Thursday, April 29, 2010

Materials- Sustainable Project- Project Updates


The more I work with this concept the farther I move away from crochet. I mean, no matter what I do it feels crafty and I think it is going away from my concept using the crochet. I decided to really sit down and figure out -what- I wanted to do with this project. Was it about crochet and keeping a dieing tradition alive? If so, Why the fruit? Couldn't there be something -else- that would be more suited to this?

That's when I realized that really, the crochet was a means to achieve a different concept and that I was really back on the concept I was working with on my "Enjoy Your Lunch" piece of last semester. Really, I wanted to make fresh produce more readily available in the home by giving the consumer something that was a fruit container that encouraged through interaction to put and take out fruit. So, I have been deciding better ways to convey this message of healthy eating and more healthy alternatives in the home through a sustainable medium. I was looking into designs I could use.


Last week, Megan showed us how to do that technique with the cheerios, and honestly I fell in love with the design. It instantly reminded me of those African instruments and drums. I always thought they were aesthetically very pleasing to look at and they were always around vegetable gourds. I was wondering what I could do with that in more simplistic way. So, I researched some instruments. Honestly, the beads seemed like an afterthought I was thinking I could directly incorporate them into my design and depending on the materials make a comment with them.

J2- Project 2, Reflection


Reflection of "On The Hook"
I really enjoyed this project. This is really the first time I got to sit down and really design something in metal start to finish that had many surfaces and details. "On the Hook" is a 5.25" x 1.66" x 0.5" narrative pendant depicting the story of me catching my first fish when I was down in Chincoteague, VA as a small child. I got so excited that I flipped over the boat and still managed to keep hold of the fish. The front of the pendant shows the fish and the inside details the acts of catching it. The backside (flat side) of the piece shows the cleaning of the fish by the docks as is the tradition of my family ( you catch it, you clean it). The pendant is made of copper, brass and sterling silver and completely done is cold connections.  I am quite pleased with the way it turned out employing many various techniques including: rivetting, chasing and repousse, sawing and piercing, tabs, heat patinas and liver of sulfur patinas. My favorite portion of the pendant has to be the front repousse of the fish. I think it came out exactly as I wanted, I do feel that I could work more on the connections in the future and I could stand to practice more rivets. 

My peer review of the pendant was pretty positive. They found its overall looking complete and that every surface has been designed and considered. They seem to understand the narrative concept right away and understand the imagery and beach themes used throughout. They liked the materials and the patinas used but find the edges to be unfinished and that they could be sanded more (this I agree with). They did comment it was a bit large to be wearable. I think this is a valid critique. I had originally intended it to be smaller but when it came out larger I decided to work with it. It did make it a bit easier to rivet it together and easier to sand the surfaces. They did find that if it hangs lower it would be able to be worn which is why I chose to lengthen the fishing line strand to make it hang a bit lower.