Dirt&Silver

Thesis Pieces - PART SEVEN

2012-01-29T15:47:00.000-08:00

SALUTE THE UNKNOWN

The foreign is an uncontrollable force the traveler steps in front of when leaving home. They expose themselves to the potential of the unknown, good or bad.

Once the variable of context is removed, what remains is our reaction to the exterior as it collides with our interiors.

Do we flinch, hide, duck

or choose to face the converging forces head on?

To seek the foreign is to relinquish the control of knowing.

A graceful surrender.

Thesis Pieces - PART SIX

2012-01-27T15:22:00.000-08:00

THE FOREIGN

Travel is potential.

A malleable, ephemeral hope of change and transition.
In that, it is inherently temporary. Uninhabitable for longer than a brief period. Materials made for travel are often of plastic and paper. Lightweight for function and cheap for single use.

The temporary state requires the mind to be more alert than when in a habituated space. In travel the mind is hyper-alert, searching for patterns and familiar sights. It is trying to make sense of and eventually neutralize the foreign. No mind wants to be constantly lost. Without a few points of understanding, nothing has meaning.

Using the language of to-go objects, souvenirs and disposables, I altered their implied use or value to create a foreign moment. The mind can understand elements of the material or form, but the shift is just enough to create the discomfort of the unfamiliar.

Thesis Pieces - PART FIVE

2012-01-25T15:16:00.000-08:00

The forecast.

Thesis Pieces - PART FOUR

2012-01-23T14:51:00.000-08:00

ANTICIPATION & FANTASY

Traveling is often more for the benefit of the rose-colored daydreams we create before the trip than for what the actual place can offer. We often find what we seek in an adventure in its anticipation while the true landscape of our destination is as humble as home.

...But maybe with a few bells and whistles attached.

The postcard became an intriguing structure of romance and simplicity.

The 4 x 6 two-dimensional box that halfheartedly attempts to encapsulate a fluid locale.

What's included and excluded on that flat glossy plane dictates opinion and perception as far as the postage will send.

Thesis Pieces - PART THREE

2012-01-21T14:32:00.000-08:00

Using my new set of symbols, I began sketching scenes of restraint and release. The perceived constriction of home, work, community, etc. are often the catalysts of travel. Without the contrast of home freedom doesn't taste as sweet. And the transformation is less profound.

I also began to study the shift of perception that occurs in daily and vacation life. Depending on how you look at things, you might be covered in flowers or buried in thorns.

If pattern represents a culture as a whole, is there a way to show the individual within?

At times, I had to stop thinking and just mash symbols together. Here, phenomenology might determine the image's meaning rather than tradition.

Thesis Pieces - PART TWO

2012-01-19T13:56:00.000-08:00

I started researching symbols- personal, global, historical - as a way to try to understand culture.

I looked for common icons as well as abstract ones,

working to build a visual language.

These icons of the human network can describe the exotic, the hearth of comfort and kin, and a panorama of emotional states.

As pictographs, ranging from the stop sign to constellations, they communicate on a level more basic and instinctual than words, towing along the history of its origins and appropriations.

Seeking or fleeing from culture is one of the great motivations of every adventurer.

Thesis Pieces - PART ONE

2012-01-17T13:56:00.000-08:00

I have been hard at work on my thesis project.

The theme is travel.

Mainly why we travel and what sensations occur along the way.

When you go, are you running away, finding home or trying on a new version of yourself?

101 OZ

2011-08-27T19:36:00.000-07:00

Amber bet me 5 dollars that she could drink 101 ounces of pure mountain spring water in the two hours remaining of our Pagosa Springs road trip.

She won, painfully, and payment was long overdue.

For The Silver Screen

2011-08-12T08:36:00.000-07:00

I was recently commissioned to make a prop for the movie The Brass Teapot. It involved some old techniques and learning a few new ones. I'm quite pleased with the result and hope to try my hand at propmaking again.

Thanks to Ellen for throwing this my way.

On a Lighter Note

2011-07-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

Britty's birthday was on the 2nd of July.
She has lots of Polaroid photos and needed a place to keep them safe. I made her this.

I hope...

2011-07-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

... the guy gives it to his girlfriend and she breaks up with him. But only after she crashes his car, smokes all his meth, and sets his apartment on fire.

Dear Thief, I curse you. Sincerely, Ava

2011-07-03T11:19:00.000-07:00

I have always loved the look of embossed leather. The way it feels running your fingers over the texture and watching the pattern change in shifting light. The process, in the industrial sense, is expensive- requiring large metal plates and heated embossing units.

I am poor and not well-connected so I began scheming another way to make my dreams come true. After a few tests and some failures I concocted a method using photo-polymer plates and a nipping press.

The result: My ridiculous drawings mashed into leather for eternity.

While this may not seem monumental to all (7) of you, it is a great victory for me. It means achieving a product that looks finished and professional- even though I am not.

From the pressed leather, I made a clutch with two molded sides (the teardrop shapes pictured above) and a riveted closure.

My first attempt was made from an emboss that didn't turn out well. The design was hard to see and completely missing in some areas. I realized how time consuming leather work can be when D and I set out the assemble this thing. Each piece must be trimmed, beveled, moisturized (yes), sealed and burnished. The sides are first glued in then all the holes are pre-punched with an awl. Hand sewing takes about 5 hours if you're Dusty and an alum of 4H.

I was pleased but knew it wasn't quite complete. The finish was wrong, the emboss weak, and the closure unruly. So I started the whole process over again.

Four days later I had a winner. The impression of my design came out perfectly after leveraging the nipping press with a crowbar and throwing all my weight into it. The finish- classic black -brought out the fighting monsters in all their glory and had the promise of aging more gracefully than the tan version. I bought a sam brown stud to improve my closure. The picture above is the clutch pressed, post glue, pre stitch.

