October 30th

Well, it's been long enough since my last post, a little over two weeks, strewth!   This past week I went on a what was supposed to be a weekend camping trip up to the Alps into lake Como, I ended up befriending a bunch of other travelers and locals and journeyed through the north of Italy.  I started by climbing Alpine mountains surrounding a giant glacial lake to burying my feet in the sand of the warm November beaches of western Italy.  I made memories that I can never ever forget, from the mountains to the Mediterranean.

It is when you feel most at home when you are truly traveling.

So my updates for my work include this:
The Amulet is bent, mostly set, and I have the rings for the leather lace made, all that is left to solder the rings, do my finishing touches, and polish the entire piece to a blinding shine.  I would like to point out though that the piece was a fucker to bend, and I ended up breaking off a bunch of interior pieces and had to solder them (shittily) back in, and in the process also ended up melting off some of the smaller interior pieces.  At this point in time, I just want this amulet done so I can get on to making my cast ring(s).  Here is the piece.

LET ME BE DONE WITH YOU

As for my next piece, I am getting very excited.  Essentially what will happen is that I get a big piece of casting wax, and I will carve a ring out of it.  Once that's done I will take it to a caster's and have it clamped and then put into a tube; a solution of water and chalk will get poured in and then the tub will be put into an oven.  The oven will quickly dry the solution, which will harden around the wax, the wax will then melt and pour out through the clamp, leaving negative space in the shape of my piece, hot molten metal (the type depends on how big the piece is, the bigger the piece the more expensive, the cheaper the metal, the more I can do) will be poured into the piece and then will dry, leaving a metal copy of what I made out of wax.
My concepts for this include three ideas that I can share with you, the fourth I can't share so that it remains a secret to someone who may or may not read this blawgg.

1st Concept: Abstract dark metal ring.
This piece is pretty cool, I've gotten a lot of compliments on the idea, and I will most likely do it, but I am not sure if I want this to be more first piece.  We shall see, maybe I'll do two rings at a time.

 

P.s. Fuck MS paint.

Essentially the black blocks are raised pieces, the dark grey areas on top are supposed to opposite side of the ring.  I'll try and actually take the time to make a good looking sketch and show the concept in detail.

Concept DEUX: Diving bells.
This second idea I am thoroughly psyched about, I am a fan of old nautical themed jewellery, so hey.  This is going to be actually two rings that fit together into one. Essentially it's this:

Old school

It's gonna be an old school diving bell on a band that looks like seaweed.  All of it will be made from brass and the dome and mantle will be separate pieces on separate bands which will all lock into place.  The more I work on this concept however, the more I realize that this would maybe look cooler as a giant pendant with chains of seaweed, and perhaps a hinge so that you can put stuff in the dome of the piece (a pearl?).  I'll keep working on the concept art and see where it takes me.  Ahoy.






The Third:  Crashing.
So the third piece is essentially going to be a wide topped ring with a nice silver body, and then sculpted on top is going to be a women sleeping on a couch. Kinda like this but simpler couch and she'll be on her side or front, and we'll probably be not wearing pajamas. Again MS paint really lets me explore the depths of details.

This kinda looks a bad sketch of someones legs with a weird ass t-shirt.

My marble sculpture is going pretty well, I am almost done with the upper arms and shoulders, the forearms are coming in, and I will start doing the hands.  I also realized that I gave way too much space for the head, which makes the piece look really goofy, but better extra stone than not enough.  Here it be:

Ok, now as you all know it's the day before Halloween, and this holiday is kinda my shit. Unfortunately it's hard to get the atmosphere right here when it's a day before Halloween and it's 70 degrees outside, but I'm doing my best. Here's some ooky halloween music for you:


HALLOWEEN is HOLLERIN':

Halloween Theme - Chrispy (dubstep re-mix)
GLOBAL DOMINATION, to be honest the dubstep fad is finally coming to an end, and I'm not gonna lie, I'm not sad about that at all, but once in a while a little dub can go a long way, and there will still always be those few dubstep songs that stick.  This song isn't exceptional in any way, but it suits the mood.

Slowly by Galapagos
I couldn't find any pictures of the band, so I chose a tortoise.  This song is a little eerie, a little upbeat.  The lighter sides of Halloween, like a shit-ton of candy.

Run by Air
Eeriest hypnotic nap song ever, this song is my all time favorite song for laying down in the summer sun, but it also happens to fit Halloween as well.

Small Town Witch by Sneaker Pimps
This band is one of those bands which should have skyrocketed in the charts, but didn't.  There is a special place in my heart for Sneaker Pimps (no matter how weird their name is).  The band started off very trip hoppy with their girl singer Kelli Dayton ,and had a bunch of hits, but Dayton was kicked out because she was a bitch (awesome) and they picked up Chris Corner, one of the wierdest son a bitch I have seen, but absolutely amazing musician. Pretty much any of their albums are perfect for halloween or for just kickin' it.  If you like what you hear, listen up to the albuum Bloodsport, one of the best albums of the 2000's.

