No Guts... No Glory

Yesterday and today have been Workshop classes.

The Workshop has two objectives:

1. To introduce an understanding of basic materials and processes that enable making to be seen as a creative, expressive, and communicative extension of drawing.
2. To acquire technical competence in the use of simple hand tools. workshop machines and techniques in cutting, forming, and joining various materials.

As with all other subjects we had to brainstorm and put our thoughts in our sketchbooks, after Nicola Murray showed us the tools of the trade...


... and some examples of previous works by students.

TOPIC I: A Series of Experimental Panels, such as Maps, Tracks or Landscapes

USA in Wood made by another student


Walking Home - Map in and on Shoes of Daughter going to School, made by another student

TOPIC II: Egg Cup

Egg Bag made by another student

OBJECTIVE: Design an egg cup or some mechanism to hold up to three eggs. It could be a vehicle to transport eggs/toast etc. around the table. Be inventive and think laterally about eggs and anything related to eggs. You could incorporate a lid, compartments for salt and pepper or some creation to keep the egg warm.

This I spent most time on to realize. I had the guts to go for the glory, so to speak:

Guts, painted by myself

I would mimic the flow of an egg going through the internals of a hen (see also http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/eggs/res17-layeggs.html), before it is being laid with the flow through... a radiator.

Radiator

Therefore, I have molded 'guts' from clay, holding an egg.

Overview

Detail of clay mold with egg

And afterwards vacuumed a plastic transparent sheet to build a radiator from, keeping the egg warm and save.

Vacumizer

.. to be continued next week!

TOPIC III: Container

OBJECTIVE: Design a small container for up to three small natural objects that will fit easily in one hand. You can incorporate an actual object/s into your finished piece or leave the container empty and simply state the intended contents. Think about how the container might conceal or reveal its contents.

My attempt to make a container stayed within the boundaries of a documented research into the 'Rabbit in the Hat':

"... In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get aout again. The rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had not a moment to think about stopping herself before she found herself falling down a very deep well..."

- Alice in Wonderland


Down the Rabbit-hole

But of course that trick will always be a dark secret...