I finished it yesterday, having hand-sewn the damn thing for two days.

It was beautiful and I was so proud of myself.

I'd love to show you a picture.

But it was stolen.

Yesterday.

Non-Zero Possibility

2011-03-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

A story about the titanium screws that used to be in my back.

I mailed one to my buddy Will but he received an empty envelope instead.

I've always wondered about my screw's second life.

( photocopy and silver pen illustration )

Sometimes Sleep is Just a Shortcut to Tomorrow

2011-03-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

March's print club edition is an experiment I wanted to do with process colors. Essentially you take an image and dissect it into four layers of color: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Each layer is printed in these basic colors -a little transparent- and the way they overlap creates the whole range of color. I added a white layer to make the neon pop.

For those of you who know Lakeside, you'll recognize this kiosk.

He stands guard in front of the Cyclone and makes sure you have a damn great time.

( five color screenprint )

Amar O Rama

2011-03-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

A little book about one of my favorite places. The cover is a composite image of my grandpa's pool and the Fun O Rama in York Beach. Summer is magic.

( photocopy and altered photographs )

To Kublai - With Love, Marco

2011-03-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

( two color screenprint, metallic copper ink! )

Miss February

2011-02-16T14:18:00.000-08:00

The first edition for Print Del Month Club.

(four-color letterpress)

Set of Three in Embossed Envelope

2011-01-19T12:49:00.000-08:00

( letterpress & intaglio )

Calendar 2011 - for Jesse

2011-01-19T12:28:00.000-08:00

( pochoir & inkjet )

2011-01-19T11:47:00.000-08:00

( 2 color letterpress print)
15 x 22"

2011-01-19T11:45:00.000-08:00

( 6 color silkscreen )
13 x 20"

For Cameron's Special Lady Friend

2010-09-21T19:07:00.000-07:00

( cast bronze & silver )

Dusty gets older, Dusty gets painting

2010-09-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

( watercolor, xerox transfer )

One of My Favorites

2010-09-07T19:56:00.001-07:00

She came out of my pencil one day and has been cooing in my ear ever since.
I can't tell you why I love her. Only know that she's everything glamorous, pathetic, regal and sloppy that my cream-filled center is made out of.

( letterpress & watercolor )

For Emily

2010-09-07T19:53:00.001-07:00

I hope she's already received this in the mail.
If not, SURPRISE!

( watercolor, xerox transfer, pochior )

El Everything

2010-08-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

I made this for an assignment titled : Hinge- Metaphorical or Literal. While I respect what my teacher was trying to do, I am not easily lead to conceptual waters. I'd rather make a beautiful, useful thing. Go to industrial design school, you say. Well, I would but I'm tired and I think I've used up all my transfer points by now.

This bag is huge so I call it Tutto which means everything in Italian.

( canvas, pebbled white leather, etched bronze name plate, hand-cast zipper pulls from my little brother's long-lost action figure)

For Jeffrey

2010-08-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

( watercolor, xerox transfer, pochoir )

Gilligan's Desk Organizer

2010-08-14T13:53:00.001-07:00

( canvas, wood, twine, white ink )

Finalmente

2010-07-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

Ratchet Receptical

2010-07-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

(book board, book cloth and japanese silk, floral foam, pva)

My contribution to an offset project

2010-07-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

For Britt

2010-07-17T14:17:00.001-07:00

Some Books

2010-07-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

2010-07-06T22:26:00.000-07:00

For Dusty

2010-06-24T15:07:00.000-07:00

( watercolor, ink )

Lurk

2010-06-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

The story of this book is of a man wandering along until he stumbles upon a tree made of legs. As the vellum fog lifts, he imagines all the fabulous things he could do with these legs until his head starts to spin with visions of limbs.
The final page shows the man lurking off with a stash.

I believe this book still needs text, otherwise my story is lost. I hate to ruin a good picture with words so i am trying to think of a telling title or words to place in the tabs along the way.
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

( paper, photocopy, pen )

Burnt Beach

2010-05-29T16:45:00.000-07:00

( watercolor, charcoal, ink )

How To Get Where You're Already Going

2010-05-29T16:12:00.000-07:00

This is a project I did about getting out of your own way.

Something I'm trying to get better at.

It was made pretty quick which I find yields most exciting results.
The less time to refine yourself the better.

( paper, blender pen, ink, book cloth )

Leaders On Leisure

2010-05-26T10:23:00.000-07:00

Here you have the beginnings of a silly and slightly off-color project.
Britt Madden and I plan on illustrating a total of 18 leaders to create a colorful letterpress book. Hopefully by the end of the summer we'll have a small edition for sale.
Even bad people need a vacation.

Cards for Most Excellent Occasions

2010-05-20T00:07:00.000-07:00

Metal

2010-05-19T23:42:00.000-07:00

CrabPhone

2010-05-19T23:35:00.000-07:00

I've made a grand lot of ridiculous things
in the name of higher education.

I believe this is the apex.
(satin, leather, polyfill)

Wedding Photo Album

2010-05-19T22:53:00.000-07:00

hand-stenciled cover,
oval picture windows,
white tipped pages,
plenty of room for precious memories.

Bags

2010-05-19T22:51:00.001-07:00

Florence Pinhole

2010-05-19T20:51:00.001-07:00

These were taken with a couple cameras I made out of
a cardboard hatbox and an Illy coffee can.

Beginning

2010-05-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

I recognize I cannot hide from the world wide web.
So I'll show my work here and you can lurk if you want.
I hope you're happy.

-ava