Art Deco Lamps

I'm back.  Having some trouble navigating

my blog site, I'm so "new"at all of this.  Here's a couple of images of Art Deco lamps I found (with Frankie's help).  I really like this "streamlined modernity".   Want to create a series of small accent lamps ala Art Deco.  The lathe should lend itself beautifully to this aesthetic.  Truly believe I was

born in the wrong time!

A side note:  Completely overwhelmed (and not in a good way) with the "Kim Cridler day".  How uncomfortable I was by the claustrophobic studio, the speed construction, the candid camera, the

group portrait.  Others excitement was my anxiety.  I returned exhausted.  Did find her lecture very interesting and informative.  Bye for now.

The Arrow Collar Man

The inspiration for this work came from the "Arrow" shirt illustrations and ads (early 1900's to 1930) by American artist Joseph C. Leyendecker.  He created an iconic male image who was both classically handsome and inherently sexual.  Aptly described as "a hunk of male magnificence",  I capitalized on this "ideal man", using a male nude (homo-erotic) as the cuff link stones.  The pose harks back to the typical "cheesecake" photos of the 50's and 60's, with hands behind the head and dropped chin. But here the pin-up is "beefcake"!

With my fibers background, I like using metal as fabric.  The collar and cuffs are made from fine brass screening.  Could not sew it on my sewing machine (the thread kept breaking), so simply folded over the "hems".

Steve 101: Preface and Introduction.

I come to Metals with a background in Fibers, earning my first BFA degree in the same, here at UWM, over 20 years ago. It would be nice to say thereafter followed lucrative and rewarding employment, wife and family (used figuratively) and artistic fulfillment. In reality, it was a series of dead-end jobs, frustration and, I'm ashamed to admit, bankruptcy (yes, you read right). Now I've returned to UWM not only as a second degree candidate but an "older adult student" at that! This past Spring, having declared my "area of concentration", I became an official metals major. Why metals? With weaving in my history, along with letterpress printing, I was drawn to jewelry and metalsmithing for its inherent "hands-on" creativity.

I'm gay. Not that "that" should really matter, but it is a part of who I am and what I'm about. Over the past several years (since my return to UWM) my art work has taken on a homosexual theme ( albeit tentatively). As a minority in my own family and still very much closeted, such expression provides a means of self definition. This art/campus community affords me a "safe" environment to do so. Should someone take offense or feel threatened, I assure you, my hurt and pain far outweighs any discomfort they may feel. I've been living with depression for many, many years now. "Good" days are few. I have days and worse days. I've OCD, a fear of heights, large crowds, small spaces, germs and oppressively hot weather (Winter is my season).

I'm partial to wearing vest, as some of you may already have noticed. I don't own a suit and never will. They're too corporate. I like 60's fashion (bell-bottoms, lovebeads, paisley prints) and 60's music (I know the lyrics to all the "Supremes" songs). I like Art Deo style, with its streamlined aesthetic. As fashion and style are cyclical, they both share the same flair! I exercise regularly (I've another fear of getting fat). I must confess, my summer job put a crimp in my workout times :( . I started jumping rope over a year ago, as part of my exercise regimen; I bike when I can (usually the weekends). I don't swim in lakes because fish function in them.

I love beautiful men, with Michelangelo-esque physiques and Pepsodent smiles--"hunks of male magnificence" to coin a phrase. Need I say more. I admire perfect "Palmer Penmanship" (a remnant from my Catholic schooling). The ability to pick up a pen and write with such perfection is truly a rare skill indeed. I hold the same admiration for letterpress printing, where the inked type gently "kisses" the paper, leaving the slightest indentation, visible only when light rakes across the page.

My all-time favorite book is "Gone With The Wind" (I read it 7 times). I enjoy haunting antique shops, rummaging through old pictures, postcard, advertisements and ephemera. I collect buttons and "ugly" fabric. Will someday make a "pretty" quilt from my stash. I'm a fan of BBC TV--the Brits do it so much better! I've a penchant making detailed lists on a daily basis. I do crossword puzzles in ink. My oatmeal-strawberry bars are a crowd pleaser; so easy to make and vegan friendly too!

As for 5 years hence, I really can't project myself. If pressed for an answer , I would like to have my own studio--a place to work/make art that was truly my own. I could possibly see myself as "shop assistant" (does such a person still exist?) maintaining the tools and equipment, as well as helping others when questions arise. You know the type--the "old hippie" in the denim apron.

To be continued...