It’s kind of a joke to call it summer in South Florida as it’s seemed like summer since the end of March. Summer though, really starts at the Fourth of July. Here in S. Fla. the weather cooperated nicely for me to enjoy a nice long weekend in the studio. It was dark and rainy the whole weekend.

I’m working on two new projects that should be ready to photograph this week. One is a new Wauli hook and the other is a new version of the Wauli Shelf/Rack. I didn’t expect the first one to sell so quickly but it did. It was fabricated from scraps so I probably won’t be making one just like it again.

I found time to finish a project I started last summer at Penland:

Above Bee’s steel magnet wall, behind her work tables.

Anyway, that’s it for today. As Victor Cheng says with regards to marketing through your blog. “……….. keep it up.”  So that’s my goal for the rest of the summer.

See you soon!

Cheers,

Paul

WARM LEATHERETTE…………….

The coolest version I’ve ever heard!!! 

Been a while since I last jotted something down here. The end of the year came to a quick close. I hope is was as good for you as it was for me.

Anyway, have a great one!

Cheers,

Paul

I had a post here for August and I seem to have deleted it. I think the gist of it had to do with my 2 and a half week stay at the Penland School in North Carolina.

I went there to attend a class they were giving on lighting entitled: Beyond Neon. I have a project that I intend to finish now that I have taken the class that I needed a light source for. I thought a neon type light would be perfect for that application.

My first rendering of ANYTHING. Rhinocerous  has a Mac beta version that I have been using. Very cool stuff and way more user friendly then AutoCAD.

Anyway, I digress. The class was a great experience. It wasn’t cool enough that it was in Penland NC, but it had some really cool instructors and teaching assistants. The students also added some very interesting ideas to the class and presented some cool challenges that were solved by the staff.

Wayne Strattman giving a class demo on borosilicate tubing work.

Wayne was one of the teachers and is a world renown high voltage lighting expert. His glass working skills are pretty incredible. He gave a lot to the class in the way of time and personal knowledge. He really helped those that were interested in pushing the ideas they had.

One of the great things about Penland is the fact that you are able to really immerse yourself in the art environment. Next door to our studio was the hot glass studio and those guys were doing some really great work.

Pouring molten glass in the Hot Glass studio.

David Wilson is a Penland area artist and electrical engineer. He was a very hands on instructor and gave a lot in the way of personal time, equipment, experience and ability. He took the time out to give each student a session in the hot shop blowing a glass object.

David Wilson doing his thing. Julie Kumar looks on. Julie is probably one of the most talented three dimensional artists I have met. She was constantly challenging the instructors with her ideas.

David Wilson also was instrumental in getting everyone to participate in the class projects and Renegade Neon projects.

David mounting student tubes in the class sculpture.

Student Mary Sue and visiting artist Ken, sewing student project in the weaving studio.

The student project during the day.

Glass sculpture on the knoll at night.

The TA’s during our session were the best. David Smith came to set up the shop and did some great demos on neon work. He was also able to spot problems we were having with the borosilicate work and knew just how to help us overcome them.

David Smith demoing in the Neon shop.

Chris Coyle, another area artist practitioner of Neon, was up early and stayed late everyday making sure the tubes were right. She gave so much of her time and knowledge. I probably would have had a difficult time getting through there without her being around.

My Finished tubes.

Last morning at Penland

October is here and so is the cool fall weather(HA) and that makes it perfect for scootering! Problem is I have never had a scooter.

I have been working for my brother trying to catch up on bills and such being that the art furniture business, like most luxury sectors, is struggling. While on the job one day the kind homeowner was walking by with some (3) Razor type mini scooters that she was tired of finding in the yard around her house. I happily offered to take them from her. My brother got one, since he too didn’t have a scooter, and I took the other two.

Discarded scooters in my truck.

One of the scooters was a Hotwheels and he other was a real Razor! The hot wheels was really nicely constructed but carried this ominous warning:

Now I fit the age thing, but the weight thing? Like what old guy is going to weigh 132 or less?? and I’m sure there is a safety factor but I like to jump scooters and do tricks on them. My potential weight could be way over 200 pounds. I was going to have to modify my scooter. First I wanted to combine the two and make one with the coolest parts. I like the all aluminum scooters so mine was going to have as much aluminum as possible.

