Friday, May 29, 2009

East End Main Street Banners



I wasn't sure how or when these banner designs were going to be revealed so I held off on posting this piece, but since my banner was featured in paper earlier this week I figure I'm in the clear. East End Main Street is an organization with the goal of constantly improving and accentuating the east end of my hometown, Charleston, WV. The east side of Charleston is typically known as the more historic side, and is also home to the state capitol complex. They began a program this year called the Streetworks Project that asked local artists to create banners of what the east side meant to them, and I was lucky enough to be invited to participate. The banners will be displayed on the streets of the east end for a year starting in the next few weeks, and then the original pieces will be auctioned off on June 21.

The original artwork for my piece is below, just click for a bigger version. Simply put, the east end means childhood to me because it is where I attended daycare, grade school, and juior high. I wanted to make an image that displayed the historic visual appeal of the east side but at the same time show how historical significance isn't necessarily something a child notices; they tend to just want to have fun and nuts to the rest.




Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Tooth Table



In four days my girlfriend will be a full fledged Dr. of the dental variety. Since I can't do anything as amazing as fixing people's smiles, I decided to go back to the woodworking well that I visit from time to time and make her a tooth table for a graduation present. The origin of this project goes way back to before we were an item: on my first visit to her dwelling in Morgantown I promptly (and accidentally) broke a very nice table in her living room that was covered in hand-made glass items. Somehow she still decided to go out with me. Process pictures below.