Scrappin' It Up

If you are at all familiar with artists or art in general, I'm sure you've heard of 'phases'.

Artists go into 'phases' for a variety of reasons. Maybe they're expanding their knowledge and trying out a new design element. Perhaps they're experiencing a particularly difficult or joyful period in their lives and it's influencing their work. Maybe they're working with a new partner, and so they're learning to mesh their collective ideas and creativity.

Or they could just be trying to clear out some of the accumulated crap in their shop...

That's about where you find me right now!

I don't indulge in 'themes' and 'phases' all that much... mainly on account of A) Being too busy. B) Don't have the resources to indulge in that. Or C) No creative new projects in mind.

But for once, I have a goal! A theme if you will... one that is both potentially lucrative, doesn't cost me extra money, and is benefiting me and my shop.

Since most of my work is done in sheet metal, cutting out various patterns and designs, I always have bits and pieces of scrap left over. This scrap... if it doesn't find a home in some art project or another, ends up accumulating in my cutting table... on the flower... on tables... and in various buckets. And it's finally getting to the point where I just have TOO MUCH!!!

Seriously... there was like... three 5gal buckets of assorted bits of scrap... not to mention the scrap piled up in the catch-trough of my cutting table. That's a lot of perfectly good steel. Way too much to be throwing away, but none of it really large enough or functional enough for my to actively incorporate into my work.

And so, in an effort to try and clean up this scrap without throwing it out, I've started finding creative uses for it!

Of course, there has been some trial and error... it's not that easy to just through a bunch of scrap together and create something chaotic and messy but with a defined shape and design and have it actually LOOK good. Believe it or not... there's a lot of consideration that goes into building things with scrap and how it will look, how it presents, and whether or not you should be using the big pieces or the little pieces.

I've already managed to wreck 2 small containers and made a not-so-fantastic flower before I finally got some designs rolling I liked. And I think I'm finally getting the hand of this... kickin' out some good look sculptures now.

This is an avenue I am both familiar with... and unfamiliar with...

As an artist who likes creating recycled art, I actively try and use old, worn out things, or reuse my own left overs. Particularly scrap... if I can fit a pattern onto a piece of scrap, I'd rather cut that up then my nice, whole piece of sheet metal. That being said... I am not much of an abstract thinking or creator. Nor have I actively tried to incorporate random scrap into my work, as it is a fine balance between 'artistically messy and chaotic' and 'wow, that looks like crap'. So there's actually quite a bit of learning going on for me. Getting in touch with my 'abstract and messy' side if you will.

 So far... I'm actually rather enjoying it!

It's a fun and interesting process building these 3D forms out of bits and pieces that are in no way designed to fit together, and then making them fit together in a cohesive fashion so that when you look at it, you can see exactly what it is I am trying to do, while still keeping that empty, negative space. (and keeping it friendly to the touch)

Not only that... but my scrap pile is getting smaller! Woo!

I chewed through an entire bucket of scrap that's been following me for the last 2yrs! Granted, I've probably half-filled that bucket already with some of the other things I've been making... but I still put a dent in it! And I've got 2 more buckets to go still!

I wonder if this is how abstract artists get into their work sometimes? I'm sure most artists have trouble dealing with the assorted bits and pieces that inevitably start gathering in the corners of their shops and studios...

Artist: "Hmmm... I can't think of anything to turn all this crap into! Maybe I'll just start sticking it together and see what happens..."  BOOM!! Instant abstract success!

Perhaps I'll have to try that next... hmmm....

Oooor... maybe I'll just stick with the ideas I already have... I'm sure I could make a really awesome turtle out of this stuff...