Ghost Town by The Specials
Uhm, nothing need be said about The Specials and this song. Classic.

Clint Eastwood by The Gorillaz
Best band of the 2000's.  Best Album of the 2000's. Best song of the Album.  What does that say?  The Gorillaz, the brainchild of legendary brit-pop figure Damon Albarn, has ruled the radiowaves around the world for over a decade.  Every new album is a hit, is completely original, and follows a specific theme with it's virtual band members.  I can't tell you how much I love this band, and as soon as October comes around, I have an even better excuse to put this song on repeat day in day out.



Plastic Jungle by Mike Snow
Miike Snow, the 2007 Indie Pop band straight outta Sweden has made one hell of an album with one hell of a sound on their self titled release which has many major hits.  The band's two Swedes actually began working as sound recorders and producers for people like Madonna and Britney Spears, but then went out on their own way to make a great indie pop band.

Wolf Like Me by TV on the Radio
Great song that fits with the Holliday like white on Rice.  Thank you TV on the Radio, you weirdos.

Yonkers by Tyler, the Creator
BE PREPARED FOR THE MOST OFFENSIVE LYRICS OF YOUR LIFE.  Tyler, the Creator has adopted a style of offending as many people as possible and creating as many enemies as well (much like a young eminem [don't let that statement be cliche]).  This album is pretty gritty, angry, full of too much information, terribly easy beats, and bad singing.  I love it and hate it.  This song here is probably as damned as it gets, and it grows on you like a musical tumor.

Me and the Devil by Gil Scott Heron
Blues legend Gil Scott Heron has now taken his spoken word style soaked in tobacco and mixed it with the low-fi electricity of our new age underground.  This music is a haunting hair raiser.

Walk Away by Tom Waits
Tom Waits, good for you, good for ghouls.  This guy has been singing like a ancient large black man with laryngitis by the time his balls dropped.  Some blame it on the cigarettes, some blame it on the booze, I blame it on musical genius.  The eccentricity of his character also leads to his music being that much more chilling.  So here's the Halloween list.

October 14th

It's been a long week, I felt like sharing some more songs for the season.  Don't forget to download the music (right click+save link as) if you like it, I'm trying out a new program, so if it doesn't work lemme know.

Autumn Sounds pt. II

Landmines by St. Vincent
St. Vincent aka Annie Erin Clark is a master of the devil's details; each time I re-listen to a song I get more and more overwhelmed by how intricate and eccentric every song is.  I've honestly never heard music like Clark's, and probably never will again.  If this song isn't strange enough, check out her newer stuff from the album: Actor and the recent Strange Mercy.

Listen to this song while you lay in bed with a big down comforter, preferably with someone right beside you.

Modern World by Wolf Parade
Indefinitely hiatused  Montreal band Wolf Parade is wierd, but they got a good sound, 'nuff said.

Listen to this song while sitting in the drenching rain.

Troubles Will be Gone by The Tallest Man on Earth
Sweden born champion of the folk-revival Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man on Earth is the reason why the word 'cool' exists.  Whether it's his mystic and whimsical lyrics, his charcoal soaked voiced, or the absolute intensity of his guitar, or his 1940's fantastic mustache, I am constantly swept into a new world by this guy. 

This song goes best with a breakfast of coffee and crepes with some moccasins.

Ready, Able by Grizzly Bear

I think I've said enough about Grizzly Bear for anyone to know that they're my favorite band.  The work by this band creates an alternate universe covered in mossy trees and ancient cobblestones soaked in scotch whiskey, I live for this music.

This song goes best with an afternoon driving through old streets covered in leaves and twigs.

Miss Misery by Elliott Smith

The late Elliott Smith was the king of depressing indie acoustic guitars and whispery singing, and it's not cliche because he was the one who ultimately made it cool in the first place. Good music for when women run you down... I definitely need that right now.

This song is good with warm wool socks.

Asleep by The Smiths
What need be said about the Smiths?  Morrissey is a god and he's not even dead yet.  I thought I'd finish up the list with some golden oldies, and so here they are: you can't get much more classic than The Smiths, let alone my all time favorite song by them.  As well as Elliott Smith, good music for women problems.  Morrissey is lyrically holding my hand through these days.

This song is of course great for going to bed, but also goes well on a bus to wherever and a pea-coat.



Well that's my music update for the weekend.  Let me know if somethings not working.  Wish me luck on surviving myself!

October 12th

Fall's has come around; the cold crisp air drys my throat and warms my soul, the rain dampens my stride and makes each step more gentle.  Autumn truly is my home.

Venetian sunset.

Just got back from Venice and Verona, they were two absolutely gorgeous cities.  I love the absolute diversity of the regions of Italy, the country is a whole world inside a city.  I am now back in Firenze and it's gonna be a slower weekend here I also plan on trying out a new way to share music so that I can get more music on the blawg quicker.  I may head to the coast for one more ounce of sun before Autumn really sets in, and there is also a chocolate festival here in some random town in Italy, so I may take a 7 Euro train over there with a few friends and recreate the actions of hormonal pregnant women.



