It's a Good Day at Work....

When a couple of the creative director guys at Disney call you sculpted work "Bad-Ass"!! I've sculpted on quite a few of the Disneyland, DisneyWorld, Disney Tokyo, etc. rides in my career. But this was the first time that anyone actually said what I made was "bad-ass". Sculpting is what I do, it's not really a big deal. I like working on the theme-park rides cause then I know that my sculpted work is seen by millions of people every year. I don't get any name recognition, but I've always said that I "wanted to make art that my Grandma could enjoy." Well, now tons of kids & families get to see my art. It's hard, sweaty work.... but somebody has to do it!!


Movie recommendation...

So we've watched a few really good documentaries in the past couple weeks, but I want to recommend one that I've been thinking about.




It's called "Confessions of a Superhero". It's an awesome documentary that follows 4 of the costumed actors that work the "Hollywood & Highland" area. They work outside the Grauman's Theater & take pictures with tourists. They are all aspiring actors that are making their way through life. It tells of the 4 character's background & what they do in their everyday lives. I just like how it shows these iconic Hollywood attractions' real-life alter-egos. Their stories are awkward, sad, inspiring, weird, etc.

It's very cool & I totally recommend it if you have an evening!!!

Picts from Renegade!!

So here are a few picts from the L.A. Renegade Show. It was a blast & I'm still recovering from the weekend. I pretty much slept from when I got home from work till this morning last night! I was sooooo tired!!
















































I think one of the funnest things that people tell me at shows is (and it's usually fellow felters!!!), people comment on how nice the shading is on my work. They ask me how I get such nice gradations & shadows & when I tell them I use the airbrush they usually go "Oh...." and look super disappointed.

I know I've never been a traditional "felter". I find easy & cheap-trick ways to make creating my sculptures faster & better looking. I think my fellow felters feel cheated by how I use the airbrush to do shading. The way I look at is that I'm creating sculptures and part of creating those sculptures is the process of painting them. If I were sculpting sculpey sculptures, they need to be painted... If I were creating ceramic pieces, they would need to be glazed.... I don't feel bad about using any technique to get the look I want. I've got almost 10 years working as a prop maker & sculptor & 5 of those was almost exclusively creating work for Disney. Disney has a VERY specific aesthetic they follow & I enjoy the clean, graphic, animation inspired look to my sculptures. There is NO WAY to create that using traditional felting techniques.

Wool is just a medium for me to express my ideas in a sculptural form, not to be confined & limited by.

Quick Post!!!

Got some color on the Pink Predator Munny!!! His pink armor is coming along nicely. Want to do more detail & more layers of color. His dreads aren't attached cause I want to get all his armor painted before I glue them in. Soon!!

Hopefully I will be able to finish him up this weekend!!!

Being Inspired... Part II...

So I spent the morning & early afternoon trying to get inspired by drawing in my sketch book! I finished a couple of drawings & have a few new ideas for pieces I might start. I'm starting to look at my sketch book as creating more of a conceptual journal, rather than the way I used to use it by just drawing & ironing out the details of my next sculpture. It's kind of like photography, not every picture you take is a masterpiece, but 1 out of 100 is AMAZING!!

Concept drawings of Sugar Skulls!!!

I've always loved the traditional "Day of the Dead" images. I especially love the ornately decorated Sugar Skulls. You can do so much with them. These would make great wall hanging pieces... or something even better....




Concept for Swallow Tattoo!

Would love to make more wall hanging pieces like the Koi. I also like the graphic styles of traditional tattoo designs. I think it would be fun to make a 2-d , 3-d version of the traditional Swallow / Sparrow!

Being Inspired!!

So the good thing (and bad) thing about finishing a big piece of art is the time before you start the next. I love the time because it allows me to clear my mind & think about what I want to do next. I usually spend a good amount of time researching ideas, or drawing in my sketch book. But also, I can never decided what to make next....




What inspires you?
Where do you get your ideas?










There are so many pieces that I want to make, but I'm not always motivated to make them. Once I make a decision, I'm good to go & will work it through. But sometimes, some of the pieces that I've been meaning to start just don't sound that fun at this specific time.


so...


What will it be...




Don't know yet, but something will light a fire under my butt!!

Koi is Finished!!

So he's all finished!! It was a dash to the finish, but I got him all done & photo'd yesterday, then went and hung him at my work today! Feels great to be done & I'm really happy with how it turned out. Here are the final picts of the Koi & what he looks like in his new home....





























And I think it's funny cause when I finally hung it, it looks kinda small. When you are working on a piece (in hand) and up close, it seems HUGE... but... when hung next to giant paintings, he looks less than impressive. But he still looks cool!! Come by the Blick Art Supply Store on Beverly if you are hanging out in the Hollywood area!! He will also be listed in my shop this morning!!

