Why make objects: Proust

Untitled, originally uploaded by kaitschott.

I feel that there is much to be said for the Celtic belief that the souls of those whom we have lost are held captive in some inferior being, in an animal, in a plant, in some inanimate object, and so effectively lost to us until the day (which to many never comes) when we happen to pass by the tree or to obtain possession of the object which forms their prison. Then they start and tremble, they call us by our name, and as soon as we have recognised their voice the spell is broken. We have delivered them: they have overcome death and return to share our life.

And so it is with our own past. It is a labour in vain to attempt to recapture it: all the efforts of our intellect must prove futile. The past is hidden somewhere outside the realm, beyond the reach of intellect, in some material object (in the sensation which that material object will give us) which we do not suspect. And as for that object, it depends on chance whether we come upon it or not before we ourselves must die.

Proust, Overture, Swann’s Way

If objects are this powerful, what an important undertaking it is to make them.

Flickr favorites update

I can’t believe it’s been so long since I did this!  Even when my own output is slow, or small, or silent,  I’m always feeding my brain, getting inspired by the work of others.  Here’s a few recent gleanings:

1. Vandaag verkocht / Sold today, 2. graffiti pins, 3. Melody hair clip, 4. Blaker Street, 5. jan suchodolski – earrings, 6. OAW – AvantGarde, 7. Homemade drink umbrellas, 8. Strains Of Pearls, 9. Untitled, 10. Seedling Seal-Ring (2009, IT) Ring 159.2, 11. nautilus earrings, 12. book binding tools, 13. more clouds.., 14. Summer Swap, 15. Britta’s Apartment Windowfarm, 16. objet “, 17. Robin Blue With Dots Branch Ring, 18. a group of wood rings, 19. Mike-EMPR-7.3-4, 20. [Display of home-canned food] (LOC), 21. Mike-011410, 22. RAD 16 Leather Ruffles, 23. Ich gab kein Gold für dieses Eisen, 24. Alice Watch 131, 25. Happy Family, 26. Thinking of You 11, 27. SIX SNOWFLAKES, 28. Ich gab kein Gold für dieses Eisen (WIP) 7, 29. NECKLACE MADE FROM PEARLS AND YELLOW ROSES // HALSSIERAAD GEMAAKT VAN PARELS EN GELE ROZEN, 30. Stasis, 31. newimagerecyclureIII, 32. EMJC-PR 6.5: Newspaper: Polyporus Brackets (1), 33. EMJC-PR6.4: The Customator:Patience: video, 34. Untitled, 35. Untitled, 36. Growth Ring Series

There’s a lot more I’ve been drooling over since my last post of this sort, which you can see here.

Outside my Window

Day 2: Le Grand Chapiteau, originally uploaded by kaitschott.

If there’s anyone who doesn’t already know, (I feel like I talk about nothing else lately!) Cirque de Soleil is setting up right outside my window. Like a little kid, I am super excited! We’ve been taking some time lapse films of the tents going up, which you can see at Flickr. Yay!

One-a-Week Five: this week’s shade of grey

One-a-Week Five this week’s shade of grey, originally uploaded by kaitschott.

After the mad intense exhilaration of last week’s challenge, I’m back to a more Week One style; waiting til friday to really get anything done.

Stay tuned for clues as to who I picked to inspire this week’s piece….

See here for this weeks challenge.

For more on the challenge, see the photoset or all the One-a-Week Five posts.

One-a-Week Four: the haul

One-a-Week Four: the haul, originally uploaded by kaitschott.

This is what came home from Axman with me. Click on the photo to head over to Flickr to see the notes on what made the cut.

I was kind of overwhelmed to be honest. I’d set the $10 spending limit in order to force myself to focus, (well…and cause I’m cheap), but thank goodness. With a higher limit, I would’ve come home with soooo much stuff. Maybe I can go back next week….

See here for this weeks challenge.

For more on the challenge, see individual photos in this weeks photoset
or all the Week four posts here.

One-a-Week Three: model shots

Model shots are up over at Flickr.

Things I’ve learned about taking self-portraits:

If you prop a mirror in a window, put the camera on a tripod facing away from the window, sit facing the window, mirror, and camera, have a timed shutter release, for 10 sec or so….

you can:

get natural light, see the camera controls and view screen in the mirror, control the camera from where you sit (with a little practice), see how the shot will turn out, and reduce the number of shots in which you’re making a funny face or the jewelry, your clothes, or hair are doing something weird without your knowing it.

Bonus Tips:

  1. If one’s complexion is not all one might wish today the Photoshop magic eraser is your friend.
  2. Putting a plant behind you can hide a messy house.

Wrap-up still to follow….

For more on the challenge, see individual photos in this weeks photoset

or all the One-a-Week Three posts here.

One-a-Week Three: front & back

One-a-Week Three: front & back, originally uploaded by kaitschott.

Notes at Flickr.  Moving along….

For more on the challenge, see individual photos in this weeks photoset

or all the One-a-Week Three posts here.

One-a-Week-Three: ahead of my game

Using a lightbox to get the drawing to size, fill up all the available space, and to tweak the details.

Well, I’m already doing better on my goal of spending more time earlier in the week, so I can tweak the design more. No Plan B, no being distracted by another idea that I’ll try ‘if I get time.’ I think I’m over those delusions, but maybe I just lucked out this week. 😀

After coming home from work last night, late, at least 10pm, I futzed with the drawings some more, mounted them on the copper, and started sawing them out. About 12:45, I was too tired and hit the sack. I can’t remember the last time I worked on something after work, I’m usually too tired after 9 hours plus the commute. I don’t know if it was a particularly innocuous day at work or just being excited about the challenge. Either way it was great to defy my usual routine.

I don’t want to be over-confident and commit to a lot of posting over at Flickr, but there will be some throughout the day, as well as a brief update or two here.

Stay tuned….

For more on this week’s challenge, see individual photos in this weeks photoset
or all the One-a-Week Three posts here.

These are a few of my favorite things….

flickr favorites mosaic

1. ambassador bridge at dusk, 2. Untitled, 3. december 20 07, 4. necklace decorated with ornaments / Kette mit Ornamenten, 5. 48, 6. leaves, 7. P1150217.JPG, 8. _MG_5069.jpg, 9. Bone Waves, 10. ecce mole, 11. DSCN1834, 12. Vienna Natural History Museum – 118, 13. Welcome, 14. Voodoo Box, 15. DSC00429, 16. Conservative Dress, 17. 10, 18. jane adam, 19. Port Broughton view, 20. restless, 21. Room with a view, 22. IMGP5957.jpg, 23. huernia bayeri, 24. Those Spindly Legs, 25. Homes From Pre-Assembled Wall Panels, 26. a few lowly members of nature’s kingdom, 27. Screw, 28. , 29. Time Pieces, 30. dress #15 state 2 (detail)

More at my Flickr as well as some knitting pics.

This little slice of my day is best recreated if you are listening to this….

meditation

chain sketch 2, originally uploaded by kaitschott.

Spare moments lately spent in sketching more chain structures. I have some ideas as to where these might lead, but am finding them immensely satisfying as they are, in the doing. More at Flickr.