Magoriums Urban Emporium

Where does the time go?!!! Busy creating as much as I can at the moment. Several projects are on the go but one has me thinking and working.
Last week I watched Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium.
In it was the coolest looking toy. A rotating planetary system that sits on the counter. I decided then I was going to build one. Knowing it was going to be my most ambitious project to date.

It's not just the mechanical but the electrical side of things need to be worked out carefully. Then there is the structural aspects to be taken into consideration before the Art side of thing comes in.
It is going to be a challenge and I look forward it.

First is the planning and the gearing stage...





Also just finished the Mobile Phone

The Reward of Art

Bronze 11cm

I enjoy making art. The fact that other people are interested or even enjoy it just seems to make creating art even more enjoyable.

You end up getting rewarded three times. Once when you are in the act of creating. Secondly the reward of seeing your piece finished. And then to top it off , friends, family, peers or complete strangers enjoy it too.

What a great feeling of creating and sharing.

I hope there are not too many artists that are afraid to show their art to anyone else.
I'm saying this because I have been mentioned in other blogs. I love that.
Over at artsyrubbish there was this..



The wonderful Sophism Press and Art Propelled also featured my art.

And I sold my first etsy piece! And I am working on my most ambitious kinetic sculpture to date.

Art keeps me alive. Thank you Art.

Turn me on

What turns me on?

Tom Every is right up my alley.

The Arthur Ganson's kinetic sculptures ring all my bells. Thanks to Art Spark Theatre for pointing me in the right direction.

Also, Artit directed me towards The Quay Brothers. OMG.

And, as Monty Python say, now for something completely different...
Self portraits. Speed drawing on bad paper, in low light, hung over, in a storm, on a boat, far away.....

Etsy and giveaway and junk and more junk

urbandon is my new Etsy shop!

I have finally opened an Etsy account. My work is now available for sale. I'm pretty excited about it as it was a new-year resolution; to offer my art for sale again.

It's so easy to list an item- similar to eBay but on your own terms. I like that.

So, as a way of celebrating, I am offering as a prize one of my pieces.

Leave a comment and answer this - What would you call this character? He stands 15cm tall and his heart actually flashes. I will throw the names in a hat and draw one winner in a few days.
Good luck!

Have a look at my draws of junk. These are my materials. Sorting them is half the fun. Is that weird?

Always, thanks for the comments. I truly value them.

Guardian Angels

Everyone needs a Guardian Angel in their life. These are mine of hunting and scavenging.
The guardians of Gleaners, they keep an eye out for rusty junk on sidewalks and back alleys. The wings allow them to fly high and scout at industrial waste depots and garage sales. The hands are a symbol of the exchange of money or energy that takes part in any transaction. Also good for picking up bits.

Thank you so much for the wonderful comments. I am overwhelmed and inspired to continue creating and blogging, and soon, offering my toys for sale to good homes.

Steampunk Science Fair

I'm just loving making kenetic sculpture at the moment.
This stands 30cm. Battery operated. Made from toys, beads, wire, tin, gears.

I also finished these spooky little characters...

Steampunk Optiscope

Steampunk Optiscope is the name I have given to my latest little project.
Made of typewriter parts, metal, beads, earrings, glass lens, seed pod, buttons, timber.

Trail stop-motion movie. JPGVideo free software used to convert still to .avi.

War is Stupid

War? What war? The war that is still going on with a body count of civilians at 90,253- 98,521. That is a lot of dead people. Innocent people, like you and me, who died because they live in Iraq. At this rate, in ten years time, every Iraqi will be dead. Number of dead coalition soldiers 4539.

Can anyone answer this: Why was Iraq invaded? If you answered WMD you are wrong.

Thankfully the new, wise government of Australia has pulled it's troops. Now we just need Obama to do the right thing.


http://www.iraqbodycount.org/

Finally got around to finishing and photographing my final holiday artwork. Cross of war. Using over two hundred plastic soldiers and a hot glue gun. Size is 35 x 40 cm I'm considering doing a civilian version...if I can find that many figurines of men, women and children.


War is stupid.
Soldiers kill civilians.
The oil will run out soon anyway.

Quick and Easy Crests

Came across this cool site recently. scionspeak. Create your own crest. Nice Flash site where you can design, save, and post your crest to the online gallery. Bit of fun for a while. The colours are limiting, but by playing with them in your favourite image editing program opens up some new avenues.

Oh, for a life of Art not office...

The holidays draw to a close. The party is over. Time to head back to work. Though I have decided to do as much art as I possibly can over the year. I also made a resolution to post more...no more blogging once a month...even if I have to post at work. There, I said it.

Over the holidays I hammered out a few little items. Care to look? Hope so! These are made from plastics, doll parts, timber hands, nails, junk.

Happy new year you all!