Hawaiian Dreams....

So I don't know what it is... It could be the fact that my mom is going on a Caribbean Cruise next week, or the the T-Shirt Lady is blogging from Jamaica, or that the EtsyBloggers Blog Carnival is themed this, or that I just started my Day-Job a couple days ago... but I'm dreaming of a VACATION!! I don't have the excuse of being snowed in all winter like many of you, but I don't remember the last time I went on an official Vacation (not just visiting friends or family).



If I could go on vacation anywhere, I think I would go to Hawaii!! My boyfriend is Hawaiian & his whole family is amazed that I've never been there. I love going to the Hawaiian Festival every year here in L.A. I love watching the Hula Dancers, and love vintage Hawaiian themed stuff like advertisements, figurines, kitchen stuff, etc.






I also love Plumerias!! They have quickly become my favorite flowers!! I have 4 small plumeria plants that don't have flowers yet but I haven't killed them, so not too bad!! There are so many varieties, some smell so sweet, and the colors are so vibrant & different!! I think if I were to get more tattoos, I would get some plumeria flowers to surround the rose on my shoulder.







This is a painting by Mark Ryden. I like this image, and it shows that so many people are inspired by the Hawaiian culture. I can confirm from personal experience, that the laid-back, slow-going, no-pressure, no-stress stereo type of the Hawaiian is actually pretty accurate (as far as my boyfriend goes!!) He's so level headed, on the quiet side, but totally balances me out. I'm pretty high-stress & anxious, but he is always there to remind me that there are more important things than work, money, worries. This weekend was our unofficial 2 year anniversary, we didn't do anything special & I'm pretty sure he didn't remember, but that's okay. We don't need to do anything extra special to celebrate, we have fun every other day.

So we'll see... being poor kinda puts vacation planning on hold for a while... But I'm not getting any younger (turning 30 in a few months)... We should make the effort.

Amazing Artist...

So just had to link to this Artist I saw on one of my favorite Blogs - Make: Online - It's the more Macho Brother of Craft: Online. It usually posts about all sorts of Tech-type subject or (in this case) AMAZING ARTISTS!! I just had to link to Matthew Albanese's website because I was blown away by the amazing photographs. He creates miniature landscapes, lights them, then photographs them. It's amazing to see each photo then read the Materials list, which includes things like "cotton, steel wool, sugar, paprika...".

Freak'n Amazing!!

Spreading the Geek

Thought I'd just share a bit of my geekiness with you guys today. I'm working on 2 felted sculptures, but don't have pictures to share yet. In the mean time, I've been watching the first season of the awesome PBS documentary series. If you don't know by now, I'm an UBER dork, and proud of it!! I can watch boring documentaries about pretty much anything (except war shows, not really into that). But science, history, art, religion, etc. This show is called
Art:21 - Art in the Twenty-First Century.

It's not the most action-packed show out there, but I think it's neat and inspiring. They basically go into a contemporary artist's studio & talk with them about whatever. It's not an interview, it's more like a monologue. Sometimes the artist is very descriptive of their process and inspirations, and sometimes they just talk all artsy-fartsy & philosophical-like. Depends on who the artist is. Some shows are better than others, but I feel like making art after I watch them, so it's doing it's job!!A

More info about Art:21

Art in the Twenty-First Century is a groundbreaking documentary television series focusing exclusively on contemporary visual art by artists working in the United States today.

The series provides behind-the-scenes views of the artists in their studios, homes, and communities. The artists speak directly to the audience, in their own words, about how, why, and what they create....

While many programs about visual art look to the past, Art:21 presents a diverse group of both established and emerging artists working in America today and to the art they are producing now. The ongoing goals of this project are to enlarge the definitions and comprehension of contemporary art; to minimize the intermediary positions of curator, gallery, and museum as arbiters of taste and value; to offer viewers, teachers, and students a straightforward experience of the artists and their work without interpretive mediation; and to encourage viewers and students to participate in interactive and outreach programs. The underlying philosophy of this project is that contemporary American art is of real interest to a national audience. By making contemporary art more accessible, the series affords viewers and students the opportunity to discover their own innate abilities to understand contemporary art and to explore possibilities for creative thinking and self-expression.

I'm not the biggest fan of "contemporary art". When I think of "contemporary art" I think of splashy painted canvases, or giant abstract wood sculptures, or an instillation space filled with rotting meat to show the decay of the western culture or something. Can you tell I'm kind of jaded with modern art? Anyways, I was a little hesitant to watch this show, thinking it would be filled with super-conceptual artists, but it's (mostly) not. There are some really cool artists, and it's definitely expanding my idea of what "contemporary art" is.

