February 2011

I can’t wait to see the wacky stuff that people submit. Way to go, Blu Dot!

Visit the Blu Dot Swap Meet

OneXOne: Works in Edition for Sale by Students, Alumni, and Faculty of Cranbrook Academy of Art
Preview Party: Friday, February 25, 6-10 pm
Tickets: SOLD OUT!
General Admission: Saturday, February 26, 10am-6pm
Tickets: $2 (available only at the door)

Dalgleish Cadillac Building, 6160 Cass Avenue
(at Woodward and Amsterdam), Detroit 48202

From February 25 through February 26, Cranbrook Academy of Art will roar into downtown to present the first edition of OneXOne, Detroit’s newest art market in the historic garage of the former Dalgliesh Cadillac dealership. More than 100 of Cranbrook’s leading artists from around the world will take part in this two-day sale, showcasing and selling their works in a marketplace environment stylized by the artists under the direction of Artist-in-Residence Iris Eichenberg. Limited-edition works for sale will range from paintings and sculpture to jewelry, ceramic and paper objects, and even art services that can be purchased for prices ranging from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. The works available will be offered in multiples by Cranbrook Academy of Art’s emerging and established artists that include faculty, current graduate students and alumni.

You won’t want to miss the OneXOne Preview Party on Friday night, featuring food, music by Detroit’s John Holk, and the exclusive opportunity to be the first in town to buy limited edition works of art before they sell out. For information and tickets, please visit 1x1cranbrook.com.

I recently purchased wool felt from Fitz Felt. Their selection is great and the quality is amazing.

Perhaps I am getting a bit ahead of myself but I am looking at ways to integrate wool felt, boucle, or some other soft material to the seating surface of the pattern chair. I envision the chair to exist in indoor and outdoor settings. It would be great if I could integrate the material by layering it on top of the metal faces and then fastening them with the same flanges that fasten the metal panels together. Something like this:

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A First Year Review at Cranbrook involves 4 of the 10 artist-in-residence each spending around an hour with you to discuss the work that you have completed or are involved in up to that point. I was visited by the heads of fibers, architecture, photography, and 2D. Each had positive responses to my work and very interesting suggestions. What I presented was around 5 projects that are currently in various states of development. Some of the feedback may result in some changes to form and functionality. I recorded each one so that I can go over many of the details I have already forgotten. Overall, it was a very valuable experience.

So I survived my first formal critique of the school year. As an added bonus, Alissia Melka-Teichroew and Jan Habraken were visiting and sat in on the crit (thanks again!). The format for our crit is as follows: A peer sits down with you a few days before the crit day to go over what you plan on showing. You explain the intention behind your work and offer sources of inspiration, etc. They take that info and use it to write up a formal breakdown and assessment of your work. This assessment is presented to everyone at the beginning of the crit. It is read and then everyone but the designer begins to talk about the work. Afterward the designer addresses ideas, issues, etc that come up over the course of the discussion.
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The next design iteration for the ring light involved creating a table mount for the light to rest in. This would help angle and elevate the light source improving its function as a desk light. The light could then be removed and hung on a wall. Ideally the base would be a charging station as well.
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The Flap Light was a departure from the Solar Paddle Lights that I had completed for my ‘First Years Project’ in October. Another jump from the Flap Light has me investigating various ways of using less material; showing off the incredibly thin forms that can be achieved when using LED’s, weighing the virtues of autonomous function and support versus the use of external support structures; looking at battery operation versus wired/corded connections and the limitations or advantages of both; assessing light quality.
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