nonfiction

divide and conquer

2009-09-09T16:20:00.006-04:00

NEW NEWS!
According to Heraclites of Ephesus the only constant is change. Those Greeks were no slouches in the thinking department so we'll take them at their word. Along those lines we are changing as well, dividing and conquering, spreading ourselves thin (not too thin) and wide over the state of Ohio. Non Fiction has morphed and splintered into two new projects, based in both Cincinnati and Columbus. This means more work from us all, two NEW blogs, and a lot less driving for me.
So..... what are you waiting for!

Katie Parker and Guy Michael Davis in Cincinnati - www.futureretrieval.blogspot.com

Rebecca Harvey and Steven Thurston in Columbus - www.roughandperfect.blogspot.com

studio shots

2009-09-01T10:28:00.005-04:00

A quick look at both of our private studios- where we have been spending wayyy to much time this summer... Above - Steve and Rebecca's secret underground lair in Columbus Ohio. To see a little bit more of what they are up to click here. Below, Katie and Mike's above ground studio in Cincinnati Ohio. For more studio images and work in progress, click here.

A little too close to home

2009-08-21T19:41:00.004-04:00

Zebra Mussels have taken over Dallas, TX!!! My hometown! Ahhhh! They have taken up residence in Lake Texoma and will likely, if not already, move into Lake Lavon. The Dallas Morning news says "they are multiply at a dizzying rate, and no one knows how to eradicate them". (sadly, it is not an easy task) They were first noticed in the Great Lakes in 1988, and have slowly moved south - surviving for days outside of water. Crazy. More info here.

Light!

2009-08-13T22:41:00.003-04:00

The Rat Chandelier is on the road - heading to The Blair Museum of Lithophanes in Toledo, Ohio to be part of "Ceramics Illuminated". Our good friend and ceramic expert/historian Dr. Margaret Carney is the curator of this exhibition, bringing us together (finally) with Roy Lichtenstein, Harry Allen Designs, and Jack Earl. Super cool. If you don't know what a lithophane is, take a look here to find out more.
The show opens Sept. 6th - so take a trip out to Toledo if you are in the neighborhood. I love this musuem all the ceramic history that it has to offer. (and if you haven't heard it is also Laurel Blair's 100th birthday - and there will be cake!)

Lucky!

2009-08-05T20:59:00.004-04:00

I am so happy to announce that Non Fiction made the pages of Lucky Magazine! (Best in Show at that) I have been a loyal subscriber for a long time - seriously years - so I know how great the designers and products that they feature are. The stylists took some lovely photos of our work, and the editors even did a post on Lucky's blog - check it out here. For more tips on where to shop and what to get, check out their website, Luckymag.com. (huge thank you to Heather and Emily)

manifesto

2009-07-28T11:41:00.005-04:00

For years I have been wanting to write a manifesto - and I will (just probably not before 2010).
In the meantime, check out the Repair Manifesto from Platform 21 - a truly innovative design collective in Amsterdam. Here are some ideas that we try to follow as we work (especially number 4). Click to enlarge.

Here's how I feel lately

2009-07-23T22:49:00.003-04:00

Lots of new fun in the works - stay tuned....

Sunday Times (we are in it!)

2009-07-17T09:34:00.004-04:00

The New York Times has an article this Sunday about spending 36 hours in Cincinnati. Guy and I just recently moved to Cincinnati permanently, taking the job as head of the Ceramics Department at UC, College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning. We are so happy to be here, even if it means thinking about how Non Fiction has to function across a 100 mile stretch of I-71. The Times did a great job of scouting out the city, and mentioned our favorite design shop High Street in the article. For a sneak peek, look online here. It seems like lately I can't say enough good things about this area and I am glad others feel the same.

big plans

2009-07-07T20:42:00.002-04:00

After cleaning out the studio last week, we found a LOT of pieces that have never seen the light of day. This hanging light from our show at The Clay Studio is pretty amazing - and a nice addition to our room. I love living with what we make, even if it is the one offs and strange ideas that not everyone sees.
We have been talking over the last month, and have some radical new ideas in the works that we let you in on shortly. Big plans for the future of Non Fiction - and our own personal art and research as well.
Close up of the the wolf chandelier - made from a salvaged metal lampshade - truly a one of a kind piece. The centerpiece is from the first rapid prototype of Wolfie that we had printed.

Summer Reading

2009-06-06T13:09:00.003-04:00

The Arcanum - The true story of the discovery of porcelain in Meissen Germany 300 years ago. An amazing book that follows the life of Johann Frederick Böttger (inventor of porcelain), Johan Gregor Herold (porcelain painter and alchemist), and Johann Joachim Kaendler (the greatest modeler to ever live). Click here to find out more.

blogged

2009-05-30T09:30:00.003-04:00

We wanted to say thank you! to everyone who has blogged about us in the past couple of weeks.
Lloyd at Treehugger did an amazing post - and even recorded a short video that you can watch from their site - click here to watch and read the article. (photo credit treehugger).

Party!

2009-05-24T20:25:00.006-04:00

First of all, I love this image and had to post it. High Street Cincinnati threw us a party on Friday night, in celebration of our first trip to ICFF. I think I have mentioned before that this is an amazing store - and how wonderful everyone who works there is.... You only get this kind of love in Ohio (drinks for all and no list). We had a great time, so much that we forgot to take photos of the four of us - too many cool people to meet. I did take a picture of a case that we set up...

Thanks to High Street for everything, and thank you to everyone who was able to attend.

ICFF

2009-05-21T20:28:00.003-04:00

Our booth - which turned out great. The floor was a hit - and really created an environment unlike any other in the show. Steven engineered some amazing furniture - a "couch" for us to sit on, and two butcher block tables/lamp poles that our lighting could hang from. We had a wonderful time, met SO many amazing people - and saw great work from all around the world.
With all that said, it is nice to be back home in Ohio sitting on our real couch.

Road Trip

2009-05-10T20:23:00.004-04:00

We are off - taking a road trip to NYC at the end of the week to set up our booth for ICFF. (booth 1755 if you are going to be there too). The floor is ready - the furniture is almost done - and we are at least halfway packed and ready to go. We will post more images once we have everything installed and set up on site - exciting!

icff - the floor

2009-05-04T22:02:00.003-04:00

We have been working for the last few days on the flooring for our booth next week. Steven laser cut a William Morris style stencil (see below)
And we used it to cover 100 sq. feet of foam anti-fatigue flooring. (we don't want to strain ourselves) It looks a crazy rug in rubber...

new cards

2009-05-03T08:43:00.003-04:00

Our new business cards for ICFF - with our booth number 1755. We are feeling lucky - because in 1755 Marie Antoinette was born in Vienna and the first edition of A Dictionary of the English Language was written and published by Samuel Johnson. We have stacks and stacks of these- plus Rebecca is letterpressing some as well - more pictures of our ICFF progress soon.

rat redo

2009-04-25T11:46:00.002-04:00

We have redone Rattus Norvegicus Rex - added fatter leaves to the top and a set of smaller rats to the bottom. The leaves are hand sewn with red thread, and the porcelain has the nicest glow when the light is on.

High Street

2009-04-18T08:54:00.004-04:00

We are very pleased to announce that you can now find our work at High Street in Cincinnati. It is a beautiful design, furniture, and accessories store on Reading Rd. downtown.
They did an amazing job with over 600 pounds of bricks
Our studio porcelain, invasive species ware, and the Dada light - so nice....
I LOVE the bricks in a wagon!

and then there were two

2009-04-11T20:06:00.003-04:00

We are in love with these lights - hung in pairs they look amazing. These are the first prototypes - so we will have to give them a thorough testing (in our living room). Hopefully we can have these up and ready for your home in the next couple weeks.

The Wolf Light!

2009-04-06T14:43:00.003-04:00

Finally - the Wolf Light is complete. We have had this idea stuck in our heads for a hanging wolf head with a mouth full of light bulbs - and here it is! Guy and I hung this in our living room last night and it looks super nice... but now I want two - one on either side of the couch. Maybe, just maybe, that can happen and I will post a picture later this week.
Porcelain with nine 3w bulbs wired in back, 7" x 10" x 7", with an 8' cord.

In print

2009-04-05T10:37:00.003-04:00

A couple days ago, the newest issue of Ceramics Monthly arrived in the mail - and we are in it. They did a nice little article about our show at The Clay Studio in January of this year, Shakespeare Wooden Minnow. Thanks!

Paper Rat

2009-03-29T19:13:00.002-04:00

ICFF is only a month and a half away - time to start going into production... We have narrowed down the pieces we want to take, and my vote was for the paper rat light. So, I spent all day yesterday die cutting rats and ringing them together to make our prototypes into a product. All all our dies are hand drawn by us, and the paper is cut on our proofing press. Maybe the rat curtains will make an appearance as well?

experiments

2009-03-24T21:31:00.007-04:00

I keep having this idea of stringing balls of floral garland to make porcelain swag. (see here) So, this is a first attempt. I see these moving across a wall or room, with the swags changing shape across the space - dipping high and low. A work in progress...

springtime

2009-03-19T08:32:00.003-04:00

It is officially spring (well - in one more day) and we have vases on the brain. This is a sweet little bud vase made from our white logs, ideal for a coffee table or breakfast in bed. We have a large vase I will post later this week - and also a tablewide floral takeover in the works.
Slipcast porcelain, 5.5" x 6"

The RAM process

2009-03-14T22:39:00.003-04:00

Today we RAM pressed around 50 platters, for a new series of studio porcelain we are excited about. The press was amazingly fast, and it feels great to have a batch of new shapes to work on. The first RAM was actually built in Columbus Ohio at OSU by two ceramic engineers.

Poppytalk Handmade

2009-03-11T10:27:00.003-04:00

As of next week we will be participating in the month long Poppytalk Handmade market Green Pop. The theme is everything related to eco, spring, easter, and green. So, I thought our
“Mammalian Shrines” would be a nice fit. Check it out as we add some recycled dinnerware, rabbit lights, hanging sheep tumblers and more seasonal gems.

what are these called? and does anyone sell them?

2009-03-04T09:45:00.002-05:00

Reclaimed bricks. We take fired bricks from Beldon Brick, paint the top with a white brick oxide, and then silkscreen layers of imagery using enamels and china paint. Then, we refire each brick to about 2000 degrees so the designs are set for life.
What can you do with a brick? Here are a few ideas: door stop, decorative element, small painting that stands on its own, heat it up and put it under your covers at night to keep you warm - put it in the freezer and put it under your covers in the summer, tie a note on it and throw it through a window, start to build something, hold down items on a windy day....
Who couldn't use one? Let us know, and we will pick you out a good one. 30.00 each.

Wolfie continued

2009-02-26T10:09:00.002-05:00

The wolf head is finally starting to take shape - and we have several big ideas for the form. First up: floral garland balls inspired by this stone building ornament.

logs

2009-02-23T10:15:00.004-05:00

We have been casting logs by the hundreds (well, maybe not hundreds - but we made at least 50 in the last week) and making more log lights and log hooks.

Side note - the log hooks are going fast - only 5 left in stock. Once they are sold out that is it...

big bowls

2009-02-19T22:40:00.003-05:00

Our newest studio porcelain - super large bowls. (think 10 apples for size) These came out so nice... all they need is a little china paint.
slipcast porcelain, 60.00 each.

in progress

2009-02-15T12:20:00.002-05:00

To make a plaster mold off of a three-d print is a little tricky. You cannot pour right onto the rapid prototype because of the porous nature of the material. So, we have covered the Pug Head in tin foil - to make a plaster shell to pour rubber into. I kind of like the tin foil head.

like I said

2009-02-11T23:33:00.004-05:00

The squirrel makes an excellent chair caddy. Also, could be door knob warmer...

late night stacking

2009-02-10T09:41:00.002-05:00

It seems like we always come up with the best ideas while we are cleaning up - the last 20 minutes of the day. Mike was showing off his new vase and talking about finishing up the squirrel. So he stuck the squirrel in the vase, and I grabbed a platter to sit on top. Perfect for a serving dish! Also, the squirrel makes a good chair caddy...

Finished!

2009-02-06T08:21:00.003-05:00

Our new website is up and .99998% finished. I will do the rest tonight - I promise. But, in the meantime check it out - we have a ton of new work added.
Go here: nonfictiondesigncollective.com

Make, Scan, Mill, Print, Adjust, Repeat

2009-02-01T19:10:00.002-05:00

Mike and Steven have an article in the newest Ceramics Monthly about their work with three-d scanning, printing, and CNC milling. The article explains how the rat was created and modeled, and also how Steven scanned and then milled a perfect wooden pillow. Check it out if you get a chance.

Facets

2009-01-27T09:33:00.003-05:00

For some reason I have facets on the brain. We finally cast our large Wolfie in rubber - and now we can start making models for slipcasting. The first pour had some air bubbles, so I started carving it up - making a crystallized version that resembles the pixilation on the 3-D modeling software. So far so good.

Blown up

2009-01-23T09:13:00.004-05:00

We just had our Mops head scanned and enlarged - and then rapid prototyped. This head is 2xs the size of the original, so the bulging eyes and meaty face look even more intense. Once the model is printed, the whole piece has to be infused with super glue, creating a hard shell so we can start to make a mold from it. It is a slow process...
Half a bottle of Zap glue, an hour an a half later. Getting closer.

Made Better

2009-01-20T08:17:00.003-05:00

Also getting a do over - our website. It will be cleaner and easier to navigate - with added buying and shipping features. Exciting... should be up and running in the next couple weeks.

next up

2009-01-15T20:44:00.003-05:00

This squirrel. He has been waiting patiently in the freezer since early summer - a gift from a friend. We have big plans for this guy, so stay tuned for more. (actually, we have to taxidermy it first, so it will be a little while...)

One last piece

2009-01-10T19:58:00.003-05:00

I wanted to make sure that "For L.A.M.B." made it onto the blog - I love how Steven scanned a plaster pillow and then milled out a wooden twin. Mops looks very comfortable there. The German name for pug - Mops - came from Marie Antoinette, who owned a pug of that name shortly before her marriage to Louis XVI.
Porcelain, three-d scanned and CNC milled wooden base, tons of tiny leaves, gold luster, electricity and a flicker bulb. 9.5" x 16". 1800.00

Got Lucky

2009-01-07T21:46:00.003-05:00

Our newest studio porcelain - a lot less drips and a lot more gold. We really like where this is going....

Non Fiction Design Collective presents

2009-01-04T13:33:00.009-05:00

Shakespeare Wooden Minnow at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia. The show looks amazing - we could not be happier. Here are a couple gallery shots of our show right before the opening. Steven's screen house is an engineering marvel and came together perfectly. We envisioned a large hedge to display our lights - he responded by CNC milling over 25 panels with a William Morris pattern.

We put most of the Dresden lights on our flat pack pedestals inside, and wired them up with flicker bulbs. Lovely. This last shot is from the outside looking in.

the finishing touches

2009-01-01T18:15:00.003-05:00

Steven's amazing hedge house for our show at the Clay Studio. We worked on it late into the night - getting everything assembled, labeled, and ready for the cargo van. Our show opens tomorrow night - so if you are in the Philly area, stop on by. Gallery photos coming soon - we are almost finished!

King Mops

2008-12-27T14:03:00.002-05:00

Similar to our evil eyed rabbit lamps - we now have added a Mops into the mix. The yellow and red lights go nicely with the gold lustered crown and bells. 7.5" x 12", 2008. Porcelain, luster, and electricity.

Shakespeare Wooden Minnow

2008-12-19T23:10:00.003-05:00

One of Steven's amazing pieces for our show at The Clay Studio - "Shakespeare Wooden Minnow". We spent all day taking photos and cataloging the work before we break for the holidays. Tons of photos coming soon - more work and our lovely light installation inside the gallery...

“Leda Diprossopus” Dresden porcelain with CNC milled and goldleafed firewood – flicker lights wired. 6” x 14”, 2008. 1800.00

dada light

2008-12-15T20:56:00.003-05:00

This light started off as an unfinished piece - which turned out to look pretty amazing with a light bulb for a head. For the full dada effect - set this beside your Dali lips couch using your lobster gloves. For you everyday folks - we like it on the floor.

Good Design

2008-12-12T17:27:00.004-05:00

Last night we went to the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati for the Good Design for the Holidays show. We are super excited to be included - and to see our pieces in such an amazing space. The sale is going on until January, so if you are in the area, go check it out.

whoops

2008-12-08T20:10:00.003-05:00

Three out of four of us participated in some holiday shows this weekend - Renegade in Chicago and the Shadow Art Fair in Michigan. We accidentally took no photos.

paper garland

2008-12-05T09:48:00.003-05:00

Perfect for this holiday season! Paper garland made from die cut atoms, molecules, and snowflakes - sewn together with red string. Each piece is 4' long and can be connected with other strands to create large hanging ornaments. We will be making a limited number of these for the next couple of weeks - so send us an email if you are interested.
10.00 a strand.

Tree Ornament

2008-11-30T21:17:00.003-05:00

These little 3.5" ratties don't mind hanging by their tails, especially if the tree looks as good as they do. White as snow, they can even decorate the mantle, protecting your favorite holiday card display. Fifty bucks a pop.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T19:02:00.004-05:00

We are all going to do the best we can to take a well deserved break this weekend. In the meantime - check out Guy's turkey head salt and pepper shakers.

Ten Times - project #3

2008-11-22T11:51:00.002-05:00

Our newest Ten Times piece - "Log Hooks". The ten times project once again means that we take ten objects and make them ten times better, in a limited edition of ten, charging ten times the cost of the original item. To see project one, click here. Project two, click here.
Wooden bathroom hooks, with porcelain logs screwed into the top of each hook. Fully functional - a little more fancy.
10" x 7.5". Wood and porcelain, 2008. Limited edition of 10. 20.00 each

Flipping Eras: Industrial Age Techniques Reemerge in the Studio Process

2008-11-19T11:46:00.004-05:00

NFDC was invited to exhibit in the Flipping Eras exhibition at the Ohio State University. On top is the brick kicker, and 3 Bears Headlights. Above, our hanging lights attracted swarms.

multiples

2008-11-16T09:22:00.004-05:00

We are getting ready for a couple shows next month, and making tons of cups along the way. Here is the newest batch of invasive species dinnerware on bone china. Also - we have some beautiful new studio porcelain as well - pictures coming soon.

Other Projects From The NFDC studio

2008-11-09T21:57:00.006-05:00

This is another one incredible projects we have been working on, here at the Non Fiction Studio,where anything can be made in porcelain. Hand Carved forms combined with digital prototypes, are cast in porcelain. This Minilith and Monuette project has exploded since the residency at the Dresden Porcelain Manufactory. Click here to see the origin of the branch forms.

a start

2008-11-05T15:12:00.003-05:00

It seems like we are forever coming up with more and more prototypes. This is a start to a hanging light - we wanted to create an embellished bare bones structure - and then go from there. So far so good. Later this week we are going to have tomato cages specifically built for this idea - stay tuned.
Tomato cage, tiny porcelain flowers, epoxy glue.

Wolfie the Great

2008-10-30T22:35:00.004-04:00

Fresh from the Z corp, Wolfie is in full alpha mode. Watch your back.....

Ten Times - project #2

2008-10-27T17:29:00.005-04:00

The second piece from our 10 times series - Cuckoo (redo). The Ten Times project in a nutshell - we take 10 regular objects, and make then ten times better. Each object is produced in a limited edition of ten, making 100 pieces in all. Each item will cost ten times the amount of the original object. We throw in the labor for free. It is the idea that is the expensive part.
Pre-existing IKEA clock altered with rapid prototyped wolf head slipcast in porcelain, porcelain pressed leaves, and slipcast pine cones. The face of the clock has the molecular structure for china clay printed on the surface.
8” x 16”, 100.00 each. Edition of ten.
*with stocks falling - think about investing in art this quarter*

this week

2008-10-24T09:16:00.003-04:00

This week Mike finished carving his giant block of plaster, made a mold, and then started casting. A pretty impressive feat - and his shoulder is feeling it. Steven started milling out background tests for an installation in the works - more to come over the next month as our show gets closer.

After

2008-10-22T08:04:00.004-04:00

We posted a picture a while ago of an Eames chair that was found in a nearby dumpster. It was covered in paint - almost a half inch thick in the dip alone! After many hours of clean up, and a giant jug of paint stripper - we decided it would never be fully restored - so why not tile it?
It is now covered in hundreds of porcelain buttons -- giving the chair a strange new thickness. It is definitely different than before - but we just had to give it a try. Here are the before and after shots.

Turkey Pigeon

2008-10-19T17:05:00.004-04:00

Just in time for the holidays.... Our Turkey Pigeon is bearing meat for you - in the form of a floral chicken drumstick. Pigeons were originally domesticated as a food species, with different breeds being developed for their food bearing qualities.
Slipcast and hand cut vitreous porcelain, combined with hand applied floral pieces, 18" x 9", 2008.

Wolfie

2008-10-14T23:23:00.004-04:00

A new project. We picked up this chalk dog head in Dewey, OK this summer, and have been staring at it for the last month. So - last week we 3-D scanned it and printed it out nice and tiny. This will definitely be part of our next 10 times piece, and who knows what else....

Gold Formula

2008-10-10T23:25:00.003-04:00

Our newest batch of studio porcelain. Slipcast tumblers with silk screened images of invasive species and the chemical structure of kaolin - plus luster.
5"-8" tall. 2008.

Rattus Norvegicus Rex

2008-10-06T21:21:00.005-04:00

"Rattus Norvegicus Rex" - aka The Brown Rat King. The finished version.
Rapid Prototyped rats cast in porcelain hang by their tails with red glass berries in their mouth. Surrounded by a ring of acorns, leaves, and glass.
7" x 14", 1250.00 for this prototype.
Finished version (where the tails are looped) 1400.00

SEAMS

2008-10-04T20:58:00.003-04:00

We are super excited to have two pieces in "SEAMS" - taking place this weekend at the Jersey City Artists Studio Tour, Canco Lofts. Curated by Colleen Grennan and Joshua Erb, of Mahan Gallery fame. From the press release...
"Assuming the artist decides ultimately what is worthy of public display, those chosen for SEAMS have undermined this responsibility, placing a fluctuating form of paraphernalia into the public realm, demystifying ideas of conclusiveness and truth and exalting production quality objects. "

"Formulations on the Two Principles of Mental Functioning" an idea for a light - and a work in progress...
Slipcast and rapid prototyped porcelain and terra cotta, plastic, marbles, tape, hot glue, wood.

Publication is okay

2008-10-03T12:53:00.003-04:00

Our Invasive Species Fire Ant plate is featured in Bust Magazine this month! Check out the Page O' Shit (yes, the actual page name, 037) to see it and several other artists with a bug addiction.

little flowers

2008-09-26T12:30:00.002-04:00

My new obsession.

Ikea Hacker

2008-09-22T19:44:00.002-04:00

Our termite light - part of our ten times series, where we make ten objects ten times better - was featured on Ikea Hacker - as one of their favorite hacks. I would like to officially say that we are honored.
Our next ten times piece will be debuting soon. It is good.

Fancy Rat Light

2008-09-17T18:36:00.002-04:00

PROTOTYPE #1. studio lights on...
studio lights off....
Our newest light - The Fancy Rat Chandelier with the first ever (to my knowledge) rapid prototyped porcelain rat. Four hang by their nasty little tails surrounded by acorns.
Biscuit fired porcelain, 12" x 8.5", 2008.

From the studio

2008-09-11T21:52:00.002-04:00

Fresh from the studio - a new version of the Protobirds. I love how the luster looks like gold foil!
7.5"x 5.5" individually. Porcelain with luster, 2008. $500.00 for the set.

studio porcelain

2008-09-09T20:03:00.003-04:00

I realized today that we rarely show (on the web) our studio porcelain. It is made in house, from the molds to the hand painted details. Each piece is different - and we are constantly making them - printing imagery, adding new layers, firing over and over, trying new shapes, ect. So, here are just a couple pictures of some pieces.

Slipcast porcelain cups and bowls - ranging from small to pretty large. 25.00-60.00 a piece.

The Before

2008-09-08T09:31:00.003-04:00

We are all back in town - and we have big plans for this sad Eames chair in the next few weeks. Stay tuned.

Old School Exhibition is on

2008-09-03T16:57:00.004-04:00

We are a little late in posting this - but the Old School show is up and running - and looks amazing! You can go here to check out the show. All the work is for sale through Uppercase Gallery as well as through Poppytalk Handmade.
You can see our piece here - in the bottom right corner next to the globe. And here, a little bigger.
"Words with OA" porcelain, decals, wooden bOArd, marbles, 24" x 5.5", 2008. $625.00

Prima!

2008-08-28T21:00:00.005-04:00

Our firing was a success - everything - seriously everything, turned out for the most part. We spent the last day and half of our time in Germany packing and repacking everything to make the long trip back to Ohio. We have a couple shows lined up for the work - first being our solo show at The Clay Studio in Philly this winter... (more to come soon)

Not Pictured: Steven's final images

short north art al fresco

2008-08-24T04:57:00.009-04:00

Rebecca has been holding down the fort in Columbus - and recently participated in the city's first outdoor art show - a one day event featuring installations all over downtown.
"Rats in Trees" (from the book Rats by Robert Sullivan - there is a section where an exterminator sees rats in trees, and by seeing that has in effect seen everything)

200 die cut rats laminated with vintage flocked wallpaper. Lovely.
Also - here is a little video of the rats in action...

