Retail Fixtures: Finished Prototypes

Here are some shots of the finished PeaceLove retail prototypes. The installation went smoothly, and only a few minor dimensional changes should be needed to finalize the designs. The model store is still being tweaked and merchandised, I'll post some more photos as the project progresses.

Retail Fixtures: Sketches and Concepts

Here's a look at some of the early sketches and blueprints for the PeaceLove retail store.
You can see some of the fixtures which have yet to be made, as well as a better look at what the prototype pieces will eventually look like.

Retail Fixtures: In-Progress

Here's some in-progress shots from the retail prototype build. I'll be posting some more info and photos of the finished pieces over the next few days.

The Tornado

In August I traveled back to central Illinois for the premier of Funk's Grove, the independent film I worked on last summer. A huge party was thrown in celebration of both the movie and the rebuilding of the barn which was destroyed by a tornado shortly after we wrapped. I was asked to create a large sculpture to be displayed at the event, and remain on the property.

I played with several ideas before deciding that nothing would be more appropriate than to construct another large tornado and place it directly in the path of the actual funnel cloud. My justification being, that the piece would be partially constructed from the remnants of the old barn and other debris created by the disaster. I did have concerns that the hundreds of guests would be put off by the piece, not wanting to remember such a thing. Luckily, the response would be quite the opposite.

The final design stands 10 feet tall and consists of 11 octagons spiraling around a central post. The size of each octagon and its position relative to the post is determined by an exponential pattern of my own design. As you can see, I experimented with several different variations before deciding on a more robust funnel shape.

How not to build a door.

I tend to create a lot of dust and debris when working. So in order to keep electronics and finished projects out of harms way, I decided to turn the smaller space off the back of my studio into a clean room. The biggest hurdle was the irregular shape and size of the opening (about 6'x9')

Other factors also played into the final design. I did not want the door to have a large footprint and take up valuable floor space. I needed something lightweight, and easy to open by myself. There are numerous pipes and conduit running throughout the ceiling at varying heights. I did not want to spend more than $25, and I had absolutely no plan when I started building.

Ropes strung throughout the ceiling meet at an out of service fuse box where I can control and tie off the door. Pulling down on the main rope, opens the door halfway, and allows for personal access. The remaining two ropes fully open the door and allows for passage of larger objects. The two blocks on each side of the door lock it snugly against the wall, preventing any dust from getting in.

I also built a rack to hold all of the wood given to me by my friend Robin of Peacock Taco. I'll be elaborating on that in a future post.

Little Trees

Peacelove Retail

Here's a retail display I did for Peacelove studios a few months ago. The concept was a large framed painting which breaks apart and sits atop pre-existing fixtures. When viewed from above or at certain angles, the painting appears to be whole. The sign was hand cut and painted.

Here's the original concept sketch, along with another design for a freestanding unit.