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I was interviewed by "Beyond the Brick"!
Listen to it Here!
It was great experience talking to Josh about our LEGO hobby! :)
I was super nervous, but I think it came out all right. ;)
www.recyclart.org/2016/01/recycled-art-interview-8-jennie...
We continue our series of posts interviewing "recycled art" crafters & artists. This week, we interviewed Jennie Burke from the brand FANTOME as she make beautiful accessories from recycled bike inner tubes. If you think you deserve to be featured in the next interview, please, drop us an email.
Tell us a little more about you? Who you are? Where are you from?
My name is Jennie Burke. I’m a quarter of the brand FANTOME (the little daughter of this family affair :)) and a half of the band KLINK CLOCK (rock duet). I’m from France. I spend my time between Paris’ suburbs where I live and produce my music, and Bordeaux where our FANTOME’s workshop is.
Why do you craft?
Why shouldn’t I? :D I love creating things, can’t do anything against it.
How did you learn?
I always needed to occupy my hands and my mind. Craft is doing both, hurray! My parents are always crafting, they give me the pleasure of it since I’m young! I also attended for some time a French fashion university, but couldn’t stay, didn’t move enough. Sometimes I really want to create, sometimes I’m just curious to know how to do something and somedays i have to fix or do stuff… DIY!
Since when are you working with recycled & upcycled materials?
Teenager, I started to collect everything. Every small piece of paper, every piece of fabrics, every little jar, every little nice piece of wood… and started to make fluffy dolls, animals and guitars: The FluffyJack Dolls.
You are working for the brand FANTOME that make accessories from recycled inner-tube. From where come this choice of working with recycled inner tubes?
I stopped wearing leather since 5 years, due to the animal treatment I don’t agree with. It’s not an easy thing. Finding shoes and bags can be a real treasure hunt… You always begin to buy less things because you don’t find what you’re looking for, because of the material, or because of the style.
The inner tube is a very good alternative for bags and accessories, it’s elegant, easy to wash, and for the « re-use » part, it was completely out of mind to use new inner tubes. Our planet is covered with trash… we definitely wanted to do things the best way we could. So we collect the inner tubes near our Bordeaux’s workshop, where everything else is done : washing, sorting, storage and sewing!
What are the specify of working with inner-tubes? Any advice to our reader who would like to work also with inner-tubes?
All our products are made with bicycle inner tubes, which is very different from trucks inner tubes (cars and motorcycles in France don’t use it anymore): it’s thiner and lighter, but difficult to sew ! It took us a while to tame it :) But you can also use it to fix parts together, more like a rope.
Where did you find used inner-tubes for your creations, are they free or did you buy them?
We collect it directly at the repair shops for free. If it wasn’t, FANTOME would not exist. It needs too much preparing time before starting to cut and sew. We can not afford to pay the material, our bags and accessories would be too expensive !
Why the name « FANTOME » which in English means « Ghost »?
We are a french brand and every FANTOME is 100% made in France so we wanted to choose a french word with the spirit of « second life » and which sticks with the dark color of the material.
Have you ever thought to make accessories with other recycled bike parts?
Of course! Giant wheel-dream-catchers! But we have already so much things to work on with FANTOME, we will see this later! We use it in two different ways: the first one is the « sewing » one and we use it for all our bags, cases and purses etc... The second one is the « wickerwork » and we use it for all our baskets.
How would you describe your style? Are there any crafters/artists/designers that you particularly look up to?
I like our articles to be functional, simple, completely urban, a bit unisex and a little punk by nature.
Vivienne Westwood: never too late!
Amanda palmer: never too creative ;)
Jon Almeda: never too little ;)
What are your can’t-live-without essentials?
A train (or whatever) station and a water stream nearby, cats, good music, the sun and avocados.
What sorts of things are inspiring you right now? Where do you look for inspiration?
People and all what they do are inspiring me just about every day.
We live in such a mass-produced, buy-it-now society. Why should people continue to make things by hand?
To learn, create and teach. It’s a simple way for our society to improve. It forgot that it needs both « knowledge » and « know how ». We should try to live slower and better.
What are your tips for people who'd like to start crafting?
Start! Whatever you do, it’s going to be unique, fun and rewarding :) and if it’s not, try it again!
What is your guilty pleasure?
Cheese and beer!
What is your favorite thing to do (other than crafting)?
