that actually happening to people....maybe television. But the real truth of the matter is that it is my dream, it is up to me. I hope to maintain this blog at least once a week with artistic chatter of some form or another. Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read.