Here is a clip from one of the shows, I have only seen the first season (there are 5!), but I picked it cause you probably know the artist, Jeff Koons.

Dynamic Movement!

As you know, I am constantly trying to experiment & explore the possibilities of felting. So far I've done a few pieces that jump outside the box of traditional felting techniques. Mostly done with the addition of different materials (like metal) or electronic components (like lights). Well, the evolution of FeltedChicken is about to take a giant leap forward!!! Here is what I have been working on trying to incorporate into my next large sculpture....

An automaton (plural: automata or automatons) is a self-operating machine. The word is sometimes used to describe a robot, more specifically an autonomous robot.

So I've been trying to learn ROBOTICS!! It's my eventual goal to basically make my felted sculpture come to life with animatronics. It's a pretty lofty goal, but I'm slowly taking baby steps. I have started to teach myself basic electronics (circuit building, soldering, etc.) That is taking a REALLY long time, since I have never done a single thing involving electricity or volts. But now it's time to teach myself how to make things move!!

**This drawing of a Duck Automaton shows how the duck would eat something, then poop it out!! Not sure how it works, looks complicated!


What the heck is an Automaton?!?!? You might not know the word, but everyone has interacted with one!! The most common automaton is probably a clock or watch. It is a rather complicated automaton, but has all the parts. Gears, springs, cams, non-human power source, etc. I say "non-human power source" because this is the key to an automaton. The difference between Automata Toys & Puppets is that a puppet needs constant human input to manipulate the object's movement. An Automaton may be "human-powered" by a hand-crank or winding up a spring, but it will complete it's movement cycle on it's own.







Another simple, yet common, automaton that you might know is called a Jumping-Jack!! The toy is strung so that when you pull the string down, the figure preforms a dynamic movement on it's own. Very simple (actually I should start with this type of automaton because it is simple & fun). But... of course... I've decided to jump head first, right into some more complicated pieces!!








Here is a drawing of one of the first large-scale Automaton that I want to make. It's a tattoo inspired Japanese Koi fish that will (hopefully) swim. In theory, when someone turns the crank, the fish will move it's head and tail up & down, and side to side. I'm in the process of making my first mechanical mock-up for this piece. Since I don't quite get how all the parts work, I'm making the parts out of FoamCore & clothes-hanger wire. Once I get all the moving parts perfected, then I will need to make it out of wood or another more permanent material. The fish will be made out of felt (of course) and that's one reason that I love wool!! It is so forgiving and easy to manipulate, that I can incorporate it into any new art process that I want to!





This is another idea for a piece I want to make. With this skull, in theory, the jaw will be hinged and it will move up and down to make it appear that the skull is talking. The mechanics for this piece are easier than the Koi fish piece, so I might be making this one first, just to baby step into the art of Automata!!

So I hope I peaked your interest & introduced you into a new art form. Automata are seen throughout history, as far back as ancient Greece. Even in ancient times, people were fascinated with giving life to otherwise inanimate objects!!

Holiday Inspiration!!

My Christmas vacation was awesome!! Spent a ton of time with the family, ate too much, drank too much, got a cold, watched WAY WAY WAY too much cable t.v., and didn't do anything crafty what-so-ever. My lack of motivation to create anything was forgotten after my Mom, Dad, and I went to see an amazing holiday (I call it ART) exhibit.









We went to an ICE SHOW!! It was all Grinch themed and was full of beautifully carved and painted ice sculptures. I call this an "Art Exhibit" because you just have to admire the skill & talent of the unnamed artists. It was very inspiring to see some great sculptures, and to remember that it doesn't matter what medium you choose to create with, but what you do with it!!










It was stupid cold in the exhibit, like 5˚... yes, I said 5˚!!!! They gave you a giant parka coat to wear, they had a huge ice slide and much needed hot chocolate at the end of the exhibit. Luckily we went on a weekday after Christmas, but usually the line to get in to the Ice Show is hours long. It was a great experience & after years of my family talking about going, I'm glad we finally made it.

Hello Kitty!!

I feel like my brain is running 100 mph right now, I worked all weekend, but we did get out on Friday night for a Super-Fun time. We went to an art show that was celebrating the 35th anniversary of HELLO KITTY. It was awesome! Since it was Friday the 13th, it was officially "Goth Night", so there were lots of people dressed up. The line to get in to the show went down & around the block, but we totally had the hook-up & got to go in the back door!! There were paintings & drawings & sculpture by a ton of pop-culture artists & toy designers. I really wanted to buy a print from "Angry Woebots", but it was like $150, and I'm poor again, so no. Here are a couple of picts from our night out!!









































*The last picture is of the print I wanted to buy, so awesome, if you've never seen Angry Woebot, he's awesome!!!

