Josh Vogel's Reflections On Turning Wood

Josh Vogel from The Scout on Vimeo.


This video was produced by The Scout on Josh Vogel of Black Creek Mercantile & Trading Co. Released this past fall and beautifully done, I have watched it many times and have recommended it to many people. Everyone comes back to me saying how much they love it.


What makes this video so special is how eloquently Josh talks about his relationship to the material of wood that he uses in his craft of turning. In a time when most people are so disconnected with the work they do daily, it is refreshing to see someone who works thoughtfully and with intention.


Enjoy.

McQueen's Reigning Exhibit at The Met

Image pulled from The Met's website.

I cannot even begin to explain the influence this exhibit of Alexander McQueen at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC has had on me. I am still reeling two weeks later from seeing it. 

I was able to go with my dear friend Jessica Cadmus of The Wardrobe Whisperer and her adorable baby. Let me say, I had no idea how hot it was going to be that day or what mothers, who live in NYC, have to go through with traveling by subway. It was no easy feat to make it to and from the museum. Jessica and baby were tough troopers and despite the craziness, I was so happy to go with them. Jessica is an amazing stylist, personal shopper, and fashion blogger. The whole ride to and from on the rockin' subway, while delicately feeding her baby, she dispensed wardrobe advice to me. I now have my summer look all planned out!

Image pulled from The Met's website.

We were lucky that we showed up to the museum mid week and early in the day. As we made our way through the museum, we started to see signs that denoted lengths of wait- 1 hour, 30 min, 15 min, etc. Fortunately, we didn't have to wait at all and breezed right in. By the time we made our way through the exhibit it was getting crowded. The show has been so successful The Met has decided to extend it through August and are opening the museum on Mondays with a $50 ticket for special viewings of the exhibit. I'm trying to figure out how I can swing going back for a Monday viewing...

Image pulled from The Met's website.

It has taken me so long to post about this exhibit because I am still processing everything that I saw. Alexander McQueen was exceptionally gifted and its a shame he decided to take his own life. His career spanned 19 years and I can only imagine the work he would have produced if he had given himself another 19.

His body of work is profound. The Met did an excellent job of transforming the galleries to suit his clothing. I can't imagine the money they spent to produce this show. While the environment was spot on, McQueen's work vibrated throughout the galleries. What was so overwhelming to me was his ability to evoke emotion through garments. Its something I have never experienced before. 

When I look at fashion, I think about how clothing is used to express a person's personality. With haute couture, I mostly look at how beautiful the clothing is, how well it is made, and how it fits the wearer's body. The clothing is usually secondary to the person wearing it. The combination of clothing is what expresses the personality. I have never felt a piece of clothing to stand alone and inspire emotion. Somehow, Alexander McQueen did it. When I walked around the exhibit, I would look at a piece and feel anger, death, betrayal, serenity,... It was overwhelming and thoroughly inspiring.

In addition, the craftsmanship of the pieces are amazing. McQueen started his career on Savill Row as a tailor. The details of the stitching, the placement of a lapel, his use of materials was perfect and inventive. McQueen understood construction and material. What he was able to do with leather, fabric, and wood is incredibly impressive.

I left the show all fired up. I was reminded of what I have wanted my work to be to people. Like McQueen, not only do I want it to be well made, I want it to evoke emotion in the viewer. If you happen to be in NYC now through August 7th, check out the Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty Exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Trials and Triumphs of Coming Up With Creative Ideas

Looking, researching, collecting, reading, watching.... 

I have been gathering and developing information, shapes, colors, and texture into ideas for my next round of work. Its all been going slower then I want for the final ideas to develop. My sister always makes fun of me when she asks how's it going and I respond, "I'm waiting for the idea to come". She'll giggle and start whistling like I'm hanging out in a rocking chair until miraculously an epiphany occurs. Listen, I know how funny it sounds when I say it, but I can't help myself!

