Aus krummem Holze...

"Aus krummem Holze als woraus der Mensch gemacht ist, kann nichts ganz Gerades gezimmert werden."

-Immanuel Kant 

Idee zu einer allgemeinen Geschichte in weltbürgerlicher Absicht, 1784

 

Breaking Boards

First it was a tree, then it was a log, then it was a board, then it was bunch of parts, and then it was a thing.

Resurrection

When I decided to start using handplanes, I was somewhat at a loss as where to start. I had very little experience using planes and,in hindsight, the experience I had was probably more of an obstacle. As I planned my first purchase, I had to decide whether to buy a new plane or fix up on old plane. I ended up buying an old plane: an old Stanley Bedrock Style 605 from the 1920’s off of E-bay for about 90 dollars. The plane was in rough shape, but all the parts were there and nothing was damaged. Using Garrett Hack’s Handplane Book and some tutorials from online, I set about restoring the plane. The first step was to take the plane apart and figure out try to figure out how it did it- I would later have to figure out how well each part was doing what it was doing.

The Invisible Hand

This week I cut a set of mortise and tenon joints for the base of a display case. I decided that I would try out the new mortising chisels I got last month and some sweet new sawing skills that I have been working on. After carefully cutting and fitting the parts, I started thinking about how all of the time and effort put into these joints would be hidden from view the moment that I placed glue into the joint and clamped up all of the parts. I also considered about the myriad other ways in which this joint could be constructed(i.e. dowels, dominos, screws, biscuits, etc.) or handful of less manual techniques that could be employed to the form the parts (i.e. mortising machine, a router jig, table saw, drill press and on and on and on…)

The question is why bother this sort of thing by hand?

Studio AND at The Science Fair!

Don't miss your last opportunity to see Studio AND's latest project this weekend at The Science Fair!

The Science Fair, is a show fun show featuring "Scientist-Artists and Artist-Scientists". It is hosted at the Flux Factory in conjunction with The Metric System.

THE SCIENCE FAIR!
The Flux Factory
39-31 29th Street
Long Island City, NY 11101
June 5 – 13, 2010
Hours: Saturdays and Sundays only, 12-6pm
Special Flux Thursday Award Ceremony: June 10, 8pm

Last Weekend, Eliza Strickland From Discover Magazine stopped by the show and wrote a lovely article and posted some photos from the show which can be found HERE



Studio AND is a collaboration between myself and my wonderful studiomate Audra Wolowiec. In 2009 Studio AND created The Department of Mineral Science, a pseudo-instutional branch dedicated to the inspiration of urban exploration. The department's main area of study focuses around the curious pheonenon of Urban Meteorties.

Urban Meteorites are part of an ongoing investigation into the creation of a plausible fictional material. Composed from the materials found in the urban landscape, Urban Meteorites are presented as an artifact from an imagined future.


Press Release:
Flux Factory and The Metric System are proud to present Science Fair, an exhibition of works by artist-scientists and scientist-artists!

Inspired by grade-school education fairs, Science Fair is a collaborative effort that examines science-based projects and concepts through the lens of art. Artists will create their own presentation booths and interactive experiments to be on display at the Fair. The exhibition explores the potential for science as a breeding ground for art: a way to inform and inspire art as a springboard for creative thought.

The Fair will showcase over two dozen projects including an artist-run weather station, robots that draw, urban meteorites, a cabinet of curiosities, and electro-magnetic field mapping.

Participating artists: Robin Brehm, Daupo, Lisa Glauer & Kaethe Wenzel, Fred Forest, Samwell Freeman, Hope Ginsburg & Colablablab, Kate Hartman, Jay Henderson, Jaime Iglehart, Scott Kildall, Rafael Hidalgo Múgica, Julia Oldham, James Rouvelle & Lili Maya, Daniel Schludi, SP Weather Station, Chad Stayrook, Studio AND, Flint Weisser, Elizabeth Whalley, Jing YuThe Metric System is a New York-based collective that encourages cross-disciplinary collaborations between artists, thinkers, scientists, and political activists.

New Work!

I am still recovering from the all the hullabaloo from NYC Design Week and the frenzied weeks leading up to the main event. After getting several solid nights of sleep, I am still regrouping, putting the studio back together and getting ready to start the next projects that had to remain on the drawing board for this round. In the meanwhile, I have gotten the chance to take photos of my work and update my webpage. To see what all the fuss has been about click HERE.


The Model Citizens NYC 2010 show was a complete success and really distinguished itself as an breakout-independent alternative to the ICFF zoo. My deepest thanks to the amazing people that worked so hard to make it happen! There has been lots of buzz surrounding the event, and bunch of some articles can already be found at: Core77, Inhabitat, Design Glut, NOTCOT, and Metropolis


I am planning on posting a lot in the coming weeks. I am taking a break from the shop and going to Providence and Boston for final critiques at RISD. I am also very much looking forward to checking out the RISD Graduate Exhibition, the RISD Glass Graduate Thesis Show AND the RISD Glass Senior Show. I will be bringing my laptop to download some of my thoughts amassed while pulling together all of this work.

Model Citizen NYC 2010

Hello Everyone! I am pleased announce that I will be showing all (very) new work at Model Citizens NYC next week (may 15-17) during NYC Design Week and ICFF.

http://www.modelcitizensnyc.com/

This is the second incarnation of Model Citizen NYC and, I have to say, I think it is going to be a phenomenal show. MC-NYC is organized by my dear friend Mika Braakman, who has really out done herself this year. I had the chance to visit the space at Hosfelt Gallery last week and it is absolutely gorgeous (and across the street from the Javits Center).

This years show will be featuring over 40 artists and designers from all around the country and the world AND will be host a small pop-up-shop stocked with a small assortment of curated production. I will be selling two small production runs, including the acorn-pods shown above.

In addition, I am thrilled that a bunch of old friends will also be showing work including: Emily Rothschild & Tom Weis, Brendan Ravenhill, Virginia Griswold, and GRAIN Design.

I will be looking forward to catching up and seeing their latest and greatest! If you are in the NYC area next week you must stop by and say hi!


MODEL CITIZENS NYC 2010

Opening Night Party: Saturday May 15, 5am-9pm

Show Hours:
Saturday May 15, 11am-5pm
Sunday May 16: 11am – 7pm

Monday May 17: 11am- 7pm
 


Hosfelt Gallery
531 West 36th Street, Second floor

New York, NY 10018


GOOGLE MAP

On 36th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues.