A Book on The Arts of the Sailor

While looking for some reference books on boats for my sculpture class at Interlochen, I ran into a couple of books highlighting the use of knots in sailing. The only sailing I've done, where I am "skipper" is in a little sunfish, within the safe confines of Green Lake adjacent to Interlochen. Still looking at these books gives me this romantic feeling. The beauty of tied rope and its usefulness. It reminds of when I was studying knot-tying for a Boy Scout merit badge. I was something of a knot expert in my troop.

I really like the cover of the Arts of the Sailor. I wonder if it has some symbolism to the sailor? 

Nice portrait of the author Hervey Garrett Smith.

Some notes about picking out a good knife.

The guys at the awning shop I used to work for used one of those sewing palms for on-site repairs.

Contents of a Ditty Bag

Neat illustrations, huh?

This littler book is 112 years old! Signed by the same owner as the previous one.

 

See how small it is? Small enough to go in your ditty bag.

This one has a knot on the side, I think is called a bow-line on a bite.

I'm not sure how this well manifest itself within my work, but it is interesting to note that what attracts me to the ouroboros snakes is a similar feeling to that of these knot books. That's a connection, I suppose. I just wanted to share these books and if you ever find anything similar at a flea market, pick it up for me. I'll buy it from you...as long as its cheap.

New Toy at Interlochen

This summer at Interlochen Center for the Arts, in Northern Michigan, I've been re-hired to be the Studio Tech for the Visual Arts Building. I was brought in a week early of school starting to prepare the studios. Another task that fell on me was to put together a brand spanking new Lincoln Torchmate 2x4. It's a CNC router and plasma torch that can cut any design into most common metals, wood, and even vinyl. This is a fabricator's dream come true. 

I have zero experience working with one of these machines and was a little daunted by the task of constructing this expensive piece of equipment. I do have experience working with a handheld plasma torch and I once had a job programming a giant giant CNC milling machine. So I guess that's close enough.

My fellow ECU alumni Aaron Earley was hired as a studio assistant for the Metalsmithing Studio and he was willing to lend a hand putting together the table with me.

Aaron turning a screw. 

I found an old table to put the plasma cutter and laptop on. I'm still trying to figure out a neat way to put away all the wires and the controller box.

Cutting into rusty 1/8 steel.

I'm very excited because today I was able to make the first accurate cuts! Yesterday it had been cutting everything "squished" and Sebastian (my awesome studio assistant) sat down and figured out that the drive parameters needed to be tweaked. It seems to have worked.

5/16" thick star. Like butter!

It took me about 10 days to put it all together, read the five manuals, make a CAD design, and problem-solve. This is including doing all my other tasks to prepare all the other studios.

Next I'll figure out how to use it as a teaching tool. What should I have my sculpture students make with it?  They JUST learned how to arc weld, use a grinder, gas weld, and plasma cut. Now this is gonna blow their minds....mine is pretty blown.
All and all putting this machine together was fairly easy. The directions were simple and the tech guys answered the phone, were nice, and were very helpful. Torchmate even replied to one of my tweets, which is pretty dorky cool.

I'll do more updates later about what we make with this thing.

I'm really freaking excited about this!!!

Tri-State Sculptors 34th Annual Conference

Tri State Sculptors
34th Annual Conference
October 4,5,6
East Carolina University – Sculpture-Greenville, NC
Call for Proposals on the 2012 Conference

This year's annual Tri State Meeting at East Carolina University in Greenville NC. 

We seek proposals from artists, craftspeople, designers, collectors, curators and others with an interest in sculpture.Through workshops, lectures and artist presentations. We hope to have a successful conference.

The aim of the conference is to provide students, teachers, art professionals and anyone with an interest in art, but especially sculptors to participate in the exchange of ideas.

Proposal submission deadlines: August 6th, 2012. Proposals may be for workshops, presentations, panel discussions andhappenings. We especially encourage individuals and groups who feel that they are historically underrepresented in the arts to contribute. Proposal may be from individuals or groups. Submit your ideas to Hanna Jubran by email or mail. Jubranh@ecu.edu

-copied and pasted from the TriState Facebook Page.