I also got some new bags done yesterday & started to get some of my supplies in the mail! I got some new sushi containers, so I can put some BRAND NEW SUSHI DESIGNS sets together. Very exciting! I guess things are slooooowly coming together. Still got lots to do!!

Artist Statement!!

Blogger is great cause I can pre-write posts and have them post at a future date. That's what this is... But I wanted to do my Blog Carnival for this month which is "Show us pictures of yourself & tell us a little bit about you!" So like I said yesterday, I wanted to take this opportunity to post my first official draft of my Artist's Statement to you guys. Please tell me what you think. I need some constructive criticism. I think it's pretty much what I want to say when applying to Graduate School, there might be a couple of wording changes, but overall I think this sums up what my artistic philosophy & ideas are. So here are a couple of picts of me & my new Artist's Statement....


For the past seven years I have been making art for other people. I have lived and worked as a Scenic Painter and Sculptor on both the East and West Coasts. Scenic work ranges from painting small silk poppies for a "Wizard of Oz" themed birthday party to sculpting 50 foot tall polystyrene foam rock cliffs for Major Motion Pictures. It's not the most artistically fulfilling job, you are often constrained by client concern's, timing, and money. But it's because of these limitations, I've learned invaluable practical knowledge and experience that I could never have learned in a classroom. What is the fastest, easiest, and cheapest way to build this project, but also have it look awesome? It's like a puzzle; a client comes to you with an impossible idea, and it's your job to figure out all the steps to complete it: aesthetics, construction, and delivery. I apply this approach to my personal art. How am I supposed to take all this fluffy wool and transform it into this impossible idea I have?

I am a felter. There is something so tactile and personal about felting wool by hand. Each felting technique serves it's own purpose; wet-felting is great for speed and quantity, Nuno felting is perfect for transparency and structure, and needle-felting allows for controlled sculpting and details. I am not a felting purest though, I mix these techniques freely in order to accomplish the goals of a specific piece. I also use additional materials like foam and wire armatures to reinforce structure. With each new piece I make I try to incorporate a new technique or process or material. I see it as just adding one more weapon to my felting arsenal. Then I can pull these experiences out for endless possibilities for the future.

This practical view of materials doesn't always translate to highly conceptual subject matter. My pieces are rarely driven by ideas that illustrate political or social statements, but rather to learn and master techniques. For instance I wanted to create translucent felt, so I made a "JellyFish" sculpture, or I wanted to make Fire, so I created the "Burning Dollar" piece. Despite the straight forwardness of my subjects, the philosophy behind my creative process is full of conceptual contradictions. One contradiction I see within my art is the relationship Fine Art versus Craft. Traditional felt-making is one of the oldest known crafts in the world. The potential of using this well established medium is extremely underrated, and it's my goal is to expand upon the practicality of the material and bring it into the more experimental and expressive Fine Art environment. Another contradiction I'd like to explore more is the super labor intensive nature of the felting process versus the scale of the piece. I would love to make giant felted sculptures or fully felted environments, but fell overwhelmed by the amount of work that would need to go into creating them. Many fibers artists create small pieces to keep the work manageable, but to me, this is an exciting part of the challenge. I am constantly looking for ways to streamline the process to make it more efficient. And finally, I strive to bring more relatability to the viewer within the Fine Art Gallery or Museum setting. Too much art hangs on walls or sits on pedestals. I would much rather have the viewer interact with my work that admire it from a distance. This is why i prefer to make "objects". The obvious comparison between stuffed animals or toys to felted objects invites people into making an intimate connection with my pieces. I am currently working on enhancing this interactivity by incorporating technology and electronic components. The addition of lights, sensors, and (hopefully in the future) independent mobility helps bring human personality and life to my pieces.

I believe the ultimate goal for an artist is to completely master all aspects of their chosen medium. Only after an artist can create pieces without worrying about the technical details, only when creating becomes second nature, can they move to expressing more complex conceptual ideas and subject matter. It's at this point that one encounters the most challenges, but also when true innovations are created.

So Please let me know what you think about my Statement. I know it need some editing & some revisions. I usually wrote some of it, let it sit for a couple weeks, then rewrite it, then let it sit, and now it's sat for like a month & I'm still kinda happy with it, so I think it's a winner!!!

FYI - I'm planning a super-fun-awesome-possibly-wicked thing soon for my blog. With the new pieces I'm working on, I feel the need to MAYBE-POSSIBLY give away some of my old pieces. So possibly-maybe in the next couple weeks I might be offering a special something-something for my blog readers!!! Cause I love ya!!


**** Okay, I just re-read my Artist's Statement and... It's pretty Okay. I know there are some type-o's and weird wording, so I need to re-write, yet again. Are there any parts that I might need to expand upon? Too much wordiness? I'm feeling kinda vulnerable right now, so please be nice!!!! ****