Fall 2006
In This Issue:
Sculptor Coins Couch for Style and Function
Loose change in a couch takes on a very different meaning in sculptor/furniture maker Johnny Swing's world. In fact, he created a contoured couch by welding 6,400 nickels together. The result is a shimmering couch that invites any visitor to sit on it immediately. That's the idea, says Swing. "People don't touch sculptures and I wanted them to physically interact with my work," he says.
 |
| Couch made from 6400 nickels by Johnny Swing |
The use of nickels in this piece developed naturally. Swing, a trained sculptor and licensed structural steel welder has long worked with everyday found objects and began creating furniture from unlikely materials in 1991. But he wanted to develop a body of work that could be repeated rather than continuously making one-of-a-kind objects and he wanted to work with an abundant supply of discards. He opted for out-of-date coins, first experimenting with a chair from discontinued pennies. Swing discovered that pennies, because of their size, were difficult to weld. But the result, a reiteration of a Bertoli chair, was a visual success. Believing he could conquer technical problems posed by pennies, he made a second chair -- again a visual success -- but still found the medium difficult to handle. (Today, one of the only two penny chairs is in a Vermont museum and the other is in a private collection in England.)
 |
Underside of Johnny Swing's nickel couch.
Photo by: Milan Micich |
Swing began his next venture, investing $350 for a supply of nickels. Work on the nickel chair went smoothly since the nickel was easier to weld. After perfecting the technique, Swing expanded to larger and more diverse projects. To make the furniture, Swing first constructs a master form from polyester, subtly curving the shape to fit the human contour. A concrete negative mold is then created and Swing welds the coins on the mold, one at a time. Afterwards, he adds a stainless steel frame. It is a time consuming process. Swing spends approximately 300 hours sculpting one nickel couch. The result is a 125 pound piece that retails at $51,000.
His body of functional art includes a butterfly chair from half dollars, a line of chairs and chandeliers from glass baby jars and a 15 ft. lamp made from satellite dishes. His work is collected by individuals and museums throughout the world and is exhibited in galleries in London, Los Angeles and New York. Unlike most furniture makers, his face is well known to many who watched the TV series "Junkyard Wars" during 2001-2003 seasons when he participated on one of the competing crews. To learn more about Swing, visit his website: www.johnnyswing.com.
Out of the "Scrapile" and into Good Use
 |
Scrapile's Pi Bench boasts the trademark of other pieces:
no two have the same wood grain pattern. |
Out of the woodpile leftovers from other furniture manufactures, designers Bart Bettencourt and Carlos Salgado have created a line of ready-made wood furniture offered by their company, Scrapile. The duo wanted to reuse scraps of wood from New York's woodworking industry so they developed this unique line of furniture. Each piece is made by hand and finished with linseed oil in their Brooklyn workshop. They work with whatever wood is on hand so they are never certain what will be available until their pickup truck returns from weekly collection rounds to manufacturers and small workshops. "We're heading for zero waste," said Bettencourt.
Scrapile offers benches, dining tables, stools, side tables and will work on special orders. Smaller scraps make up smaller pieces--hanging lights and crates. To see more, visit them online www.scrapile.com.
The Davidenkos' Recycled Nest
Adam and Arleen Davidenko used to live in an upscale home in Tampa, Florida. Their tidy community featured well-manicured lawns and cookie-cutter houses. For Adam, an electrician and self-taught artist, that just didn't feel like home. He wanted more freedom in decorating his home than this deed-restricted community provided.
"He marches to the beat of a different drummer, " said Arlene, who previously worked as an accountant for a Wall Street law firm before relocating to another law firm in Florida. Although she was accustomed to conventional design and unsure of what would unfold, she also wanted Adam to have an opportunity to express his vision and use his talents. So they decided to move.
In 1998, they found the perfect challenge: a neglected ranch-style home free from the constraints of the covenants of a development. That allowed them the freedom to do anything they wanted. Davidenko went to work and restored the house and grounds. And, with the exception of two recliners, he built all the furniture in the home from cast-offs.
A self-proclaimed pack-rat, he collected waste materials from his jobs and from other people's projects that he found out about from friends. For example, he used a sheet of copper roofing blown off a roof for the face of a grandfather clock. He turned electrical tubing into set of dinette chairs. A garbage can became a chair, and copper tubing a wine rack.
 |
| Davidenko made these chairs from metal pipe. The table's base is made from a flat steel bar welded to 4" square sheet tubing. The glass tabletop came from one of Arlene's traditional Ethan Allen brass and glass tables that she brought into the relationship. |
It took Arleen a while to get used to her recycled world. "I used to be very traditional and, at first, it was difficult, " she said. "But now I can't imagine using anything else than what he creates."
Help for the Halloween-Costume Challenged
With the upcoming holidays, school plays and pageants may have you
scrambling for costumes. Rather than panic, discover a little-known
book that shows an easy way to scare up a unique costume from thrift
store finds and old outfits hidden in your closet -- no sewing
necessary. An 87-page paperback book, Instant Period Costume: How to Make Classic Costumes from Cast-Off Clothing by Barb Rogers tells how to create imaginative costumes from thrift store finds, personal period pieces, and old bridesmaid's dresses without using a needle and thread. The secret is a glue gun (the Magic Melt, a low temperature gun, will do the job without burning through several layers of skin when aimed incorrectly). In addition to working up a finished piece quickly, the costume can be cleaned by washing it in cold water. The book, which contains black and white photos and easy to understand instructions, is a good reference books for ideas. It could also be helpful for low budget theater companies. Available in Eco-Artware's bookstore for $12.97.
Kits Lend Do-It-Yourselfers a Helping Hand
For anyone who has wanted to try and new project but didn't have the materials or the know-how, DIY instructions and kits found on the web can be the solution. The three great websites below give the would-be do it yourselfer a start with some unique crafts.
Through Sticky Wicket Crafts, you can make your own felt bags, bracelets, flowers, pillows from new wool using needle-felting techniques. Or for the attention-challenged, kits to make a wallets, eyeglass holders, holiday stockings, cuff bracelets or change purses will help you create a gem in the same amount of time it takes to watch a movie, promises Nikola Davidson, the kits' designer. Kits provide eco-friendly (biodegradable) vegetable-based foam for felting, merino wool, a 4-pronged needle felting tool and two sets of snaps. They run $22.95 each. Choose your favorite wool colors when ordering the kit. If you want to continue with needle felting, you can also order additional supplies for future projects at http://www.stickywicketcrafts.com/catalog.htm.
 |
| Monster Truck made from aluminum cans |
Tesscar Aluminum Crafts is the answer for anyone who has seen and become intrigued by recycled aluminum can planes, ships and cars from Viet Nam and several African countries. Tesscar offers a selection of 59 detailed plans for aircraft, motorcycles, insects, cars and trucks, trains, farm equipment, construction equipment and more. Plans are written on 18" x 11' paper, generally 13-18 pages long with full size templates, step-by-step instructions, and include approximate number of cans required as well as a 4" x 6" color photo of the finished product. $14.95 for each set sent by U.S. mail within the U.S. (shipping and handling included) or $8 via email (PDF). If you are new to creating tin can designs, try a free project for making a shark http://www.tesscar-aluminum-craft.com/projects/shark.html.
Look to CDCoaster to convert those old, unwanted CDs into decorative coasters just in time for holiday parties and gift giving. Kits consisting of 6 large cork disks with adhesive backs, 6 small cork disks and 6 stylish moisture proof labels along with easy instructions. The durable non-skid cork back protects furniture from stains and scratches. There's even a disk to fill the hole in the center of the CD. Kits are available on their website. $14.99 for 6 coasters or $24.98 for 12 coasters. www.thecdcoaster.com
Return to top
|
Email this page