Delta Spirit – Coachella Stage Props

After the success of the Delta Spirit light rigs for their last tour, they asked me to go to work on some stage props for Coachella.

After a brainstorming session we decided to try and build some big fans that look like the energy wind turbines out by Palm Springs. Essentially, everyone driving out to Coachella, would see the energy turbines, then see them on stage with Delta Spirit and get the connection.

I modified a standard ceiling fan – mounted it horizontally, and added blade extensions so that the total diameter was 13.5 Feet!

Then I had to figure out how to mount them to a tripod so that they could transport and set up easily. No problem:

So I took the completed fans over to their house/practice space so they could set them up and get a feel for them. It was a little breezy that day. Problem.

The breeze was causing the fan blades to flex considerably, creating lateral movement, causing the blades to slam into the tripod base. We knew there were playing an outdoor stage at 4pm. So the question was, how to modify the fans so that they wouldn’t be a problem in the afternoon Coachella breeze?

At this point in the project, I handed it off to the guys to figure out a solution that would work for them aesthetically and functionally.

All in all, the blades got about 2 feet cut off from the ends, and they attached some metallic ribbons to each point – creating psychedelic rotating triangles.  They also painting the fans metallic gold and silver.

Here’s a video I was able to snag off youtube from a fan at Coachella. Pretty neato!

Details

Someone once said that the role of the artist is to make finer and finer visual distinctions.

So, I thought…

I’m an artist, my job is to notice.

If I don’t notice, then I’m not looking.

If I’m not looking, then I don’t care.

If I don’t care, why am I an artist?

Process

 

found via Core77

 

Quality

Handcrafted chair proves it’s sturdiness by supporting Arval Woody on one post. A fifth-generation chair maker, Arval stages the demonstration for customers in the shop in Spruce Pine, North Carolina.

The Craftsman in America – National Geographic Society 1975.

From the Forward – “Certainly I know of no better restorative than the hours I spend among fragrant wood shavings at my own carpenters bench. While I work, I can see my hands give wood a form and shape and use. The satisfaction is intense.

In the same spirit we present this book, not so much a how-to but a how-come. We see here the essence of the American experience. And its amazing, wide-screen variety: from Eastern shipwrights to Navajo weavers, from those who work with needles to those who work with sledgehammers, from saddlemakers and banjo-builders to the potter who’s “always praying over the kiln.” No wonder that today Americans are turning away from this age of molded plastic, that city-dwellers are joining their country cousins in a phenomenal renaissance of native crafts.”

Citizen Architect

“The reality check – the world is not going to look like Dubai, it’s going to look like Lagos, Nigeria.”

I finally got a chance to watch this documentary the other day – It tells the story of the Rural Studio started by Samuel Mockbee in the mid-90′s. Very inspiring.

For more visit Citizen Architect

The doc is also available on Netflix.

Fujis – Central Coast

Heather and I were up in the Central Coast of California this past weekend for a wonderful wedding.  Heather was a bridesmaid and I was the DJ at the most epic venue we’ve ever been – Santa Margarita Ranch

After the wedding we drove up Highway 1 to San Francisco – unforntunately, the highway was closed just after Big Sur with NO OUTLET! So we had to back track and it took us 3 hours to get back to the 101. Complete nightmare.   We left San Luis Obispo at noon and got to San Francisco at 9:30! But, it was a beautiful drive!

Slack Line Scott

I’m having fun putting together these silly little videos. Here’s one of Scott Henning on the slack line during our Salton Sea camping trip:

 

Salton Sea – Fujis

Some Fuji Instants from the Salton Sea.

Talking Desks

I just finished up a pair of desks for a good buddy of mine. The desks are intended to face each other in a home office space. The style is very similar to the large desk I did for The Fox is Black. I need to think of a good name for these design variations…

The bases are made from 1 inch square steel tubing and the table tops are spruce planks that I joined together – stained, sealed, and waxed.

 

Log Thumper

Featuring Dave Hill.

In case you were wondering, this is footage that I shot earlier this month on our 4th annual Salton Sea Camping Trip.

More footage forthcoming…

Big Tonka

Featuring Dave Hill

 

Rules

I posted this before, but it resurfaced again and proved useful.

#7 and #8. Perfect.

 

Truth

Markets of Britain

Found via Reference Library

 

Now you’re talkin

Brother Time

I’m headed out the door right now to go visit my brother in Florence, Italy. We’re gonna road trip around for the next week, head up to Switzerland and maybe do some Zorbing in the Alps.

His recent project is called Pilgrim Treehouse and he was interviewed the other day by a site called The Music Swamp – Check it out

Live Edge Coffee Table

Here’s a little coffee table that I put together. It’s a 1 inch thick oak slab with live edges (bark). I used 3/4″ square tube steel for the legs. Dimensions 48″L x 24″W x 16″ H.

Canvas Cabin

This project evolved from a truck-top fort that I made last year for our annual Salton Sea camping trip. This year I wanted to up the ante, and modified the tent to sit on the ground. There is an upholstery guy about 100 feet away from my warehouse space and I commissioned him to sew up the tent structure for me using a salvaged military tent and some 12 oz duck canvas drop cloths.  We used the grommets from the military tent and sewed them into all the vertexes and seams. I then modified my tube steel frame that I made last year so that it would be easier for set up.  I also made two folding stools. Here’s a video I made of the set up process:

We just got back from our annual Salton Sea Camping trip, so I’ll be posting more photos and video from that this week!

Comedy

I had the thought the other day to develop a series of sketches based loosely around the absurdity of the americana/neo-craftsman/nostalgia vibe that is so prevalent right now. Though, I suppose, I fall in to this same categorization, it’s amazing how quick we can create caricatures of ourselves. Just take the new show Portlandia! Spot on!

This is amazing. Just listen to all the names of restaurants! So good!

“I build all my own tools with using smaller tools that I also made”

Old Paintings

Was going through an old hard drive and came across a bunch of these paintings that I made 4-5 years ago. It’s interesting to look at my older work and see how it pushed towards the direction that I am in now.

 

The XL Desk

Here’s a little process video that I spliced together – It features the XL Desk that I made for Bobby Solomon of The Fox is Black.

 

Press Pause Play

Press Pause Play

 

Golden State

Here’s a new video from Delta Spirit featuring footage from their last tour.  There are some great shots of the custom lights that I built for them:

 

Patience

 

Gentlemens Fight Club

The latest offering from California is a Place.

I don’t exactly know what to make of this.

I think there is tremendous value in having an outlet for pent up aggression, but something about this just seems a little off. But, I think that “offness” is what makes it so compelling.  It’s completely DIY. Vernacular. It seems more like kids playing, than grown men thumping each other.  I like that they built a little set piece – a mural – to look like an rundown back alley in Detroit or something.

I think what really makes this work is that all the men are completely novice.  There is no hierarchy. There is no winner.  It’s the complete antithesis of the corporate system where these men spend most of their days. Likewise, it bears no resemblance to the UFC/Cagefighting/Beat-the-shit-out-of-your-enemy phenomena – modern day gladiators – violence as entertainment.

The last thing that I like about this is that these are a group of guys who would most likely never hang out with each other.  They’re crossing racial/social/economic lines – creating a space for connection.

As always, California is a place, does a great job of documenting the weird and wonderful. Check out more of their projects HERE.