Me and my Makerbot
I recently won a raffle for a Makerbot Cupcake CNC machine, which is a DIY 3D printer. The raffle was held by AS220, an awesome hacker/etc lab in Providence. Thanks a million, guys, it works great! You can find the file for the little mushroom that I printed (John Park modeled it) in the Thingiverse.
I won a MakerBot CupCake CNC machine!
Providence geek den AS220 recently had a raffle to both give away and raise money for their own MakerBot CupCake CNC. I bought a ticket and won! I’ll soon be 3D printing from my studio, yay, and THANKS!
Open Source Embroidery Exhibition and Article
The Open Source Embroidery exhibition is now open at Umeå University’s Bildmuseet. After the show is over there, it’ll be traveling to the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Francisco (October 2009). Wired.com interviewed me in an article about the exhibit and movement.
Fiber Arctic
My Iceberg piece will be in this show opening Friday, June 12. Kristen Rask, organizer of the show, also did an interview with me on her blog.
Fiber Arctic
Opening June 12, 2009
Exhibition runs June 12 to July 9
1932 2nd Ave, Seattle
Iceberg
Iceberg
Cotton/Linen Yarn, Acrylic, Sterling Silver, MDF, Ice
2009
This iceberg is made from cotton/linen yarn and then stiffened with acrylic. Inside is a polar bear made from ice which slowly melts down and out through the sterling silver drain on the sloped platform. The iceberg itself was made using a knotless netting technique.
This photo is by Matt Mets. Check out more photos at my Flickr set.
Summer Juried Grad Student Show
My Plush Knee will appear in this summer’s juried show at the Harry Wood Gallery at ASU. The opening reception is Monday, May 4 from 7-9pm. The show will run until September 4.
Imagined Geographies Show May 1
I’ll be showing my Iceberg and Plush Knee (”Ouch, My Femoral Condyle!”) at Bragg’s Pie Factory on May 1, 6:30-9:30pm.
1301 W. Grand Ave Phoenix
<3 Necklace
<3 (ASCII Heart)
Hollow-Formed Sterling Silver
2009
This photo is by Victoria Altepeter.
LilyPad Arduino Blinking Bike Bag Patch Tutorial
I added these blinking lights to my fatlab patch for riding my bike at night, and show you how in the above video. You can also look at the instructable or download the code and schematic for this soft circuit project.
Reposted from CRAFT.
Vicodin Ring
In Case of Emergency
Sterling Silver, Vicodin
2009
To go with my Vicodin earrings, here’s a ring with a bezel-set pill instead of a stone.
This photo is by Victoria Altepeter.
Plush Knee
Ouch, My Femoral Condyle!
Synthetic Fiber and Batting, Steel Stand, DVD Video
2009
I’ve completed the plush model of my knee working from my MRI and arthroscopy images, plus anatomical illustrations I found online. It’s capable of dislocating, just like my real knee, and uses elastic to make the ligaments stretch when the joint is bent. It’s my best soft sculpture yet. Still no fibula. The title is “Ouch, my Femoral Condyle,” after the place on my femur where the cartilage was torn.
I made a video to be displayed with the knee, which is a combination of video shots of my knee dislocating combined with MRI animations and arthroscopy stills. Warning: I’ve been told it’s not for the squeamish.
LilyPad Embroidery in Crafts Magazine
My LilyPad Arduino Embroidery appeared in Crafts Magazine in the March/April issue.
Twitchie Scorpion on Attack of the Show
John Park took my Twitchie Scorpion on G4’s Attack of the Show. His tail was damaged in shipping, see it leaning over? I hope nobody else noticed.
Plush Femur
I made this large-scale model of my femur in plush. I used pictures from inside my knee during surgery and looked at anatomy pictures to get the shape. I had a flap of cartilage that had to be removed, then the doc drilled little holes in the underlying bone to stimulate scar tissue growth for padding in the area. The object is surprisingly cuddly. Materials: fuzzy polyester fur, fleece.
Artificial Sweetener Tablecloth
I constructed this tablecloth from artificial sweetener packets and packing tape. I made the underlying tablecloth, too, then topped the whole thing with a protective (and even more artificial) layer of vinyl. I’m having trouble coming up with a title for this piece. So far I’ve got “You’re Sweet Enough Already,” do you have any suggestions?
Vicodin Earrings
When I had knee surgery I was prescribed Vicodin, but soon found out that it makes me very ill, so I couldn’t take it. I’m trying to use it in my art, and my first try is these tablet earrings. I’m going to either coat them in shellac or resin so that they don’t crumble; they’re very chalky and fragile. I wore nitrile gloves and a dust mask while drilling through and constructing them.
Copper Band-Aid
I’m taking an introductory metalworking class, and for our first sample project I made this copper Band-Aid. I formed the strip on a hydraulic press (read: car jack in a steel frame) sandwiched between layers of acrylic (bottom) and flexible urethane (top). The pad is textured by running it through a roller against some window screen, then I applied a water-based white patina. The overall texture of the strip is hammered and buffed. It’s about seven inches long. I’m excited to learn more about metalworking.
Embroidered MRI slices
I’m working on a piece where I embroider several of the slices from my knee MRI, and here are the first two. I really like how this project is going to turn out.
Yoga Mat Bag from Old Pants
I made a bag for my yoga mat out of an old pair of pants. You can make one too, since I made an instructable for it! Check out the Flickr set, too.
My work in upcoming exhibition Unauthorized in Georgia
A print of a photo of a linoleum asphalt mosaic I made will be in an upcoming exhibition at Gallery RFD in Swainsboro, GA from February 14 to March 7. The exhibition is called Unauthorized: Art Without Permission.
Asphalt Linoleum Mosaics video
Linoleum asphalt mosaics, also called Toynbee Tiles, are artworks permanently embedded in pavement. In this video I’ll show you how to construct your own from inexpensive materials. You can get real linoleum (don’t use vinyl flooring) for this project by ordering free samples online. By cutting out a mosaic design in the linoleum and sandwiching it between layers of paper, wood glue, and asphalt crack filler, you can affix the mosaic very permanently to an asphalt surface, such as your driveway. You may choose to use a heat gun to make the linoleum easier to cut, or even a laser cutter. The earliest examples of these tiles were found in the 70s and 80s on streets in Philadelphia, all bearing the same (or very similar) message: “Toynbee idea / in Kubrick’s 2001 / resurrect dead / on planet Jupiter.” They are speculated to have been created by the same person until they began to gain a following. There’s an active message board on the topic which shares sightings and other information.
Thanks to my pal Matt Mechtley for his help on this one. In this video I used this cc-licensed photo by Flickr user mojunk. The music is “Regurgitation Pumping Station” from the World of Goo soundtrack by Kyle Gabler; used with permission. Reposted from CRAFT.
Electronic Sewing Kit
This electronic sewing kit is a supplement to go with my Electronic Embroidery tutorial featured in CRAFT, Vol. 9 (preview article) and online in step-by-step photo and video tutorial forms. If you’re already into embroidery or needlepoint, this is a good way to start experimenting with electronics.
It contains:
-1 sewable battery holder
-1 coincell battery
-2 LEDs (you choose the color)
-1 snap set for making a switch
-about 4 feet of conductive thread, enough for 1 or 2 projects
Self Portrait as Blythe
I modified a Blythe doll to make a self portrait. I used my own hair.
Tutorial video:
Flickr set, CRAFT Video Podcast page
Knitted Pelts
Blonde Squirrel
Spotted Cow
Purple Possum
These animal pelts are knitted from 100% nonwool yarns.