In my head, it takes some time for an idea to develop. Until I have a concrete form in my mind, I do not go ahead and start building. I also usually don't start sketching until that form appears. This is completely contrary to how you are taught in school to design or make art. You are taught to do research and immediately start drawing and making models until the final product develops. I have always had problems with that method. While I understand how it can be beneficial and on plenty occasions have used that method, it mostly leads to me becoming frustrated. I usually feel like I am wasting my time because my lines don't make sense or the materials and composition are all wrong, and I give up on the idea. If I ruminate over an idea and give it enough time, it will start to materialize into a finished piece in my mind. When I go to make it, about 95% of the time, it will come out exactly as I imagined. 

However, all of this doesn't really matter when sometimes, no matter what, you cannot come up with anything. Not one stinking idea or desire to create anything. Believe me, when this happens, it really really sucks. Sometimes, it can be years that go by and you feel like this.

Several years ago, a good friend of mine gave me a book written by Steven Pressfield called The War of Art. This book was a real eye opener and I have read it many times over the years. I could try to sum it up, but this excerpt from Pressfield's site offers the best summary. -

"What keeps so many of us from doing what we long to do? Why is there a naysayer within? How can we avoid the roadblocks of any creative endeavor—be it starting up a dream business venture, writing a novel, or painting a masterpiece? 

The War of Art identifies the enemy that every one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer this internal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success."

I am lucky that most of my closest friends are creative and we are able to lament to each when we are in a state of war. It will usually take one of us piping up to say, "All right, suck it up and get in the studio." Which sadly, is the only sure way of breaking through the road block and getting creative. The truth that none of us like to admit is that we, ourselves, are what keep us from achieving our goals. Sometimes, me sitting around waiting for an idea to form is just an excuse for avoiding getting into the studio. So, when I am done with this post, I promise that idea that is forming in my head- I will get in the studio and start doing it. 

Saugerties Artists Studio Tour Count Down - 10 Weeks To Go

I just came out of our monthly meeting for the Saugerties Artists Studio Tour. Due to my work schedule, I have missed most of the meetings this year. Going to the meeting reminded me of the pending dates of the tour, August 13th and 14th; only 10 weeks away. I was also reminded, by looking around the room, of all the talented people involved in the tour.

One of the artists, Michael Nelson, put together the above video on about nine people who are on the tour. The video is really well done and captures the personalities and perspectives of the variety of artists that live in one town and one weekend a year, feel compelled to open their studios up to the public.

Barbara Bravo, who is featured in the video, is our fearless leader who connects the 40 plus artists together that make this tour happen. Have you ever tried to get a room full of artists to focus on one effort? Believe me, I would deem it impossible if it weren't for Barbara who gets everyone to help out, settle disputes, and unites us to make it happen. Besides all the hours she puts in year round organizing and promoting the tour, she is also a ceramic artist AND a master gardener. Barbara Bravo is a true compassionate unsung hero and leader.

This will be my second year on the tour. Unfortunately, because I am on the tour, I am unable to visit the other artists studios. The video is a joy for me to watch because I am able to get to know the other artists I am associated with. During our meetings leading up to the tour, we do not have the time to talk about our work. I believe I am still the youngest person on the tour. Most of the tour people have been working as full time artists for years. There is much I can learn from them and I love being around them. They have such wonderful personalities.

The tour is August 13th and 14th. For more information, visit the Saugerties Artists Studio Tour website for Artist bios, Tour Map, and general information. 

ICFF 2011 - Part Three

Part Three of ICFF Coverage -

Timorous Beasties!!! I love this new collection of Nottingham lace. This company exploded onto the market with their wallpapers and I am really impressed with the textiles they are producing.

I also love this Wool Voile Collection. The patterns are incredibly interesting. The influence is from traditional designs but Timorous Beasties put such a perfect dark modern twist on them. I hope that I have the opportunity to visit their factory or studio someday.

John Beck's Paper and Steel line is super masculine and refined. He knows how to finish metal well and that makes all the difference in his work. A piece like the one above could be thrown into a Steam Punk, Motorcycle Club, or Aspen Ski Home interior and it would look good. For such a stylized piece, it has potential to used in a variety of ways.

Ok, I have real weakness for chandeliers. So, of course, I was taken by the Studio Baccarat booth. There is something mesmerizing and impressive about light being transmitted through cut glass. I am happy to report that I was not the only one oooing and aahhing.

I was delighted to see this installation/piece, called Marie Coquine,  by Philippe Stark. I adore humor in design and M. Stark always has a joke for us. Although I am not M. Stark, I not-so-secretly dream that someday Baccarat will ask me to design a chandelier.... Please?

In the vein of traditional european design houses, I continued on to the spanish Lladro. Known for their themed collections of ceramic, this new collection called Naturofantastic is stellar. The combination of the shiny white pared with the matte gold accents exudes luxury. Sometimes, it feels good to just go over the top. Lladro can sometimes go way far over the top, but this collection shows just enough restraint to be perfect.
Part Four to come...

ICFF 2011 - Part Two

Part Two of my ICFF review- As I mentioned in the earlier post, my photos didn't come out great. Here is a continuation of my notes, in no particular order.


I love the above set up for Heller. This backdrop image of Frank Gehry cracks me up! The booth was simple, but effective. Ironically, this collection isn't my favorite work by Gehry. It is made of roto molded polymer, which is a great material for outdoor furniture. I find that some of the forms look outdated. But, hats off to the display!

This isn't such a good photo, which stinks, because this collection by the British company Rapture & Wright, is beautiful. They make handprinted fabrics and wallpaper that are modern, bold and subtle at the same time. The weight of the fabric was really nice. If you like a pattern, but need it in a different color way, they can do it. The line is available in NYC at Lucy Rose Design.

Photo taken from Rapture & Wright website.

I had to add a photo from their site because the patterns need to be seen properly!

This wine display by Vin de Garde, called Nek-Rite, est formidable. It is such a simple, single part, but looks incredible in repetition. This could be a great solution/installation, for a restaurant or store, used on an interesting textured wall.

Manulution uses traditional hand carving techniques from Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is shocking because I thought the carving details were all done on a CNC! Whoever is doing the carving is immensely talented. Unfortunately, a lot of the furniture line is overdone. The carving should be the highlight, but it often gets over shadowed by the billowing edge shapes and busy metal bases. Although, I am excited by the line's mix of tradition and craft with a modern sensibility.

There is a lesson to be learned from Groundwork's booth. They get it. So many companies worked hard on the pieces and forgot about the environment. When a client walks into a booth, they should be completely wrapped in the design. Groundwork literally worked their aesthetic from the ground up. When I looked at the booth, I thought- Here is a company that has it together. They have a distinct look and style and they are creating a story, with the environment, of what their products are about. It is the kind of booth that would make a person buy several pieces from it to create the same look for themselves. In most of the other booths, the pieces weren't strong enough to sell themselves. If the owners had taken more care to design the environment and create an overall experience, I would be blogging about the pieces. Only a very small sector of the show, got it. So, I applaud you Groundwork.
I will continue, tomorrow, with Part Three of ICFF.

ICFF 2011 - Part One

I try to go to ICFF every other year to see what is happening in the USA furniture market. Some years are better then others. This year was neither here nor there. The satellite venues, throughout NYC, have been gaining momentum over the past few years. More of the experimental pieces and installations are being shown at the satellite locations then at ICFF. This isn't a bad thing. It is now defining how designers want their work to be received. ICFF is geared toward the professional Interior Designer, Architect, and Manufacturer. When at ICFF, its about the business of furniture. ICFF also guarantees that a lot of people will see the work. The satellite locations have a smaller more personal feeling and allow the ability to have a more expressive display of design. The work isn't confined to a booth. The environment (store or gallery) becomes part of the whole experience of the work. I didn't have time to explore much of the satellite locations. I wish I could have stayed for several days to explore all the venues. There is so much to see during design week. I was able to go to the Matter opening last night, which was wonderful. I will post about it this week. Below is Part One of highlights from ICFF that I found to be interesting. I should mention that a lot of my photos came out kind of crappy. I'm willing to blame it on the convention center lighting and not me or my IPhone 4. In no particular order -

These pieces are called Candy Pods, by Iglooplay. The furniture line, designed by Lisa Albin, is geared towards children and sophisticated enough to be included in adult rooms. I love all the colors and the matte and shiny mixed together. The stools/pieces are really playful. I can see them in a lot of environments.

In a completely different take on stools, here is a set by Tucker Robbins, the notoriously zen designer. The texture of the weaving on the bases is really interesting. The color choice also works well with the tone of the wood.

Balanced Design is line of fabric, rugs, and pillows. The line is designed and made in the USA using organic fabric and wools. I am especially drawn to the bold patterns on the sofa.

I was excited to see Sandback had a booth. I used to represent them at a showroom I used to work at. Sandback is known for their concrete pieces, which come in a large variety of colors and are perfectly priced.

This new work, by Peter Sandback, is a departure from the concrete line. To follow a designer over the course of a career is really interesting. These pieces are more refined and the proportions are more mature and elegant. Keeping in the Sandback tradition, they are extremely versatile and can be used in a lot of different style interiors. I'm sure this collection is going to do very well. Also, I finally got to meet Peter Sandback yesterday, which was a real pleasure.
Part Two of the ICFF review will be coming up later today.

The Twenty Year Quilt

Quilt laid out on my bed. It is made for a Queen bed, but fits on my King.

In honor of Mother's Day coming up this weekend, I thought I should showcase the amazing talent of my Mother. As they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. People ask me where I get my ability to make things and I always say, my parents. Over twenty years ago, my Mother decided that she was going to make me a quilt and that I would have it to go to college. We went together to the store and I remember being so excited to pick out the fabrics for the quilt. College came and went and it was never finished. Mind you, she worked full time, raised three kids, kept a garden and house, and made every meal for the family. It started to become a family joke and a way to tease her that the quilt would never be finished. When she retired several years ago and said that she was going to work on it, I didn't think much of it.

Detail of the border, pattern, and overstitching.

A few months ago, I saw the quilt in some pieces laid out in her bedroom. She said she was working on it again. I told my sister that I planned to go home one weekend and help her do some over stitching. The quilt seemed years away from completion. A few weeks later, she came to visit me with my Father and was really adamant about coming that week. It was a little odd, but I didn't think much of it. So, I was completely surprised when she showed up and gave me the finished the quilt. I got really teary eyed and every time I look at it, I still do. It is beautiful. 
What strikes me about it is that after all these years, I still love all the colors and patterns of the fabrics. I cannot believe how many hours and years she spent working on it. She over stitched, by hand, the whole quilt. If that isn't love, I don't know what is.

She made a bag to store the quilt and keep it dust free. I should also mention that she is a self taught quilter and sewer. She made this quilt from a pattern she found in a Better Homes & Garden magazine in 1990. 
Maman, you are amazing and continually inspiring to me. I love you.

Getting Ready For The Saugerties Artists Studio Tour

I am going to be part of the SAT this year. I participated in 2009, but took 2010 off because I thought I would be moving to New Mexico. The move, thankfully, fell through. However, by the time it did it was too late for me to be part of the tour. In 2009, over 200 people came to visit my studio. Although I had invited a lot of friends, about half the people who visited I did not know. It was a great experience and I met a lot of people. I truly enjoyed opening up my studio to people and getting their feedback on my space and work. I also sold some pieces, which is always nice. I'm excited about this year's tour!


I spent this weekend gathering ideas for new work I want to create. As I prepare for the tour, I will post on my progress.

Blacksmithing Class Number Seven & Eight

I had to travel for work so much to my chagrin, I missed Class Number Six. The project for that week was to make a BBQ grilling fork. Jonathan Nedbor, the instructor and owner of Canal Forge, was kind enough to offer me the opportunity to do a make up session to forge one. The following two classes went by far too quickly. I can't believe eight weeks have gone by...

