The Tornado - part 3

Once the skeleton was complete, the original plan was to use scrap wood and other debris left by the tornado to cover the piece. However, once I arrived in Illinois, I discovered that most of the wood had been recycled and used to construct the new barn. Anything left over was put in a large pile and burned a few days before I showed up. I was forced to come up with another solution quickly, as the event was only 2 days away.

I found a large roll of burlap fabric and quickly began cutting it into long strips. Each piece was around 15 to 20 feet in length and about 4 to 6 inches wide. With no little to no plan, I worked through the night wrapping the strips haphazardly around the piece.

Working at night provided relief from the hot summer sun, but made it difficult to see exactly what I was doing. As I added more and more fabric, it was hard to visualize what the final outcome would be. Nevertheless I continued stretching and stapling until I had upholstered the entire piece.

The next morning I was finally able to see the results, and was quite pleased. I added a few more strips for balance and called the piece finished. I toyed with the idea of adding more material to the outside. Possibly some scraps of wood or metal, maybe a few branches, but I ultimately decided that they would just detract from the piece. I liked the sharp angles and shape of the spiral enveloped by the natural burlap, which blended with its surroundings in both color and texture. When viewed from different angles, light shining through the layers of burlap created even more interesting shapes and depth. Years from now, as the piece ages, the burlap will weather and wear until all that is left is the skeleton once again.

The Tornado - part 2

The hardest part of this build was the location. Elkhart, Illinois is about 1300 miles from my studio and there was no way I could transport the finished piece that far. With just a few days on site and only a portion of my tools, it couldn't be constructed there in its entirety. The solution was to build the internal skeleton of the sculpture in my shop, break it down, pack it in my hatchback and drive it out with me. The final blueprint above shows the 11 octagons which would be pre-built along with their mounting blocks.

After 2 days of driving I arrived in Illinois and began assembly. The 12 foot, 4x4 post that would provide the backbone for the sculpture was already on site. After measuring and marking, I affixed the first few mounting blocks and octagons. Once the post was upright, I could mount the rest.

The next step was to cement a 4x4 aluminum tube into the ground. One stipulation of the piece was that it had to be removable for storage during the harsh winter. The wooden posts fits into the tube and is secured with a large bolt. When the sculpture needs to be moved, the bolt is simply removed and the piece can be lifted out for storage.

Once the cement dried, the post was installed and the rest of the octagons were mounted. This was actually the first time the skeleton was completely built. Although I had done mock-ups in my shop, I was unable to fully test everything beforehand due to height and time restrictions. Fortunately, it came together without a problem, and was better than I had hoped.

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.

The Blues Altar

About a month ago, I was asked to build a piece that would compliment the work of artist Tom Zotos. His recent series of paintings, titled "Birth of the Blues," showcases various blues musicians such as Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones. Tom asked for an altar to be built on one wall of PeaceLove Studios which would then be adorned with paitings, instruments and other blues paraphernalia. The only direction given was to draw on the aesthetic of a juke joint.

The finished piece consists of 9 modular units, that when joined with only a few bolts, become a freestanding altar measuring 16' long and 10' high. The inner frame was created with conventional building materials, then finished with wood from recycled pallets and corrugated metal found at a local scrap yard.

Although heavy, the altar was moved and re-assembled in only a few hours. A tree from my art window earlier this year was also on display as a "blues family tree". The opening was well attended, and also featured artists Jeffery Sparr and Jillian Clark, as well as a live blues band. We're going back to add some lights and color on the wall for promotional shots in the coming weeks. I'll be sure to post them once they're done.

Tom Zotos
PeaceLove Studios

Research: Juke Joints

"an informal establishment featuring music, dancing, gambling, and drinking. the term "juke" is believed to derive from the Gullah word joog, meaning rowdy or disorderly." - wiki  Research for the blues altar, an upcoming project.

Tall Boys

Two different base prototypes for an upcoming project. I'm trying out a few different designs and constructions techniques before I start on the final build of 8 pieces.

Shameless Self Promotion

Congratulations to Providence Art Windows, which was picked the best of public art in the latest Rhode Island Monthly poll. Included with the article was a picture of our recent window.

"If there's one upside to downtown Providence's vacant shop windows, it's that Providence Art Windows has filled many of them with paintings, installations and sculpture. Works are changed up three times a year, with each show featuring ten pieces by local and national artists. The display (mostly contained to Washington and Westminster streets) is free and open to the public twenty-four-seven, so there's really no excuse not to check it out. That is, of course, if you can manage to score a parking spot in Downcity."

Also, The local newspaper in Lincoln, IL did a great story on the "Funk's Grove" movie. I'll have some better scans soon now that I have an actual copy (Thanks Tara!) I should mention that the farm where we stayed/filmed was hit by a tornado a few days after we left. No one was hurt, but the large barn which housed several props/sets was completely destroyed.

Marshmallow Life

Our window is finally finished. You can see it at the corner of Westminster and Eddy Street downtown. For more images check out my Flik'r pool.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23572276@N08/sets/72157613863816011/