Combined scooter in front, partsmobile in back.

Note the Razor gooseneck and front fork. The only steel parts now are the front fork and the fender.

Now a great journal entry would include step by step pics and explanations, but screw that. Here’s the finished product. I did beef up the main frame by adding a strip of aluminum to the underside and each rail  and completely welding the edges so there are triangular structures running the length of the frame. I also cleaned and lubed the gooseneck bearings and installed new ABEC 7 bearings in the wheels.

I hope your October is going well too. So get out there and scooter. Also, wear a helmet!!!!

Cheers.

Wow, I can’t say enough about this month already. I had one of my hooks featured on the daily ETSY feature. Woooooohooooo. I didn’t even know it until I realized that my site on ETSY had been hit over two hundred times in a short period of time. Also, a very kind ETSY person let me know too.

I sold some of my hooks. 

My little buddies waiting to be packed for delivery.

These are just one of those things that I really love. I’m so glad I put them on ETSY. They make me pretty happy. That might be weird but that’s how I feel. I think that if I were to mount a bunch on a wall, anywhere, they’d be cool with or without stuff on them. 

Strange, when I start thinking about doing other things, stuff falls in my lap. Not sure what it all means, but I’m having a great time.

Cheers,

Paul 

Just wanted to take a second the say thanks to everyone that came by and showed support for what we’re doing. We had a great show opening last night at REX Art and man those mojito’s were great! Met a bunch of great people and caught up with some old friends.

Cheers,

Paul

June has been sliding by.

Was in New York at the end of May, helping a friend do an install. We were in Larchmont. That area and the surrounding areas, Mamaroneck and White Plains are prolly some of the most beautiful areas to be in during the late spring. Miami was HOT and HUMID, up there it was still cool, lush and green.

Driving through Larchmont. 

Rick, Damiano and Carlos -Seti mockup

We were up there doing a mock up in a warehouse for a Park Ave hotel/condo. Crazy millwork and cabinetry to install. Loads of wood paneling and walls to straighten.  Rick will send some picks of the finished product.

Next up was the Furniture Society’s  annual conference in Boone NC at Appalachian State University. I didn’t know what to expect but had a great time commuting from Little Switzerland over to Boone each day. I didn’t get a lot of pictures but did learn a bunch.

Steel sculpture on the Campus of Ap State. 

Chairs at Bernhardt  Furniture Factory

Went on a tour of the Bernhardt Furniture factory. They do beautiful stuff but could learn a thing or two about “Lean Manufacturing“ 

Also went to Hickory Chair. These guys do know a thing or ten about “Lean Manufacturing“ 

One of the interesting demos was by Paul Henry. He did a great demo involving horse hide glue and hammer veneering. I grabbed this shot off the Furniture Society’s facebook page. I figured it was OK since I’m in the shot looking like I just took a dump.

Paul watching Paul hammer veneer 

All in all the Conference was a learning experience. I did learn that you should make friends asap if you want to stay abreast of what cool things are going on. I also learned that if you don’t get a ticket early to the auction, it don’t matter if you donated a piece or not, you still ain’t getting in. Also, if you’re going in order to meet people, go to the frigging parties, especially the closing party.

That brings me to International Surfing Day.

 Here’s some information about the concept and spirit of International Surfing Day:

 

1. WHY IS INTERNATIONAL SURFING DAY ON JUNE 20? 

* June 20th is the Summer solstice (the longest day of summer) for the Northern Hemisphere. It is with ISD tradition that we pick the Summer solstice as the date we kick off our celebrations! 

2. WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL SURFING DAY? 

* International Surfing Day is an annual worldwide celebration of surfing. A day to give thanks and go surfing, ISD organizers aim to raise awareness of the state of our oceans, waves and beaches and help protect and preserve these recreation areas. This year, Surfrider Foundation and industry friends and partners will commemorate the day by hosting events around the world, ranging from beach clean-ups to concerts and film showings.

It was a great time!

Sunset and Miami Beach and 79th Street. 

Cheers and stop back soon.

Paul 

This is how I feel today and just about every day: