Things finally seem to be slowing down a bit on the Activism front, after spending a week on a Protest in Washington. I am now trying to clean up, declutter, and reorganize the studio to get back to real work. I have the new fridge serving as a base for the copy stand, and am taking some stuff up to the attic.
I have not made much in the last few months, but have given some thought to possible subject matter for a series of triptychs in the basic style of the "Red Top Triptych", based around objects in niches, in drawers, or behind doors.
I was toying with the idea of Fossils and the millions of years of Geological history, the constant drifting of Continents from the Ancient land mass of Pangea to what they are now, and possibly back in a few million years... I ran across some really beautiful fossils of fish, starfish and insects. Some looked almost like Cave Paintings, so I am considering painting a continuous background across all three panels, along these lines. Small doors or drawers could conceal ammonites and trilobites :
Another idea that has intreagued me had to do with "Reagents". I have been buying "reagent bottles" with glass stoppers to put various specimens in, and will use them in a triptych, possibly several. That got me thinking about Litmus paper used to check the pH of liquids, and the different colors they turn depending on the acidity or alcalinity. I wondered about using chemicals for color instead of pigments: iodine for yellows, methylene chloride for intense blue, potassium permanganate for purple. I bought a few basic pH testing supplies and reagents from a Chemical House, and did a Test Panel:
I am not sure what the permanency and lightfastness of the colors are, and that remains to be tested, but the Iodine yelow and methylene chloride blue are absolutely beautiful. The bright purple Potassuim Permanganate solution turned sepia brown on the test board, which is not what I was hoping for, but could definitely be used. The Yellow pH paper leaves a nice yellow stain, and turns a dull green when dipped in vinegar. I have also been reading about the Natural Red Cabbage Litmus solution, and wondering whether it can be concentrated enough to use as stain:
The panels could cover the range of colors as a gradient:
The colored contents of the bottles could be lighted with hidden LED's... Hell, why not consider staining panels of frosted plexiglass and light up the whole thing!
Another idea I am pursuing actively has to do with radio circuitry, the drawings, and Old Radio Tubes. I had a few already , but found some Big Old Impressive ones on eBay. I am hoping I can use a battery and a rotary switch with an old knob to make them glow:
Actually, why not turn the whole thing into a functioning stereo system, with a small digital amp and 2 speakers. The side panels could be made into sealed speaker boxes, with bronze wire mesh. Some elements would be trompe l'Oeil, and some real, like the Ammeter, the Voltmeter, the largeVernier Knob, some of the resistors, the 3 Old Tubes in a niche, the brass posts, knurled nuts, and old fashion red cloth covered connecting wires. Some years back, I played with the idea of making Crystal Radios as "Steampunkish" Works of Art, and actually built parts for them. I could use a Detector Assembly on top of the center panel. The triptych could look something like this:
I ordered the parts, and started building the 3 panels:
I have not made much in the last few months, but have given some thought to possible subject matter for a series of triptychs in the basic style of the "Red Top Triptych", based around objects in niches, in drawers, or behind doors.
I was toying with the idea of Fossils and the millions of years of Geological history, the constant drifting of Continents from the Ancient land mass of Pangea to what they are now, and possibly back in a few million years... I ran across some really beautiful fossils of fish, starfish and insects. Some looked almost like Cave Paintings, so I am considering painting a continuous background across all three panels, along these lines. Small doors or drawers could conceal ammonites and trilobites :
Another idea that has intreagued me had to do with "Reagents". I have been buying "reagent bottles" with glass stoppers to put various specimens in, and will use them in a triptych, possibly several. That got me thinking about Litmus paper used to check the pH of liquids, and the different colors they turn depending on the acidity or alcalinity. I wondered about using chemicals for color instead of pigments: iodine for yellows, methylene chloride for intense blue, potassium permanganate for purple. I bought a few basic pH testing supplies and reagents from a Chemical House, and did a Test Panel:
The colored contents of the bottles could be lighted with hidden LED's... Hell, why not consider staining panels of frosted plexiglass and light up the whole thing!
Another idea I am pursuing actively has to do with radio circuitry, the drawings, and Old Radio Tubes. I had a few already , but found some Big Old Impressive ones on eBay. I am hoping I can use a battery and a rotary switch with an old knob to make them glow:
Actually, why not turn the whole thing into a functioning stereo system, with a small digital amp and 2 speakers. The side panels could be made into sealed speaker boxes, with bronze wire mesh. Some elements would be trompe l'Oeil, and some real, like the Ammeter, the Voltmeter, the largeVernier Knob, some of the resistors, the 3 Old Tubes in a niche, the brass posts, knurled nuts, and old fashion red cloth covered connecting wires. Some years back, I played with the idea of making Crystal Radios as "Steampunkish" Works of Art, and actually built parts for them. I could use a Detector Assembly on top of the center panel. The triptych could look something like this:
I ordered the parts, and started building the 3 panels:
