+ Acrylic Geometries

 In plastics class we had to design a display constructed from acrylic. I chose a geometric shape, tested it in illustration board, configured the required angled cuts for the band saw, bought 1/8'' acrylic and went to work.  This display filled with sand contains and advertises jewelry, a perfect accent for a local boutique counter top.
 I am pretty happy with the end result although the welding of edges was not easy.  I plan to make more shapes including the Platonic solids, in various colors, intended for outdoor lighting with electric candles and yes, they will be coming to burning man this year.

+ kentucky lap loom

this was just for fun, the finished product is a rectangular panel that could be used as 1/2 a bag, folded in half and made into a tablet case, a placemat, or whatever your mind can come up with.  i make my yarn out of old t shirts.

+ cutting board project

The past month has been filled with fun and challenging projects at school. Our first woods assignment was a cutting board. My best buddy Janelle was my partner in this project and now we have twin cutting boards, separated at birth made from walnut board we hand picked at the lumber yard and step by step formed and designed together.

+ Pin and Thread Art

  Pin and thread artwork is a linear geometric design in which you draw string from point to point, creating a matrix of angles and lines.  It was more popular in the 60's but there are still many artists who make masterpieces.  My inspiration to make a design was seeing giant pentagonal pieces at burning man in 2011.  They were elevated and connected at their sides in various angles to make a long walkway in which the star dusted night sky shown through neon geometric designs. the installation was black lit and the effect was magical and interactive.  Being my first attempt, I learned a lot along the way and really enjoyed the process.  It was easy to get confused at the pattern so i used markers on each side as I went along, and developed a good rhythm in the process.  I felt as if I was weaving a magical tapestry.  Pins did not warrant a secure hold so I replaced them with nails and the string I used was an extra sturdy quilting thread. There are 18 pins on each side of the frame, with string going once to each 18 opposite pins, making a total of about 650 lines, all with their own individual path.  in the future, I want to experiment with polygon and circular frames, various colored and textured thread as well. 

+ handmade smudges for the spring

i picked herbs and flowers for this project in the fall, just before the first frost. after binding them fresh, they had all winter to dry. We burned them at dusk to release fragrances of sage, pine, mint, and flower essences. i have a couple left to give away as well, let me know if you would like one for your home.