Em's Mosaic Lounge

My Mother-in-law has always wanted to build a lounge form hebel (aerated concrete) and mosaic it. So when she got a whole heap of hebel blocks as seconds and my husband designed the way to build it, her dream came true! We helped, laying the blocks down like brick layers (I thought it was fun) to create the box shape, and using all the blocks we had! Then came the fun part of shaping it. Using files, chisels, angle grinder, and sand paper it came to shape, and actually looks comfortable and cute. The next step was mosaicking! We left that to her to conquer, taking a few years to get to the finished result using different coloured and sized stripes.

Building it up brick layer style

Angle grinding is duty work

Almost there 

The finished shape before mosaicking

Em's Fireman Sam and KISS Bookmark

Well further to my previous post on the Wicked Witch of the East bookmark I have created more of my own bookmarks with polymer clay based on ideas from 'My Bookmark' Etsy page. I love them! This one I did for my cousin who is a firefighter. I couldn't think of anything interesting or witty to put on the bookmark part. Then I thought, Fireman Sam! He turned out great! I also made some Kiss boots with silver glitter. :( I still think the Wicked Witch of the East is the best and made another of those for Christmas presents.

KISS bookmark:

Em's Wicked Witch of the East Bookmark

I have posted about these awesome bookmarks before and had to make them myself! The Wicked Witch of the East is such a great idea for a bookmark. I got the idea from 'My Bookmark' Etsy page. I used white polymer clay and painted it and added glitter to the shoes. The hardest thing was getting both legs the same. I just didn't know what to put on the bookmark part. When I came across the death certificate I knew it was perfect so printed it and used tea bags to discolour it! Done! I am so going to make these for everyone for Christmas! I want to have a go at some other ideas and tailor each one to personality! I have already started making firemen boots for my cousin who's a firefighter.

Em's Bowling Ball Garden Lady Bug

I saw these lady bugs made from bowling balls on Pinterest and thought they were really cute. So ever since I have had my eye out for a bowling ball. I saw one at the tip at one stage but didn't get it and regretted it. Then picked one up at the op shop for $7!! So I finally made it! I love it and think it turned out awesomely!! 

I painted the bowling ball with house paint I had lying around masking areas to create the spots etc with tape/contact. I then used black silicone caulking to fill the finger holes and set wire from a coat-hanger for the antenna in it. Finally I used the silicone to glue on black beads to the end of the antenna. He now sits half hidden in the garden.

Miniture Worlds

I love the effect of these Tiny Cement Sculptures created by Isaac Cordal from London. I would love to do a similar thing. Although the cement gives a strong meaning about human detachment to the environment, you could create some effective photography using toys.

Another artist, Slinkachu, has a similar idea with his Little People Project. Combining sculpture, street art installation and photography, he has painted and altered the tiny model railway people and positioning them in the city streets. This comments on the vastness and loneliness of the city as well as creating a humorous view. Afterwards he leaves the people to be lost on the streets forever not knowing what their fate becomes.

Monster Shoelace

Skateboarding Orange

Rice Plantation

Also similar to Matthew Carden's work, using food:

Or Vincent Bousserez who also comments on the vastness and fragility of the world and nature to create miniature stories.

Mowing the prickly lawn

Watch washer

Another photography artist, Samsofy, creates similar humorous images using Lego figurines and everyday objects and spaces. "He combines the techniques of photography, street art, modeling, and installation to convey his messages, which often mix politics, humor, and poetry."

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Santa Lineup

More collections of similar artists and images:

Mini Worlds

 

 

Creative Pastry Chef Turns His Desserts Into Miniature Worlds- Check out more at the link

Another street and commercial artists who creates a similar meaning of familiar into new is Joe Iurato who uses layers of hand cut paper and spray paint to create small figures and places them in interesting places to create a narration of his life story. 'However big or small, the works are often created in public spaces and left to interact with the environment and community', representing stages of his life. Once again, I love the interaction between the drawn people and real life and the interest it creates with the mall figures creating a familiar but new world. 

 

  

Another post Miniature Calendar features Tatsuya Tanaka who also uses miniature people to create new worlds with a new image each day- check it out! or follow him! 

Em's Clay Creatures

Teaching year 8 and 11 clay gave me access and time to use art supplies to make some clay creations. My year 8 Art class made clay fish, so I made some examples during the holidays. The kids loved them. I got them to draw a cartoon style characterised fish after they had already sketched real fish. We spoke about exaggerating the fish features and giving them human characteristics.

Blue fish: I made this as a sample at home to show the kids and gave a painting demonstration with it too. I then painted over it at home. After varnishing it the colours went darker so here is it before and after: 

 Pink fish: I made at home as a sample to show bringing human characteristics into a fish. 

Yellow Fish: This is the fish I made as I demonstrated to the kids step by step and they followed along. 

 Gnome: My year 11 art class was also doing clay so I made this gnome as a sample. 

 

My student's fish: Before firing and at our school art exhibition.