Saturday, November 14, 2009

The Chattering Classes


An automaton in welded steel and machined brass workings. It is hand operated and represents a paradigm that has come to the end of its useful life. Even though it's flesh and many bones have fallen away it has a life of its own, and when the crank is turned the jaw flaps, making a bleating noise.

Fish and mabe pearl brooch


This sad critter is in sterling silver (cast) with a cultured mabe pearl face.

Kali (Hindu goddess of destruction)



Preliminary for a bronze copy, this sculpture is 50 cm. high in welded steel. In the tantric visualizations of Kali she is portrayed with a necklace of severed heads representing victory over various temptations. She dances on a dead body symbolizing the renunciation of rebirth. The sword cuts off disturbing thought processes and the skull cup in her other hand is filled with inexhaustible bliss.
This lady is much sexier than the usual fat and demonic figure, has in fact no triumphs to declare and her skull cup is upside down and thereby empty.

Happy Duck



Casting tree with a number of silver duck pendants all marching side by side. The little blobs are where air bubbles in the investment plaster were trapped against the wax models.
And the final product with a big colour change alexandrite (this one is a synthetic as you may have guessed, if it was natural it would be a museum piece.)
The trouble with these things is that they are so effulgent they are hard to use without making the work look cheap or pretentious. Manic or exuberant seems to work.

Biodiesel Processor


This is an agitator type system that catalyses, washes and dries old vegetable oil into motor fuel (biodiesel, all in the one vessel. It is made entirely from metal and other items I picked up at the scrap dealers I wanted it to be a work of art. On the left is a magnetic level indicator, on the right a heat exchanger for methanol recovery, and a thick glass viewing window in the bottom centre to ascertain if there are problems during any part of the process. The methoxide mixer is not visible.
Or "Honey, we are a-leavin this vale of tears."

Ecological engine



Automaton in Tasmanian oak, glass, brass and bronze. Its about fire in a eucalypt forest. There is an electric timer and when a button is pressed the kangaroo runs. The stained glass is illuminated from the rear.

Neckpiece:piranhas


Hammered sterling silver, cast fish with mabe pearls, the whole thing is riveted together.