Saturday, November 28, 2009

WarMachine





































This is one of my older sculptures entitled "WarMachine," that I am cleaning and restoring. So many of my pieces were stuffed in boxes and stashed in the attic that just getting them in a viewable state will take hours of work. This one has pieces of plastic that I found in a pile just outside a signal light control box downtown Seattle. Apparently the worker hadn't had time to clean up the pieces. They were in a pile right in front of the box. I was walking, so I could only grab a hand full of cool stuff. Love finding shite for my work.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!














Love Thanksgiving. Didn't used to when I was younger. Woke up watched the Macy's Parade on TV and then parts of the Dog Show. Just relaxing and de-stressing. We will cook up a big slab of salmon over a pan of stuffing (our family tradition) and eat early. Hope all are enjoying the day in these strained economic times. Really is starting to feel like a depression instead of recession...ya know?

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Tom Daniel Interview





Forgot to mention that last week I heard news from Gearhead Magazine that the Tom Daniel interview I did months ago is set to be in the next issue, Tom is best known for his Monogram Model & Hot Wheels kustom car designs. One of the few smaller scale designers that influenced lifesize 1/1 scale fabricators and builders. He was great on the phone and remains a true icon in the kustom kulture world.

Astro-Stang Paint Job








Put a light dusting of burnt orange on the Astro-Stang (part of my Intergalactic Muscle series of Space Cars). Also installed the windshield and side glass. I need to detail paint and it will be finished. I detail paint after assembly because I never know how these Space Cars kit bash together. Next up is the GTO.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Moving Moving Moving

Spent the last few days moving into our new creative space and studios. Man how did we accumulate so much stuff! My back is a little sore from the lifting. My wife, kids and I did it all by ourselves. Our dogs are digging it. They missed us for the last few days. I think this will simplify our lifestyle. Now we have to finish unpacking and settle in.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Le Carcasse De Feminite





An older piece I did entitled Le Carcasse De Feminite. Made of melted plastic bottles and other found plastics. Supposed to look like a blow-out cow or big animal mixed with a machine.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

My Current Basses & Guitars












My current collection of cheap ass Guitars & Basses. L-R Top Row DeArmond M65 (baritone slide), Hohner Acoustic, Haohner Acoustic (slide), Blaze 3/4 Scale Bass (home modified with sympathetic string), L-R Bottom Row DeArmond M55, Danelectro Dead-On 67 Baritone, Squire Modified Jazz Bass, Squire Bronco Bass

IRS & Barracuda's








Woke up this morning to a frantic call from my wife saying the IRS was at our Arts School and needed to talk to us. Since I handle all the accounts I jumped into the van and raced over to the school. It seems that not paying ALL of your quarterly payroll tax is a big no no with the IRS. Seriously, I knew this, but it has been a rough year for our school. The IRS gals were very pleasant and asked lots of questions and requested tons of paperwork, but I think we can get this worked out. At least I now have a definitive "go to" gal within the IRS for questions and advice on how to handle our business taxes.

On a completely different subject I read a very cool blurb about the Plymouth Barracudas history on Allpar.com. The point they mentioned was that although the 1970 Barracuda looks a bit like a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro on steroids, the 1970 Camaro has a very similar rear roof design and look to the 1967 Barracuda. It's like the two companies were copying each others 1967 designs, but three years later because of the time it takes to make a new cars design.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Intergalactc Muscle Fleet




































Here is the current fleet of Intergalactic Muscle cars that I designed and built by kit bashing various plane and car kits with odd ball found plastic pieces. The main website is www.intergalacticmuscle.com
Front to back are Astro-Stang, (1967 Mustang) Hyper-Cuda (1967 Barracuda), Interceptor 1 (1964 Polara), Star-Charger (1966 Dodge Charger) and the IT-Bird (1966 Thunderbird). All these Space Cars will be featured (in CGI form) in the Hot Rod Girls Save The World sequel.

Friday, November 13, 2009

I'm Not A Junkie!

So I have to buy a syringe for a scene we are shooting tomorrow in which Danika (the Dominatrix) jabs loving mother Ruby Milldue in the butt with Sodium Pentathol. I go to the nearest drugstore and tell the Pharmacist gal my story about making my film called Rat Rod Rockers! and needing a hypodermic needle. She kinda gives me a sidelong glance and nods, like yeah right buddy, and pulls a needle from a nondescript box under the counter, then puts it in a little bag. I say I really am making a movie and maybe she did believe me, still she quickly walks me over to the register and starts to ring me up. The total is 33 cents plus tax. I didn't bring cash, so I whip out the Visa debit but then she has trouble getting it to go through. I assure her there is money in the account (yeah right junkie scum she is probably thinking). She calls over another cashier to finish the transaction, who has heard none of my movie talk. The new cashier has to re-ring the item and when she reaches in the bag she has a slightly surprised look on her face. She slowly pulls out the needle, scans it and then quickly slips it back into the little white bag. A line of impatient elderly folks is quickly forming behind me and I really don't want to get into the whole movie making thing again. She finishes the transaction, carefully hands me the needle in the bag and says slyly, "You have fun this weekend now." I wanna blurt out, "I'm not a fuckin' junkie people!" but that would make me look like even more of a junkie (which I am not- honest). As I am driving home I feel conscious of the needle in the bag. My little 33 cent needle. A cop pulls up next to me. I start to sweat. I remember all of the episodes of Cops I've seen where the Officer tell the suspect before the pat down, "you don't have anything sharp in your pockets like a knife or needle or anything." The cop in the patrol car looks over and smiles. I want to tell him I'm not a junkie, but he really doesn't give a shit. He has bigger fish to fry, like jay walkers and prostitutes. Then I remember it's Friday the 13th. It all makes sense somehow.

Dusty Artwork and Sculpture













This is one of my sculptures called "Chernobyl" named after the Russian Nuclear Accident and Facility. I did this one back in 1991 or so. Made out of pieces of PVC pipe, hot glue, hanger wire, paint. Man is it dusty! The new studio spaces will let me get all the old art cleaned and repainted. Some of my larger work (over 8 feet tall) has been in storage for years.

Die-Cast Studio Update













Worked on unpacking the studio a bit last night. Here's a few new pics.