Good Luck...

2008-08-21T14:16:00.001-04:00

The last bits

2008-08-20T11:40:00.002-04:00

This is the last wet work posting - as of today we are done making. All the work will be loaded into the kilns - and we will see what happens...
Mike's epic battle between the protoRat and the Dresden Porcelain Swan
Mops with flower eyes - all the 3-D flowers are hand pressed and pulled in the factory - we met someone who has been making them for over 20yrs. I tried this process and ended up giving up after 5 minutes. A lot harder than it looks.
Examples of the flowers...

Week Three - ahh!

2008-08-19T10:19:00.003-04:00

Okay - this is the last week to work in the factory - and Steven has kicked in to high production mode. Check out the drilled mops, rooster, and swan.

Some lovely candelabras for Non Fiction... Also, looked at the pierced swan in the far left of the picture.

Mortizburg

2008-08-19T10:10:00.004-04:00

We went to Mortizburg this Sunday - the hunting lodge/getaway of Augustus the Strong. Pretty amazing place - with several other small residences/castles around back in case he got tired of this one.
All of Augustus's antlers are displayed throughout the palace - there are probably more than 500 sets. One of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Lucky guy.

the line up

2008-08-15T12:13:00.003-04:00

It is the end of week two - and we have all made a TON of work. I have no idea how to get this all back to the US - but - can't really think about that right now.
Steven has made a couple amazing swan candelabras/lamps - depending on if they are wired up or not... The swan is the most graceful yet grotesque animal of the group.
The Buckminster Rooster vase - applying the little flowers gets addicting once you start. Suddenly it seems like everything needs a few.

more work

2008-08-14T11:37:00.002-04:00

Steven has been casting for the last week and half - and has about 20 animals ready to be altered and drilled. It is pretty exciting to see them open up - and how the holes create patterning onto and into the surface.

After the trip to Meissen, Mike has been wanting to add chains to Mops (the dog) - so here are a pair of Mops dragging rat heads on floral chains. Very nice.

Behind the Scenes

2008-08-13T13:07:00.005-04:00

Last weekend we headed over to Meissen, Germany - home of world famous blue crossed swords. There we were able to see three hundred years worth of porcelain - from Kaendler to the present which was amazing. Here is the finest thing they had:

We were also able to take a tour of Dresden Porcelain and see the room with all the pieces from the start of the factory. I could have stayed for hours. Everything is handpainted onto the white porcelain - it is amazing to think about all the time and skill involved with producing the work.

And - the group favorites...

The halfway point

2008-08-13T13:00:00.004-04:00

We are halfway through our residency here at the manufactory , and we are starting to work faster. Here are some images from last week...Mike is making mounts using all the animals - duck and rat seen above.

Katie is making more candelabras, lamp bases, and small scuptures using the pug in particular. (it is nice and meaty looking)

images from the factory

2008-08-09T15:26:00.005-04:00

Our workroom - pictured are Steven and Olaf (our gracious host)

Mike is making a series of monuettes - a rooster conquering a rat- very allegorical...

Katie is working on some lights - pictured here is a swan candelabra

And, after a hard day at the factory, we still find time to blog! (sitting against the wall at the Dresden mainstation - the ONLY place we have found free wi-fi)

First days in the factory

2008-08-06T11:56:00.004-04:00

We are here - and they sure do love Augustus in Dresden. Here are a couple of shots - a giant gold statue, and his place in the procession of princes - a tile wall one block long made by Meissen porcelain. Pretty amazing.

We are also hard at work in the factory - 9 to 5 everyday of the week (to the minute actually). So far we have a Royal pug lamp going, and a swan statue is in the works. More work coming soon.

And we are off...

2008-08-01T13:49:00.002-04:00

To DRESDEN Germany - for three weeks of hard factory labor. We are going to Dresdner Porzellan to make some amazing pieces using their molds and local clay. It is also the 300th year anniversary of the discovery of porcelain by Bottger, so we will be participating in the jubilee and events around the area. We will be posting pictures of the factory and our pieces while we are there...

