Posted by mandarific on Nov 25, 2009 in
Featured Artists Evan Penny’s hyper-realistic sculptures bring an eerie addition to modern silicon work – at first glance the photos of his work appear to be real people, often in a naked state, but then you can tell it’s something more – these works are often as tall as or taller than the artist himself and a real sight to see.
Many typically think of sculpture and picture welded steel rods or carefully chiseled marble, but not Penny’s work. Instead he brings the human image in it’s rawest form to larger-than-life design that makes you think twice. And as if these weren’t mind blowing enough, he also has a series of “warped” pieces that mimic the result of a photoshopped image – only six feet tall and three dimensionally.
One could stare at his portfolio for hours – and why wouldn’t you want to? The impeccable detail makes it seem as if you’re browsing a live photo gallery of real persons. Looking to see more? Check out his website at http://www.evanpenny.com for a truly unique sculptural experience.
Tags: portraits, sculpture
Posted by mandarific on Nov 9, 2009 in
Events 
A reaction mold spouting flames.
It has been a wild ride these past few days, from helping my fiancé with his mold preparation to waking up at sunrise to help load and unload the kiln, Saturday brought the return of East Carolina University’s annual Halloween Iron Pour.
Because of the high temperatures required to melt the iron and the emissions caused from the process, the creation of iron castings is limited to once per semester at ECU, and is a big spectacle for all those who come to watch, and all those involved. Before the pour can even begin, students and visiting artists must break down old bathtubs, sinks, and other donated scrap iron into pieces small enough to melt in the furnace – 50 pounds at a time. Once the furnace is heated to over 2500 degrees they can begin to “charge” it – first with coke, a sort of carbon “supercharcoal,” and then with the 50 pound charges of iron. Once the furnace is ready to go, the fun begins – as the sun sets over Greenville the molten metal glows brightly as it’s poured into the molds, including some that have been rigged with wood to create sparks for a spectacular fireworks effect.
Pour Team Sign-Up Board
Every time the furnace is “full” of iron that is melted and ready to go, shouts go out for the pour team as students decked out in leather protective gear – often painted with a stencil or symbol to identify themselves – make their way to the furnace to collect the iron to be put in the molds. Each job is equally as important to the team in order for the process to go as smoothly and safely as possible.
The furnace is first tapped as a spike is hammered into the blocked tap hole to let the liquid metal flow freely out. Once the ladle is full, a second person jams a wad of clay known as a bot that will soon harden to keep the iron from continuing to spew out. The skimmer then cleans any excess debris off of the top of the metal and the ladle is carried off by a two-man team (sometimes more!) to be poured into the molds. As one person is aiming it to pour, the other donks – helping to keep it steady while the metal is being tipped out into the mold. And just in case it spills out anywhere else or a mold cracks, someone stands by to shovel sand on top of the metal so that it doesn’t pose a danger to the pour team – or anyone else nearby.
This was my third time attending an ECU iron pour, and I was fortunate enough this year to participate by helping out on shovel for a short period of time, and it was exciting to be right up close in the action – the entire process could be considered dangerous but is executed so perfectly by the ECU students, making the casting process itself as much of an art as the finished pieces. Special thanks to graduate student Austin Sheppard for clearing up a few facts for this post!
For more photos, check out the Gallery from this event.
Tags: casting, Events, iron, north carolina, sculpture
Posted by mandarific on Nov 7, 2009 in
Featured Artists It’s Iron Pour day at East Carolina University today – I just got back from helping some of the students unload and reload the low melt that had been full of molds to be cast, and in just a few hours the furnace will be heating up to bring the iron to a molten, bubbly liquid. My fiancé was nice enough to walk us through the mold making process – not exactly a “Do it Yourself” project, but it’s certainly interesting to see how it’s done.
After what can be a few hours to a few weeks of working on detailed wax molds, the sculptors pack their “blanks” in a fine sand to create the mold. After this, the wax is melted out in a special kiln so that the leftover space in the packed sand can be filled with metal to create a casting.
It’s a detailed process that you can read all about at Landon’s blog, as well as check out some of his other work. As for me, I am off to get some sleep – I’m looking forward to today’s pour and can’t wait to bring you all some of the pictures of the process! :)
Tags: casting, iron, sculpture, tutorials, wax
Posted by mandarific on Nov 6, 2009 in
Events I have been very busy lately as we move towards autumn, holiday season, and of course – the end of the semester for the local students. Hopefully I will be able to share some of my activities with you all as weeks go on, but if you’re in the area of Greenville, North Carolina and want to check out some of the events I may be attending – this could be a great opportunity for you to see some emerging artists, local work, and maybe some cool explosions. :)
- The East Carolina University Sculpture Guild will be hosting their annual Halloween Iron Pour Saturday, November 6 at the Jenkins Art Building on campus. Sparks will fly and molten iron will flow! Expect things to kick off around 4 PM and carry on well into the evening – stop by just after dark to see the reaction molds go off for a spectacular show!