I have finally finished soldering all of the brass onto my amulet, now I have to burn off the soldering residue with acid, bend the piece into a low convex, make the loops for the leather necklace, sand and polish it, and then it will be complete.  I have been able to talk my teacher into allowing me to come into the work-shops on Thursdays as well so now I will have more time to work on not only pieces for the course, but for my own pleasure.  Here's the piece so far:

Still alot of residue and all the metal has burn marks, after some elbow grease, all of these metals should be immaculate.

My marble sculpture has gotten far too, the back is done and formed as well as the right shoulder and upper arm, I've started the left shoulder and upper arm and will be done with them in a week.  After that I will do the forearms the head, finally the hands, and then I will shape the base, once that is all done I will polish and finish, and then I will have finished my stone sculpture. Here it is so far:


















Autumn Sounds:

 In the Afternoon by Chris Garneau
Cooling piano chords and a crisp warm voice go along way with this song.  You'll be more than welcoming to a strong gust of wind while this song rings.

Hey Cool Kid by Cloud Nothings
Excuses by Cloud Nothings
Can't get enough of Cloud nothings... seriously, no wonder there producer is from Grizzly Bear.   Hit these songs up with a nice light rain.

Mr. Lonely by L'Orange
Compliments the red and orange trees and the grey sky and streets.

Most Wanted by Cults
Goes best with the crunch of leaves on the street.

A Coin on the Tongue by Benoit Pioulard
Keeps you warm on those windy dark nights.

This beautiful song is like your breath on the pane of a cold bedroom window.

Warm your soul with a little music and maybe some late night coffee.  Pretend each falling leaf is a music note of the season. 

October 7th

Just hanging out....

It's been a while since my last post, but I've been busy, so this is gonna be a big one with a lot of goodies.  Got back from Oktoberfest, I'd tell you more... if I remembered... here is a little taste my experience in Munich:

3 hours into Oktoberfest...

This week I did a bunch of work on my amulet, and none on my stone sculpture.  All that's left to do on it is punch out some 24 brass circles and then solder them + the rest of the brass ontop of the silver.  After that I will cover it in melted tar, let the tar cool, and then bend the whole disk convex. The tar is so the amulet will stay as one piece while I bend it.  Finally I will file all of the imperfections off polish the whole thing and then make the worn leather strap for the necklace and then it'll be complete
Here's where it's at now:

Dope.

I also headed out to a small town called Carrara, which is the mothership of marble sculpture in Italy.  Its about a 2 hours train ride North from Florence, and is chocked full of everything marble.  The sides of the mountains which envelope the city's horizon are all cut out, and the city itself has marble everywhere.  While I was there I stopped at a few museums, a few workshops, and museum dedicated to marble, the rock itself.  This place truly embraces is past-time.

Here's a sculpture in the town center dedicated to a bunch of miners that died in the nineties from a mine collapse.  It's absolutely epic and the stylization is phenomenal. It was constructed at one of the oldest marble workshops in Italy, let alone the world.  The shop happened to be right across the street, however photos were not allowed to be taken there so I got no proof of its epic-ness.




These two pieces are outside of one of the workshops I visited near the bottom of town.  I have an album on my facebook that shows more of these guys' works,  They are absolutely fanatic about their pieces.  The master of the workshop is in a family that has sculpted for far over three generations and has been sculpting for 72 years, he started when he was 14. 

 Nothing too exciting happening here back in Florence, I went to a Muay Thai class and got my ass kicked, I plan on going every week now, my room-mates and I also got bored of the same old looks so we grew mustaches:

Ladies...

Here's some of the old work I did before I got here, I found a few pictures on my phone:

All of these paintings, which are in shitty lighting, are black and white acrylic paintings ontop of  1'x1'x1" wood frames that I constructed (the stop watch is 1'x1'x2" so that it sticks out).  After I painted the pieces in black in white first.  Then I mixed my colored acrylics a little at a time with a gloss and did about 8 layers of color, painting mostly with my hands and fingers, this effect left the colors splotchy aged and very textured.  These four are by far my favorite paintings and also were the most fun I've had painting. Just thought I'd share 'em with everyone.

Heres the music I've been listening to lately.  The Phoenix song and The Dogs song aren't downloadable but just as enjoyable, as for the others, right click and save link as.  Macs: hold control and click, then save link/file as.

1901 by Phoenix (DLID Customization Remix)
Good ol' Phoenix sound with a little bit of razmatazz.

Eyesore by Women
Catchy tunes and riffs kinda old school and low-fi, it reminds me of October.

Ashes to Ashes by Warpaint
Watch out Bowie, this remake kicks ass and is even that much more trippy.  Go float in space for a bit with this song.

The Start of Something by Voxtrot
Perfect song.  A refreshed version of the smiths that makes me miss the close moments with the people of my past.





Also here's a link to my favorite artist, everyone keeps asking me who this guy is and what his works look like so here's Gerhard Richter's Artwork.

Tomorrow I head out to Venice and Verona for a night, I plan on taking lot's of pictures, so I'll let you guys what is there when I get back.