It depends on the mood … playing music, go for a bicycle ride, go to concerts, read comics, cooking, cat cuddling, hiking, and doing nothing :)
Anything else you would like to tell to the « recycling community »?
Everything is possible thanks to you, curious and conscious crafters! Feel free to share your project with me on facebook, instagram and twitter, it would be a pleasure to discuss about it :)
Have a nice crafting time!
Thanks a lot Jennie for this interview! :)
To find more on the brand FANTOME:
Klink Clock: www.facebook.com/klinkclock
fluffyjack dolls: fluffyjack.blogspot.fr/
Hey guys, here's a link to my little interview for the VforVlog website, so check it out!
Special thanks to Tori for contacting me, it's a real honor, as they already featured/interviewed some of my favorite illustrators out there,
Hope you'll find it interesting ;).
vaustudio.com/vforvlog/2011/10/25/vladimir/
Thanks!
Had the great pleasure to recently interview my friend Jim Lucio, better known to Flickr folks as Defekto, for the fourth in my continuing series of interviews on The Back Alley Tabernacle .
So, if you've read the rest, go read this one. And if you haven't read any of them, put aside a few minutes, check 'em out.
Can't say as I'm the greatest interviewer in the world, but I'm working on it. Comments, suggestions, criticisms, all are welcome.
Read it here: The Back Alley Tabernacle
Have a good weekend, y'all. What's everybody doing?
Oh, 2 more things.
1. Defekto's in the running for a local Baltimore art award, vote for him here: www.bakerartistawards.org/nomination/view/Defekto
2. Because I know you like pretty ladies, and would hate for you to go into the weekend without your daily dose of O' Bedlam-y goodness, there's a shot of Carré (let's hope no one steals this one) AND a shot of Morgan up on the blog for ya: blog.louobedlam.com/post/64475716/an-alternate-shot-of-ca...
An interview by Graham Gremore for QUEERTY
published on Ocotber 13th, 2014.
www.queerty.com/photos-take-a-dip-in-the-ganges-with-thes...
(Queerty is the #1 gay news and entertainment site in the world with an online magazine and newspaper which has more than 1 million monthly unique visitors.)
Join the photographer at www.facebook.com/laurent.goldstein.photography
© All photographs are copyrighted and all rights reserved.
Please do not use any photographs without permission (even for private use).
The use of any work without consent of the artist is PROHIBITED and will lead automatically to consequences.
Under some unfortunate circumstances, my husband and I are forced to look for work... it's not too bad though, we've enjoyed the time out like mini-dates as we turn in applications and set up interviews.
* Jacket: Forever21
* High-waist pencil skirt: Forever21
* Polka dot blouse: vintage 50's
* T-straps: Payless
* Vintage purse: gift
I had a fun time last night being interviewed for Amerikana Magazine. If you're curious, you can check out the full interview here.
me, myself and I - with a black eye
+ Astrid <3
oh, and the reason for the preparation and mystery...
well I guess it's time to share: I had the pleasure of being interviewed for Fanny's awesome Mademoiselle Blythe blog
and the great collector interview #7!!!!
read all about it here!
thank you so much, Fanny, it was a real pleasure!
and if you don't hear this enough, I will say it again: you do such a great job on the blog!!
Larsen #17 Mars-Avril 2016, p. 38.
Download page :
www.conseildelamusique.be/projets/10-larsen
PDF :
www.conseildelamusique.be/file/1194/download
L'interview indiscrète
Chez Marc (Morgan) Wathieu
Fruit d’une énième collaboration avec l’infatigable Benjamin Schoos et sa galaxie Freaksville, Marc Wathieu évoque avec nous le projet The Loved Drones, sorte de spin-off de Miam Monster Miam, son passé dans la variété et nous présente ses 3 objets fétiches joliment surréalistes à l’image de la musique qu’il propose désormais.
Après The Tangible Effect of Love né il y a 3 ans sur Freaksville, c’est cette fois sur le label Gonzaï Records que sort en vinyl Good Luck Universe, 2e effort studio des Loved Drones mixé par le londonien Man from Uranus et sur lequel collabore le joueur de cithare Simon Rigot. Un sacré cocktail volontairement protéiforme mêlant musique instrumentale, ondes psychédéliques et kraut rock accompagné de clips compilant d’étranges images. Un univers intergalactique qui contraste avec celui que Marc alors Morgan, a connu dans les années 90 qui l’a conduit, notamment via le tube Notre mystère, nos Retrouvailles vers des contrées plus pop et fm. Mes premiers projets (Les Tricheurs et La Variété avec Bernard Dobbeleer et Rudy Léonet - ndlr) étaient résolument rock et j’ai eu une période de 4 albums comme chanteur en solo, dans ce qu’on appelle en France de la variété. Mais cela n’a pas changé ma nature, du coup, ce que je propose aujourd’hui avec The Loved Drones peut paraître surprenant mais pour moi, participer à l’aventure Freaksville qui propose des projets d’une tonalité garage underground pop en français, me semble cohérent. C’est très DIY comme fonctionnement, toujours un peu bancal au niveau de l’organisation mais toujours humainement très enrichissant et il se passe toujours des choses un peu dingues comme quand à un de nos concerts dans un petit club à Londres, on voit Martin Gore (de Depeche Mode – ndlr) dans le public. Cela fait partie des joyeuses coïncidences qui résultent probablement de la bizarrerie du chemin qu’on a choisi.
VINYLE MÉGOTS
Autre bizarrerie observée, ce drôle de vinyl qui orne la table du salon. C’est une œuvre réalisée par ma compagne, la peintre Charlotte Beaudry qui, connaissant ma passion de digger de disques, en a réalisé un en céramique qu’elle a appelé Kick Out The Jams en l’honneur de l’hymne pré-punk de MC5 et qu’elle a surtout agrémenté de mégots de cigarettes. Je trouvais ça très transgressant comme choix artistique de synthétiser ce monde de freaks qu’est le rock avec 2 symboles presque fétichistes. J’ai une formation aux Beaux-Arts et je donne actuellement cours de graphisme dans une école d’art donc être entouré d’une artiste à la maison est forcément très inspirant.
UNE TASSE
J’aime ces drôles d’accident de la vie, à l’image de cette tasse. À première vue, ça n’a l’air que d’une tasse, mais je l’adore vraiment parce qu’un jour, bêtement en faisant la vaisselle, elle est tombée de ma main, a heurté le sol mais a rebondi et a atterri à nouveau dans ma main. Au-delà de la jonglerie improbable, j’étais persuadé qu’elle allait se casser et non, elle a fait naître un petit trou, presque artistique. C’est un objet qui incarne le côté complètement invraisemblable de certaines situations. Le coup de chance incongru, symbole d’un moment hors de notre espace-temps.
MA GUITARE
Pour terminer, Marc Wathieu nous parle d’un échange au départ surprenant, mais qui au final s’est avéré payant. Adolescent, sa première guitare était une Fender Stratocaster, mais il se rend compte rapidement qu’elle ne rend pas le son escompté. Un de ses amis liégeois lui propose un jour d’échanger celle-ci avec une gui- tare venant de Paris... J’ai d’abord été très surpris quand j’ai vu qu’elle était rose. Une Fender aussi mais une Telecaster Esquire spécialement fabri- quée (pour ne pas dire trafiquée) par le (désormais célèbre) luthier franco-américain James Trussart. Elle a surtout suivi toutes les étapes de ma carrière et mon fils Maxime l’a même aussi utilisée avec son groupe (The Mash avec lequel il a fait la 1re partie d’Indochine à Forest - ndlr). Ce qui est drôle, c’est que bien avant que je ne travaille avec lui, Jacques Duvall me l’avait dédicacée en me disant que j’étais l’avenir du rock n’ roll (rires).
David Solomonowicz
Larsen Mars-Avril 2016, p. 38.
TV interview taking place @ Liverpool Chinatown's 2020 Chinese New Year celebrations & parade.
And WOW - were we all wet - or were we all wet?!
Troopers: "Wanna be a bounty hunter? Show us what you can do."
Asuka: "I just beated Boba Fett. See his helmet?"
www.1001pallets.com/2016/01/pallet-crafter-interview-8-ma...
For our first interview of 2016, we had the chance to ask some questions to Marc Anthony called "Pallet Man", founder of The Green Palette, a New-York based company that represents the art in reclaimed pallet furniture and the design in resourcing recyclable materials. If you think you deserve to be featured in the next interview, please, drop us an email.
Tell us a little more about you? Who you are? Where are you from?
My name is Marc Anthony I'm from New Paltz NY, I went to FIT for sustainable design and was a sales designer for Crate & Barrel & Restoration Hardware & Environment Furniture. In 2008 I decided to go at it on my own and after a failed attempt with a store in the East Village I went at it again in 2010 with The Green Palette in New Paltz, NY.
Why do you craft?
In 2008 I was importing from Indonesia and sending my auto-cad drawings there and went to visit the factory in Jakarta. I lived with a family for a month assisting them with my order and it was there I began to learn about woodworking and using salvaged materials to make furniture from. They were using reclaimed teak and carving into it making beautiful cabinetry.
Since when are you working with pallets? Why do you choose to work with wooden pallets?
Then in 2010 After the collapse of the economy I found it hypocritical to charge such high prices for reclaimed/recycled furnishings. So I thought about other ways to make furniture inexpensive yet recycled. I saw some pallets at a hardware store by my home and thought this could make some cool furniture. I taught myself the tricks and trades to building furniture with pallets there were some painful lessons in the beginning.
What are your can’t-live-without essentials?
I can't live without my sawzall I use it to take every pallet apart so I can use every square inch of the pallet to make something from. The demo blades last about 30-40 pallets before changing them.
How would you describe your style? Are there any crafters/artists/designers that you particularly look up to?
I love Tom Bina he designed for Environment Furniture years ago and now designs for Four Hands Furniture. He has a Franklin Lloyd Wright design sense to him where he adds the natural element of nature into his design aesthetic.
How is your workspace, how do you make it inspiring?
Our space is set up like an art studio we feel we are not a furniture factory, we are artists collaborating together making unique pieces everytime we build something. We hear our clients needs and we begin painting the scene they wish to envision their furnishing in.
What sorts of things are inspiring you right now? Where do you look for inspiration?
Anything with plumbing pipe is inspiring me these days, it adds an industrial element to the pallet and gives the pallet a more aesthetic design to it. I love going to Brimfield antique show in MA to get my inspiration and other antique trade market shows.
When do you feel the most creative?
Whenever I see garbage on the side of the road I begin rambling in my head thinking what can I make out of that.
We live in such a mass-produced, buy-it-now society. Why should people continue to make things by hand?
We have show people that a hand in waste is a hand in our future. The more we show what we can do with pallets the more conscious people become allowing their homes to be furnished in the wastes we failed to consume.
What is your favorite medium to work in (other than pallets)?
That would be plumbing pipes or scrap metals.
What are your tips for people who'd like to start crafting?
Find shared spaces that allow you to work their so you don't have to invest in all the tools right away. We have a work with us program letting people come to our facility for the day and work on their own designs. We show them how to use certain tools and then let them go about making their own masterpiece.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Burning and carving wood to make it look a 100 years old I'm getting better at it, they say ;)
What is your favorite thing to do (other than crafting)?
I write alot of Eco-poetry talking about connecting ourselves with nature and the environment. My IG marco_poetically has over 365 posts dealing with the daily struggles of mans greed and pollutants.
What do you recommend that most people do in terms of cleaning pallets and prepping them to become something else?
Whenever I take in pallets I sand them down first with an 80 grit paper. Then I wash them off in case anything is there that could be harmful. Then sawzall time its faster and salvages the wood the most. Using the crow bar cracks or splits the wood and sadly leaves you using maybe 30% of the wood the pallet has to offer.
We found you through Instagram where you are very active and through ETSY where you sell your pallet creations. Is that a full-time job and are you able to earn a decent living out of your recycled pallet works?
I run The Green Palette on Instagram & Etsy its a Corporation and we sell at markets in NYC 77th and Columbus and Brooklyn Artists & Fleas. We custom design for stores and restaurants and the trade as well. We staff right now 5-6 employees full time including myself. I have yet to make a salary from the business but I hope this will be a break out year for us and help me make a living too.
If someone want to start its own job in the pallet world, do you have any advice for him?
Yes start in your garage build crates and simple things watch your time and try to add your own artistic flair to it. Stand out from the rest don't just copy Pinterest designs.
Anything else you would like to tell to pallet community?
We need better press about THT and heat treated pallets so many people fear pallets are unsafe around their children or used for tables and beds. I try to assure them IKEA MDF and veneers are 10-times worse pollutants than a pallet could ever be.
Thanks Marc for this interview :)
To find more on The Green Palette: website, Instagram, Facebook & ETSY.
TNIG: Interviewer
CH: Chloe Holland
TNIG - Hello Chloe, you look great. How are you doing after being eliminated?
CH - I'm hella pissed. But you know what, it's their loss. They WILL regret it.
TNIG - Do you feel like you should've been eliminated?
CH - Hell no! If anything it should've been Madge, that chick doesn't even want to be a model for the life of her. And worst of all Alexandria is still there over me.
TNIG - How was it living in a house full of cameras?
CH - Not fun to say the least. I need my space and having a camera in your face 24/7 isn't cute. Growing up in Atlanata... Let's just say I lived in the gated community. It's hard being a classy women when your being caught on camera at your worst moments.
TNIG - Who were you closest to in the house?
CH - Camille. Well, I was close with her from the start. We just clicked, we're both rich bitches... need I say more? From day 1 we told all the girls how it was and they were all scared of us. A couple of days before I left we got in a huge fight. I heard Camille talking behind my back, saying I had the worst photos out of all the girls and I wasn't happy. Apparently now she's friends with Alexandria. I swear that bitch can run her damn mouth! .
TNIG - What was your favorite photoshoot in the compettion?
CH - "Nighty Nite". I loved that shoot! I owned it that week. I showed the girls that I was compettion. The rest of the photos weren't my favorite... Oh, don't even get me started on that "Groupies" shoot. That's was a hot mess. Alexandria was trying to not only control the set, but touch up me and Madge's makeup... fix the lighting and even try to pose me and Madge! We got into a huge fight on set and I could tell Madge was scared of us shitless. Poor girl.
TNIG - Are you going to continue modeling now that you are eliminated?
CH - Hell yeah! Just because I didn't win doesn't mean I still can't be a Top Model, can I get an amen from the choir? I think the judges were just blinded by how beautiful I am. I'm pretty sure the producers just picked my worst photo this week on purpose.
TNIG - Who are you rooting for to win?
CH - Ummm. Honestly, I'm not rooting for any of them to win. But I think it's going to be down to Ralph and Logan at this point.
I already have The Interview Silkstone, but I bought her nude with her hair down, and possibly trimmed. I also bought her complete fashion three years ago, but always wanted her complete. I love how stylish this Silkstone is. Hoping to just display her as is one day if I ever get the space!!
Le graffeur poitevin SAÏR (VTP / 777) a accepté d'en dire plus au PGC dans une interview où il répond avec un humour au moins aussi tranchant que ses coups de lames de rasoir à la bombe, qui sont la base de la plupart de ses lettrages et persos…
Lire l'interview sur le PGC blog : photograffcollectif.blogspot.com/2010/02/voyage-en-pictav...
Two Farrah's on Two Interview Covers
Mattel's Black Label Farrah Fawcett Doll... Fawcett played Jill Munroe in Charlie's Angels and went on to garner Emmy & Golden Globe nominations for her work as Francine Hughes in The Burning Bed, she was also nominated for a Golden Globe for her work in Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbra Hutton Story. Fawcett received the Cable Ace Award for her performance in Double Exposure: The Margaret Bourke-White Story along with other nominated works.
Noel Cruz not only repaints the dolls but styles/cuts and perfects each dolls hair to resemble the celebrity he has repainted.
Farrah as painted and styled by Noel Cruz for www.myfarrah.com in a beautiful dress by Jason Wu.
See the new YouTube Video featuring Farrah's by Noel Cruz
Photo/Graphic Layout & web sites ncruz.com & myfarrah.com by www.stevemckinnis.com.
Ms Skolnick being interviewed by local newscaster about the extension of Shillmans famous January Coat Sale due to the impending snow storms coming to Washington DC.
. Ms Skolnick went to the fur department to borrow this fur piece for the interview. Once again she must stand out.
I've been tagging my dolls, and quite often come across a doll or two I have never photographed. The Interview Silkstone Barbie is one of them.
My interview with Fujifilm for Stocksy United:
fujifilm-blog.com/2018/02/28/introducing-stocksy-photogra...
I know it's sad but this is the most exciting thing I have witnessed since lockdown started. A news reporter came to interview a staff member from the care home behind where I live. So I dusted the cobwebs off a camera and put a long lens on it to record the event.
Ms Skolnick being interviewed by local newscaster about the extension of Shillmans famous January Coat Sale due to the impending snow storms coming to Washington DC.
Ms Skolnick started the interview by saying, "Hello my Shillman customers" as she smiled at the camera. When asked about being a dowdy store and how sales were, Ms Skolnick gave the interviewer kinda a sharp edge of her tounge and went on to say that sales were way up.
www.1001pallets.com/2016/09/pallet-crafter-interview-12-t...
Today, we had the chance to ask some questions to Tim Steller, Crafter from Sarasota in Florida (USA) who specializes in making all kind of beautiful Artworks mainly from recycled wooden pallets; you can follow the work of Tim on its website: Steller Artworks. If you think you deserve to be featured in the next interview, please, drop us an email.
Tell us a little more about you? Who you are? Where are you from?
My name is Tim Steller and I am a 36-year-old pallet artist that lives in sunny Sarasota Florida. I enjoy my beach-style life with my lovely wife Ashley and my almost 3-year-old boy Camden. Along with our knucklehead dogs Angus & Maverick. They’re goofy and lovable. Or for short we call them Gus and Rick.
Why do you craft?
I craft because, like most of us, I have an appreciation for wood and the characteristics it has and what it becomes. I love being able to look past pallet wood’s original purpose and recreate something new. I also try to express myself with art into everything I make just to give it a new feel.
How did you learn to do wood crafts?
I learned to do wood crafts with a lot of trial and error techniques. Actually, oddly enough, I got inspired from pumpkin carving. It’s one of my favorite things. Then I remember, a long time ago, borrowing a friend’s jigsaw and really got to know that machine so I went and bought my own and got to carving.
How long have you been working with pallets?
I've been working with pallets for about 2 years now and love them. They have the coolest, roughed-up look I can never recreate with chains or hammers. And when I find one by a dumpster it's even better because I know I'm giving it a better purpose.
Why did you choose to work with pallets instead of purchased wood?
I prefer working with pallets for many reasons, but mostly because they already have wear and tear, and natural knots missing. Imperfections are perfect for me. I always try and keep the nail heads in my artwork to give it that raw look.
What are your can’t-live-without essentials?
There's not a lot in my workshop I can't truly live without. My essentials list is short just because I hate being "attached" to any materials. But as far as for my work I can't go without my saws, power drill, hammer, crow bar, blowtorch, and sander. They’re my hard workers. I also can't work without my wireless speaker. That's a must. But more importantly, my family keeps me going every day. They are my world.
Are there any brands that are your favorites?
For tool brands I love DeWalt, Rockwell and Black & Decker. For my wireless speaker, it's the JBL Flip. It’s the best out there.
How would you describe your crafting style?
My crafting style would have to be an "Island Lifestyle". I live by the beach and most of my artwork is sea life inspired. I have also done many custom pieces with other subject matter or styles, but I prefer the tropics.
Are there any crafters/artists/designers that you particularly look up to?
There are so many crafters out there that all inspire me to challenge myself and think outside the box and try to see things from different views. Too many artists to list but Dali has always been my artist I grew up studying and many tattoo artists that work with 3-D effects. It’s amazing what they can do with a needle. Detail is the key to finer artwork.
Where do you do your wood crafts? How would you describe your workspace? How did you make your workspace more functional and/or inspiring?
I do all my wood crafting at my house. I converted my garage into my art gallery where I paint/stain and next to my garage is my car port that I use for my wood working. My workspace is not that typical as you will see everything from fine art to skulls on shelves and everything between. My work space is art to me. Organized confusion is the best way to describe it. I thrive on creative chaos. This makes everything so much easier, because everything I do is from my home. When I want to have family time, I just shut the garage doors, sweep up the car port, dust myself off and I rejoin my normal life.
What types of things inspire you?
Living down here in Southwest Florida, there is inspiration everywhere you look. You just have to be able to stop and look at it and appreciate it without feeling the necessity of taking a selfie to post up. It's just the lifestyle down here that I find inspiring. But I do also get inspired every time somebody says, “Wow, did you cut that out with a laser cutter?” Nope! Just my jigsaw and my hands made that piece.
Where do you look for inspiration for a new woodcraft?
I look at all kinds of artwork all the time and I get inspired from ideas and try to blend them. Also, a lot of times my clients from that past will order a new piece with a theme in mind and that will get me inspired/excited to try something new. Change is always fun.
When do you feel the most creative?
I guess I feel most creative late night, after the little one is down for the day. It’s quiet, and I’m at peace. My toughest critic (besides myself) is my wife, but I’m glad of her input. It’ll get me thinking of ideas – or rethinking them - and then the chemistry starts. I’ll get the music playing and that’s the perfect setting for creativity.
We live in such a mass-produced, buy-it-now society. Why should people continue to make things by hand?
One of my biggest selling features is that every piece is one-of-a-kind and can't be duplicated. But that's mostly because of the wood. They absorb differently and each has its own characteristics and that makes it unique. Just to know it was handpicked, broken apart, sanded, etc., is such a quality in itself. In other words you won't find my artwork on Amazon anytime soon.
What is your favorite medium to work in (other than pallets)?
I also love to work with other related arts such as sketching and painting but I I’m also a bartender at a busy marina where I get to be creative and use local ingredients to make some of the best cocktails in the SW Florida. This is a craft that is taking off around the world and I love being a part of that scene.
What are your tips for people who'd like to start crafting? What are your most important safety tips when woodworking?
Tips for beginners: Try to have fun and don't get discouraged with your first attempts. That's how you learn and the next will be that much better. Also try to make a work space outside, not on your patio. The wood and tools will add up quickly and then your patio is a cluttered workshop with dust everywhere. Your other half won't be thrilled. Lastly be careful. Tearing apart a pallet is tough and dangerous, especially if you’re using saws. Also, know your tools. Practice on something easy first. Pallets have split boards with sharp ends, large nails waiting to pierce you and they're heavy. If you can get that pallet home, then you’re half way there. You can take apart an entire pallet with just a hammer. I've done that. But you can also learn dismantling techniques with saws, but once again, be CAREFUL! Watch some YouTube first.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Guilty pleasures would have to be collecting abstract art, my weird skull collection fascination, Halloween, horror films (old and new), Tattoos, loud music, Jeeps, boating, big dogs, and a few others.
What are some of your other hobbies or favorite things to do (other than crafting)?
A few hobbies I like to do are going to a certain beach with the family and collecting driftwood. I'm working on some cool table tops with using driftwood as the base. Other hobbies would include football, basketball, and soccer to stay active.
What are some of your best tips for breaking down, prepping, and cleaning pallets before you build with them?
The first thing you need to know is if the pallet you found is free for the taking, or does the company recycle them? If they do, you can't take that pallet. But there are plenty more around you can take. Next, make sure there are no chemical spills on it, like from a construction site. You don't want those. Once you break it apart you can either remove the nails by hammering them out in reverse or cut them off with a bolt cutter. Then it's time to sand. 80 grit works to get it down to smooth but finish with a 220.
Have you designed any special tools or jigs for wood crafts?
I don't have any hand-made tools I use but I have a variety of tools I use. I do like using my paints and stains for my projects and I make a lot of my own color combinations along with stain to give it a unique look. I try to imitate wood aging like barn wood or petrified wood. I've used all kinds of brushes that I've made; even using an old sock!
What are some wood working skills you really want to learn?
There are endless skills you can use in wood crafting. This has been going on since the dawn of time, haha! I would like to start working with bamboo soon but that's an entirely different operation I need to learn.
What is the one project you’re the proudest of so far?
I guess the piece I'm most proud of is my first one I ever made, which I still have. I have made many pieces that are hanging in million dollar homes as well as high-end restaurants and businesses and some of my favorites are the hammerhead shark, the hog fish, mermaid and the Marlin but my first one is my favorite. It's a very simple piece made of 7 boards with a song quote on it. I still think it’s very cool.
What else would you like to share with the pallet community?
The one thing I can share is to keep thinking of the possibilities. Take a pallet and turn it around. You have a 6 shelf herb garden you can throw up on a wall outside. You don't need to hammer a thing. Just try looking at things from a different view. Pallets are adult-sized Legos for us to build with. The online fascination is growing each day and now people appreciate it because there's a story behind each one. Let's keep this movement going!
If you’re ever in the Sarasota FL area, I am at the Siesta Key Farmers Market on Sundays displaying my art, and I would love to talk to you.
Editor’s note: Thank you for your time and for sharing your story with us, and with our fellow Crafters. Your work is beautiful and inspiring to all of us, and we truly look forward to more from you in the future! Keep those gorgeous pieces coming!
Thanks Tim for this interview :)
To find more on Tim: Steller Artworks website.
Had an interview this morning at the green bus as my shoulder is geting no better so am having to look at going on the buses and forgeting the coach game for now. Seen parked on Hill Street is S881BYJ a Daf ND250 / Optare Spectra . So this week could well be my last week in the coach industry for the time being as time to face up to the fact i am having to stop doing it . Photo taken 10/02/14
Interview with Sam Cox The Doodle Man about his work and plans for world domination. www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eml1DZOdWU
-Filmed and Edited by Christina Tsaou