- Pitt County Community College is hosting it’s annual Down East Holiday Show at the Greenville Convention Center this weekend. Stop by between 10 AM and 7 PM on Saturday or 10 AM and 5 PM on Sunday to check out more than 100 exhibitors and vendors to get you ready for the holiday season. From gifts to garnishes, the exhibition will feature crafters, local businesses, local restaurants, Santa, and more! Admission is $6, free for children 10 and under – so bring the family!
-Emerge Gallery & Art Center will be hosting two student exhibitions November 6 – 29, featuring photographer Jessi Braxton in the Wooten Gallery and J. Travis Snyder’s Wood Design thesis in the Edwards Gallery. They are also accepting entries for the 2009 Handmade Holiday Sale and 2010 DownEast Sculpture Exhibition - so visit the Pitt County Arts Council website for more information on the call for entries.
- ECU Wood Design and Metals student Stefan Kelischek will be hosting his senior exhibition, “The Wooden CuAg Show,” at the Burroughs Welcome Gallery, with a reception to be held on Saturday, November 21 from 5 to 9 PM. Come check out his eye-catching designs at the gallery, then head on over to Winslow’s Tavern around 6 PM for drinks and music to follow.
- MFA candidate Ashley Pierce will be hosting her graduate exhibition, “Perishable Garniture,” at the Greenville Museum of Art December 1 – 10. Her unique work in illustration is a must see – check out a preview at her blog, then head on down to the reception on December 5, from 6 to 9 PM. The Greenville Museum of Art is located at 805 S. Evans St.
I hope to see some of you all at these events, and will try to be covering them as much as possible. Stay tuned over the next few days for photos of the Halloween Iron Pour – and keep on creating. :)
Tags: casting, exhibitions, holidays, illustration, north carolina, photography, sculpture, wood design
Posted by mandarific on Oct 27, 2009 in
Featured Artists I’ve been considering getting into jewelry making as of late, so my “research” has led me through all variety of Etsy shops as well as a stroll through Michael’s. One of my favorite artists I’ve stumbled upon uses a unique “metal clay” to create interesting beads with powerful images inspired by cultural influences such as the American West and Japanese art. “Hint” even makes a visual reference of inspiration in her blog, showing the creative process behind why she chooses the imagery that she does.
Beth’s “Home Harvest” necklace is one of her latest pieces and you can almost feel the autumn breeze in the air- the citrine colors give off the warm glow of fallen leaves to accent the hand-crafted silver beadwork.
Though her assembled jewelry can be a bit pricey, the handcrafted beads range in affordable prices to accent your own handicrafts and bring together any project. From clever fall designs to adorable “anytime” styles, she has over a hundred beads to choose from – all created with the same metal clay firing technique.
As noted in her Etsy Shop, Hint also gives back with each purchase by giving to non-profit organizations that help make a difference in today’s world. For more information on the causes that benefit from Hint’s work, check out her Love Dogs blog. We’re glad to see someone who does such beautiful craft giving to help those who need it!
Tags: beads, causes, crafts, jewelry, metals, sculpture, wearables
Posted by mandarific on Oct 26, 2009 in
Featured Artists With just days ’til Halloween, I’m enjoying the remaining days of all the creepy decorations hanging about! For those who like to get crafty around the holidays or are looking for something a little more unique, these sculptures are certainly eye catching…
From a post at UltimatePaperMache, these pumpkins were made with, yep – you guessed it, good old fashioned Paper Maché. The technique has improved slightly over the years – these pumpkins are sturdy enough to display outside with Christmas lights instead of candles!
http://www.amalgamateworks.com
Richard’s designs over at Amalgamate Works never cease to intrigue me – often leaning towards the grotesque and macabre, this is a fine example of the sort of work we can always count on from him. This creepy Jack in the Box seems to have crawled right out of a horror flick with it’s almost lifelike welded steel composition.
http://loopyboopy.blogspot.com/
Loopy Boopy’s handcrafted dolls are truly one of a kind pieces – though her Etsy Shop holds a variety of these spooky creations, “Penelope the Ghost of St. Phillip” truly stood out. Hand sculpted from polymer clay, it’s one of a series of French Quarter Ghosts that appear to be more for decoration than for play, but she would certainly serve as an eye-catching piece in anyone’s Halloween decor.
Have you been up to anything crafty for Halloween?
Tags: crafts, dolls, paper mache, sculpture, welding
