Wrapping it up

Continuing the first project, Transcription.

Reminder - the arches! Now doubled, with mirror image below.

More work on an embellishment which also covers the joints. Tried some aluminium shim (0.6mm thick) with texturing from the rolling mill (sandpaper, different plastic packing tapes, net and metal mesh).

Aluminium definitely looks better than copper.

I wrapped the main, central joints. The aluminium is so soft that I lost the mesh texturing in the process of getting a close fit, so I redid it using the vice, but it's not as distinct as on the original.

I tried using X-shaped wraps to hold the top of the arches but they kept breaking so I ended up wrapping strips of aluminium instead.

The finished piece.

The design works but I'm not sure these are the right materials. The white tape looks right, and there's enough give in the design for the cuff to stretch over the hand, without needing a fastening, but it is not sufficiently flexible when the cuff is being worn. And the aluminium shim is too fragile.


If developing this further, I would try translucent tube with sterling silver wire threaded through it to hold the arch shapes, with wrapped silver wire to fix the joints.

Stringing it out

The task that always takes me longest - stringing a necklace so it hangs correctly on the body, is balanced (even though the design is slightly asymmetrical) and secure.

My first, rough, stringing is OK, the design will work!

What sort of fastening is appropriate? Maybe a button and loop, to maintain the sewing theme ... Or another bobbin? I don't actually have one and it's probably too big. I did think about having needles on the end of the threads (too much!), but that should work as a fastening. Annealed a needle, bent it and polished it (blunting the end, too). Yes, that looks good and is a safe fastener. (Linked needles: an idea for future development.)

I also tried out adding some loops of coloured beading wire from Penny, there were three colours that matched the yarns exactly. Will do that, they're sufficiently simple to keep the line of the stringing and definitely enhance the piece.

Final stringing. I had to add a second, lower, string to stabilise the bobbins.

I'm also thinking about how to finish the threads. Tested how rolled metal tubes on the ends would look but wasn't appropriate to the style of the piece. Try out glues and varnishes.

Bobbin, reeling

I keep on thinking about reels, now at the opposite - small - end of the scale.
So I've put together sewing machine bobbins, incorporating coloured yarn.
Work in progress:

Layout/design

With yarn

Metamorphosis - another word for transformation

Yesterday I visited the Knitting and Stitching Show. I was very impressed by some of the graduate showcase exhibits and by materialspace.com, particularly liked the re-use of teabags!

Teacloth

Teapot

Then I went on to Metamorphosis: the Transformation of Being. Unfortunately, they'd run out of information sheets, there were no captions or credits on the pieces, and the lighting was not good, so that detracted from what should have been a powerful exhibition. However, I did recognise Tim Noble and Sue Webster's shadow portraits, fascinating and rather gruesome.

Return to Transcription

I've returned to my original idea of a cuff based on the decorative arches of the Accademia building which is in the background of Canaletto's painting.

The arches now have a mirror image .

The joints will be covered by thin metal strips, with metal cross-ties holding the top of the lower arches in position. The cross-ties pick up the cross pattern just below the roof edge of the building.

Here's a first test of the metal strips to see how they look.

I first thought of using silver (in an ideal world) but I like the contrast of the copper's colour - although that will tarnish, of course. So I'll try it with aluminium, too.

Fusion and transformation

 I keep coming across connections and crossovers between different art forms. My alarm tone is from Acid Brass (which I discovered through the film Four Lions) and in my research for Transformation happened on Jeremy Deller's involvement:

Acid Brass was a musical collaboration between Turner-Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller and the Williams Fairey Brass Band. The project was based on fusing the music of a traditional brass band with acid house and Detroit techno.

Acid Brass began in 1997 as a collaboration between Deller, the Stockport-based Fairey Brass Band and Rodney Newton who created all the brass arrangements. Deller saw a connection between the two apparently disparate genres, viewing them as "two authentic forms of folk art rooted in specific communities". The music has since been taken all over the world, and was performed by the Fairey Band before a London crowd of 25000 in July 2005.

In 1997, The KLF co-founder Bill Drummond heard Acid Brass performing The KLF's "What Time Is Love?" as part of their encore. Consequently, Acid Brass collaborated with The KLF (appearing in their alternative personae as The Justified Ancients of Mu-Mu) on a track titled "Fuck the Millennium", incorporating Acid Brass' cover of "What Time Is Love?". The track was released as a single under the moniker 2K.

The track "The Groove that won't stop" was played over the end titles to the 2010 movie "Four Lions".

I wish I hadn't missed his exhibition at the Hayward.

Link to Four Lions clip

Still reeling

Had to try out another idea for the cable reel!

Unreeling

This is not working for me. Looks like what it is - a collection of rubbish!

But ... the cable bit has potential.

Separate the elements - the reel and the cable.
Will work on decorative use of cable but keep the cable reel idea for future development when possible. 


And think more about using that for a time lapse animation - cross between Morph and the video of the installation of Richard Serra's work at MoMA.

  

Transformation

New project presentation. Transformation of the everyday. 
This is right up my street, lots of connections in my mind to work I have seen, and potential of materials. Such as:

Picasso's bull's head

Link to Article about Picasso's bull's head

Stuart Haygarth's 'Strand' installation at UCH Macmillan building. No photos published yet but here's some of his other work. 

Link to Stuart Haygarth works in glass

Some of my own work using recycled materials and found objects.

String and telephone wire, with scrap foil

Paper

Seed pod, beans, bag handle with wire and beads

Thought about using plastic milk bottle tops, old jigsaw puzzle, veg net bags and wire.
Then remembered the cable reel I've got in with a sack of old computer cables.

Reminded me of Richard Serra's work.

Link to more Richard Serra works

Development of Transcription ideas

Based on arch shapes on 
Accademia building







From paper maquette to parcel tape.

Arch shapes in knitted wire

Wrapped wire

And cut-out foam

I will finish the black cuff (just the fastening to do).

Wrapped wire and knitted wire I've used before, whereas working with the plastic parcel tape to see what I can produce is a new challenge to pursue.

Link to Early Renaissance jewellery and fashion in paintings