In the last two classes, we went over metal identification by grinding metal and studying the spark patterns. That was pretty exciting! I saw my first grinding wheel break, which caught everyone off guard. Unexpected events like that are why you wear safety glasses. We also went over tempering, which is the process of bringing metal to a certain temperature and cooling it properly to cause it to become harder. This process is used to make tools.

Our final project was to make a cold chisel out of hex rod tool steel. We used the tempering technique to harden the chisel edge.

This is my final product! Every tool box should have one and I never bought one. So, I'm excited to now have one I made. Anyone need something chiseled?

I wish I could give a link to Jonathan Nedbor, our instructor's, work. Unfortunately, he doesn't currently have a website. Once he does have one, I will update this post with the information. Jonathan owns Canal Forge in High Falls, NY. I highly recommend taking a Blacksmithing course with him. Besides being a great teacher, he is extremely talented and very generous with his knowledge! 

Kickstarter, Fund and Follow Creativity

I came across Kickstarter via WIRED magazine. In WIRED's April 2011 issue they did a feature on Kickstarter. It is a website where if you have an idea/project/concept you can get people to donate to your project and get funding to finally see your vision come to fruition. I know many artists, designers, and inventors who could be well served by this site. Get your video together and see if people like your project enough to help you out. Good luck!

Blacksmithing Class Number Five

 By popular demand, here is a photo of yours truly - forging!

Yup, here I am toiling away and working on an S hook. Jonathan Nedbor was kind enough to take a photo of me in action. The weather was pretty cold that class, so the shop was a bit chilly. Hence, the hat and scarf.

I got to use a gas furnace, which I love! The temperature is constant, you don't have to continually work your fire, and the whole unit doesn't take up much room, which is ideal for a small shop. I am going to look into purchasing one of these.

Et voila! Here is my finished S hook. Not too shabby... 

I had to travel for work, so I missed Class Number Six. I am really bummed out. Hopefully I will be able to make that class up and get a lot done in Class Number Seven.

Dale Chihuly in St. Petersburg, FL

When I was trying to find a restaurant the night before I left Florida, I stumbled across the Chihuly Collection presented by Morean Arts Center in St. Petersburg. The museum was already closed. I decided to return the next morning when it opened, before I had to catch my plane.

Image from www.chihuly.com

I got to the museum early and still had to wait in line when it opened. There were at least 10 people ahead of me waiting to buy tickets. As I have mentioned in an earlier post, I did a minor in glass blowing when I was at Parsons. I have a deep respect for glass blowers, as it is a craft that takes years to develop. In the two years that I studied glass, I only scratched the surface.

Image  from www.chihuly.com

Within the glass world, Dale Chihuly is an artist that glass blowers love to hate. It could be his boisterous attitude, fame, or the fact that he has a legion of blowers who produce his work, that have created this stigma. However, when you get beyond the man, the work is beautiful - breathtakingly beautiful.

Image from www.chihuly.com

The museum is small and really well done. They don't allow photography, so I couldn't take any photos. The finishes used in the interior are rough wood, blued steel, and lustrous plaster walls, which create a fantastic backdrop to Chihuly's installations. I pulled the three photos above from Dale Chihuly's site. The images are close to the installations shown in the museum.
The pieces are magnificent in life. The scale of the work is large and it makes the pieces dynamic. The colors are vibrant and he sometimes plays with texture. As I was following people through the museum, I could hear them gasp with joy as they rounded a corner and came across a new piece. It was fun! You feel like you are traveling through someone's dream, as you move through the museum, because the pieces are so surreal. I was able to make it through the museum and still make my flight with a little hussle. It was a great way to end my trip.
I highly recommend going to this museum if you find yourself in St. Petersburg, FL. If you can't make it to Florida, opening this week in Boston MA, at the Museum of Fine Arts, is Chihuly - Through the Looking Glass. April 10th through August 7th 2011.

Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL

Un Chien Andalou (1928)

In preparation for my trip to Florida, since I knew that I would be going to the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, I downloaded Un Chein Andalou on NetFlix. I thought it would get me the mood for going to the museum. This movie, by Salvador Dali and Luis Bunuel, was thought to be shocking when it premiered in 1928. Seventy plus years later, and it still has an air of shock, humor, and the absurd.

I have been reading for several months about the opening of the new museum designed by HOK. It opened on January 11, 2011 at 11:11am.

Since a business trip had me in the area, I drove there after going to see the BOK Tower Gardens. The building is striking in person. I walked around it and there are interesting views from every angle. They also did a good job of landscaping the grounds around the public space.

Costing a mere 28.5 million dollars (ha!), it took three years to construct. The juxtaposition between the concrete and glass makes sense in relation to Salvador Dali's work.

Image via Google Images

He often had these balances between hard lines and soft or melting images. I think he would have approved of the absurd placement of the bulbous glass forms.

This is the only photo I got from inside the museum. One of the guards hunted me down and told me no photos are allowed to be taken inside. While I really like the exterior of the building, I am disappointed with the interior. The stats list that the interior is 68,000 sq ft. It is hard to imagine that is the actual size. When you first walk in, you enter through the gift shop. It seems inappropriate. You think you are there to see art, but you immediately feel like the museum has nothing to do with art and only with pushing merchandise. Then, you have to battle your way through the store to get to the counter to buy your ticket, which costs $25.00! I know they have to pay for the museum somehow, but it felt over priced; especially when I discovered that the galleries were only on the top floor and maybe covered 20,000 sq ft.

I was happy to see such a concentrated amount of Salvador Dali's work together. I have always been on the fence with his work. Sometimes I love it. Sometimes I hate it. What I did love about one of the galleries is that they showed his early work when he was a teenager. You got to see him trying out different genres and practicing his technique. It was tight connect to the large masterpieces he did later in life.

There is a living wall installation on the way into and exiting the gift shop. I mean museum...

Overall, the building by HOK does stand up to the positive press it has received. How the museum is set up and run stands entirely aside from the structure, but does impact a visitor's experience with the building.

Blacksmithing Class Number Three

Although no one posted a comment, many people asked to see my finished project that I had forgotten to take a photo of at the end of Class Number Two. SO,..... Here it is!

It may not be very exciting to the casual observer, but I am very proud of it! I am making progress in understanding the basics of smithing. The object was to take two horseshoes, straighten them out, fold one horseshoe over the other and weld them together, and then draw the metal out to the original thickness of one horseshoe. The project makes you work on straightening, welding, moving metal, and forging a taper. The close up picture shows the left side is welded and how it moves to showing the three layers of metal; proof that it isn't one piece of metal!

Class Number Three, we spent the first part going over tools in the shop. The tool above is called a power hammer. Instead of hammering a piece by hand, a person brings it over to this machine and with a foot pedal controls a 'hammer head' that drops down to sandwich your metal between the head and a surface. Its loud, dangerous, archaic, and very cool. Plus, it keeps you from getting tired from hammering.

This tool is called a Screw Press. Its a little hard to see from the photo, but on the table surface you set dies, place your metal across it, then turn the screw handle up top. As the top portion compresses against the table it forms your metal into shapes. You can create waves, hard angles, divets in plate, etc.

We also went over anvils. Who knew there were so many different types? Italian pattern, London pattern,... I can only imagine a bad joke starting as, there was an Italian, an Englishman, and a Frenchman standing around a blacksmith shop... (I don't know where that goes. I need my friend Reed Karen around to tell me the punch line! He is the ultimate joke teller and also a super talented woodworker/designer.)

The second half of the class we started to make a drive hook. This piece started off as a piece of 1/4" round stock. I beat it into square stock and formed the right angle. While this looks pretty simple, it is quite tricky to get a right angle. The hook portion also is shaped into a taper on all four sides, which is hard to see in the photograph. I cannot wait to finish this piece.