Swarm Light - prototype 1b

2008-07-27T09:41:00.005-04:00

Images from the shop - our newest hanging light "Swarm". This is one of two prototypes we made, and I think the final light design will be somewhere in between. Several more lights are in the works as well from tomato cages to chandeliers for a big show next year...
Die cut rats, porcelain, electrified lampshade. 46" x 18", 2008.

more bricks

2008-07-24T22:32:00.004-04:00

Lately, we are working in large numbers - 1,000s of little tiles and 230+ bricks were both loaded into kilns today. Is is amazing the amount of work that can get done with just a few people concentrating their efforts into a project. (more on that later). Here are pictures of the bricks in progress. Each kiln holds around 120 bricks that weight almost 6 lbs. each. Whew.

The great state of Michigan

2008-07-21T09:22:00.004-04:00

We just got back from the Shadow Art Fair in Ypsilanti Michigan - and are still trying to recover. It was a full day - but we had a great time with everyone who participated and came to shop (and drink!) The Corner Brewery has a strong local crowd, and huge support from the community which was really nice to see. Above are pictures of our booth.

Counting Sheep

2008-07-17T18:56:00.004-04:00

The Counting Sheep Light - perfect for those restless late nights. A study at Oxford University concluded that counting sheep is actually an inferior means of inducing sleep because you do not expend enough mental energy. So we had our bear eat them. Dream about that.

Porcelain,decals,china paint,marbles,and electricity. 6"x8", 95.00

Big Fancy

2008-07-13T10:49:00.003-04:00

Large Protobird monuette with gold luster fireants. This is an enlarged version of a sparrow - originally 3" tall - now 12".
Porcelain and luster, 12" x 7".

Stream of Consciousness Tiling

2008-07-10T22:35:00.006-04:00

The images of our tile piece for Bodega. Photos taken on grilled cheese Monday, which is worth checking out.
screenprinted enamel on subway tile, 22' x 2.5'

Old School

2008-07-07T21:06:00.004-04:00

We are super excited to be part of Uppercase Gallery's new show - Old School. From our packet - we used words that have OA as our inspiration. Each porcelain block rotates to show the image on one side, and the word on the other.

The best part is that the whole piece is on a bOArd!
Porcelain, decals, board, marbles. 24" x 3.25" x 5.5", 2008.

The RAT is ready!

2008-07-04T11:46:00.003-04:00

Here it is... Fresh from the kiln the Norway Rat. Rattus norvegicus can continue on their path to global domination by letting us ship one out to you.
Porcelain, 9" x 6" with base. Contact for pricing.

bodega tiles - part two

2008-07-01T22:43:00.004-04:00

Bodega in the Short North has asked us to put art on the back brick wall. Here is part two of the tile wall in the making.
We are installing the piece tomorrow morning - finished pictures soon.

Before firing...

Out of the kiln - arranging each section to create random patterning

The back of the panels. Steven CNC milled out these amazing backs - there are 9 in total. The hang on two giant cleats and should fit together perfectly when hung.

bodega tiles

2008-06-29T21:05:00.013-04:00

We are currently working on printing a 2.5'x 22' subway tile panel for the back wall at Bodega in the Short North. I thought it would be interesting to show how we are field printing both this and the factory bricks.

blank tiles with and without white enamel

the first images are applied

North Carolina

2008-06-28T18:52:00.006-04:00

We drove down south to North Carolina to participate in Rock and Shop. We had a great time and met a ton of cool people, and saw some amazing kudzu. Click here to read more - it has taken over, and can grow a foot a day in optimum conditions. Turns out Kudzu was introduced from Japan into the United States in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, where it was promoted as a forage crop and an ornamental plant. HA!
Here is our kudzu cup and saucer with a picture we snapped at a stop light on our way to the show.

and Mike at the booth, wearing our overseas cap...

Real Rat - part two

2008-06-25T20:17:00.003-04:00

We are one step closer to our porcelain rat! The original rat has been scanned and this is the rapid prototype printout. Next - make the molds - and then we can start casting. It is interesting to see how the details change, and how the 3-D camera and printer interpret the hair...

Stay tuned...

2008-06-22T23:30:00.003-04:00

We are working towards a few big projects this week. Pictures coming soon.

Ten Times - project #1

2008-06-19T21:07:00.005-04:00

The Ten Times project in a nutshell - we take 10 regular objects, and make then ten times better. Each object is produced in a limited edition of ten, and we will make ten objects better; making 100 pieces in all. Each item will cost ten times the amount of the materials it took to create the piece. It is the idea that is the
expensive part...

Termite Light - wood veneer, letterpressed termites, and pre-existing IKEA light. 25W, 6.5" x 4.5", 2008. $50.00