Recent work on a concrete topped desk, with steel framework. The request included freedom of design, other than the dimensions of H 36" W 60" D 30".... these parameters are easy to stay within. The top of frame was cut and prepared for the threaded inserts,  and mounting studs. The legs are to be removable for shipping, which requires more thought as opposed to welding the legs directly to the upper frame.

Below the multiple sets of threaded inserts are TIG welded in to the side of the top frame, this keeps the top surface free. The selection of hi-resolution video displays can float above the desk surface.  

IZ medallion in bedded in the bottom surface of the concrete complete with graphics, Also a Fleur-de Lis was also embedded in the bottom surface with related graphics. 

Early stages of the top frame with the de-molded desk top. 

Assembly, tack welded leg sections.

The outer facing corner of the Desk is the most prominent element as one approaches the area, the leg on this corner is different from the other three, for variation, the use of the number three, and to incorporate steel overlay of an Statue of Liberty. The Leg sections are 6" x 6" at the top and usually 2" x 2" at the foot,  though this leg was adapted to accommodate the overlay.

highlighting work on the legs prior to clear coat.

The work on producing the image of 'lustitia' in three colors, here a sample done on plywood.

finally on the concrete top, prior to sealing and wax. Here I decided to have a lightly colored pigment as opposed to the color work on the bottom of the desk top. This is just a suggestion of and image not a vivid image from a magazine.

New work on an old design Jeremiah Houck and I collaborated together for some work exhibited at the "Carbon & Clay: Conflicting Connections" show in 2008. Originally I had two copies cut, and one piece was finished for the show, the other remained stored in the Studio until last week. Work started with forming and welding, organizing some ideas around this new version of the original work.

The one piece skull was designed with no top, here it is taking shape with basic forming, the lower jaw has been placed in location below the upper teeth section. 

I decided to design the overlapping steel for the top of the head, to resemble the hairstyles of the 1920's. The copper colored pins are Clecos  (temporary fasteners) which are used in sheet metal fabrication to hold sections to be riveted together as all the remaining holes are made or additional pieces are added to the correct location. These are spring loaded pins which pull the lower piece of metal together, in this case through a .125" hole. As the pieces are riveted together a Cleco is removed and rivet installed, then the next Cleco is taken out etc. 

I was planning on using solid steel rivets to connect the layers, though after having the Clecos in for part of a day I decided to machine Cleco like pins to replace the solid steel rivets. I then TIG welded the bottom of the pins in place instead of making deform-able rivet ends. AS pictured above the lower jaw has been fabricated wrong, cutting the welded edges top and bottom to be reshaped then re-welded.

After, reworking the lower jaw to have a straight line and follow the upper curve, then welded the jaw to the upper skull. Prior to Sealing the layers of 20 gauge steel sheet metal, and painting, additional 3/8" steel bar stock has been machined and added to mount the head to a future panel.  

After work on the panel, and other refinements to the head.

A list of artists included in the show,  select their names linking to more information.

Two of my pieces have been selected to be a part of the Lincoln Center Art Gallery "Insite Insight" from November 20 2014 - January 5 2015, opening reception November 20 5pm - 7pm 

The Lincoln Center Art Gallery’s National Juried Show is Full of Insight

The title for this year’s National Juried Show, “Incite Insight,” was a call to action for artists all around the country. “The call was issued with the idea that artists often challenge us to see the world in new ways, providing insights into our times and our lives. Without limiting the content to a specific theme, Lincoln Center was seeking work that would provoke, inspire, or arouse a deeper understanding or vision of the world,” Gallery Coordinator Jeanne Shoaff explains. Over 250 artists took up this challenge in a big way, sending over 850 images to be considered for “Incite Insight,” the National Juried Show. 

Each year the Lincoln Center invites a special Guest Juror to select the artworks for its National Juried Show. Ivar Zeile, the owner/director of Plus Gallery—one of the top-ranked contemporary art galleries in Denver, is the Guest Juror for this year’s exhibition. The competition was juried blind, meaning that while the juror could see the artwork, he didn’t know who created the work or where the artist lives. He had the daunting task of viewing more than 800 images and selecting less than fifty for inclusion in the show. “This is easily the most competitive call for entries that we’ve hosted at the Lincoln Center,” says Gallery Coordinator Jeanne Shoaff. The thirty-sox artists juried into the exhibit hail from eighteen states, and include fourteen Colorado artists. 

The resulting exhibit is an exciting show that includes an extremely wide range of media, including portrait painting, digital photography, drawing, video, sculpture, interactive art and digital media, fiber arts, poured paint, vinyl sign material, a multi-sensory installation, and more. Guest Juror Ivar Zeile has selected works that touch on many of the regional and global issues of our times such as gun control, gender roles, racism, the environment, women’s rights, and emotional isolation, and to name a few. But central to the exhibition is the notion that art has the power to address and even transform these issues in ways that provoke thought, encourage conversation, and perhaps incite action.

As an artist himself, Mr. Zeile brings a wide open view of the role of the contemporary artist. His involvement with innovative projects (such as “Denver Digerati,” for which he curates digital animation and motion-based art, and the Invisible Museum, a conceptual center for the exchange of creative ideas) places Zeile at the threshold of what’s possible in creative expression.  Mr. Zeile served as a member of the Denver Mayor's Commission for Cultural Affairs from 2006 through 2011 and in the last decade has served as a board member for a variety of art-related groups including PlatteForum, the Denver Art Museum's DAM Contemporaries, RedLine, and the Invisible Museum. Prior to opening Plus Gallery, Zeile has worked independently in film and video alongside a variety of diverse design platforms including graphic, furniture, trade-show, and interpretive museum design.

Exhibition Designer Jack Curfman has the task of corralling the forty artworks and six videos into a cohesive and compelling design that features each work to its greatest advantage. For more than thirty-five years, Mr. Curfman has designed exhibitions at the Lincoln Center as well as other regional museums and galleries including the Denver Art Museum, the Arvada Center, CSU’s Curfman Gallery and Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising, and the Global Village Museum to name a few.

The Opening Reception and Awards Presentation will be held on Friday, November 20, 5–7 p.m., and is open to the public. Mr. Curfman will be recognized at 5:45 p.m. for over thirty-five years of service designing exhibitions at the Lincoln Center. At 6:00 p.m., Mr. Zeile will present over $2,000 in cash awards for artworks selected by the Guest Juror. The exhibition runs through January 3, 2015.

New work started in the end of October, the machinist is a compilation of ideas about machining, the main image is a micrometer a device which is used to measure between a set distance 0-1 inch  or 1-2 inch for each instrument. The , vernier scale is used to read measurements to .0001" as an example sheet printer paper measures .004"
Other elements are CNC G-code programming examples, technical drawing layout in perspective done in stainless steel. As additional elements are added, there will be more to follow on this work, stay tuned...

Building the standoffs for the stainless steel elements representing the Technical drawings, Cut and TIG weld stops to each of the 24 .1975" diameter stainless steel shafts, then each is tapped 10-24 thread. I chose to make these from bar stock as apposed to using threaded rod, this way the visible portion of the standoffs will be smooth, instead of being threaded the entire way. 

Machinist panel with the line elements mounted creating the wire frame illusion from the  TIG welded stainless steel, with the .500" standoff height. The addition of shadows caused by lighting embellishes the surface with depth. Next image: W 60" x H 37" x D 2" work to date, more to follow.