Monday, February 28, 2011

127-Hours Severed Arm Meat-Loaf

127-Hours Severed Arm Meat-Loaf / photograph of mixed media

127-Hours Severed Arm Meat-Loaf: a baked blend of crimini mushrooms, leeks, garlic, fontina cheese, fresh sage, and ground turkey sculpted into a hand/forearm shaped loaf of meaty goodness. I used peeled zucchini slices to mimic skeletal structure. This celebratory dish was consumed while viewing the 83rd Annual Academy Awards.

 Friday's Pre-hype of 127-Hours Severed Arm Meat-Loaf / mixed media


Keep in mind...
  • I have never made a hand shaped entree
  • I have never made a meat-loaf
  • I have limited baking/cooking tools
  • I haven't used an oven in about 10 months
  • Often the hype is better than the execution
  • Meat-loaf always tastes better than it looks

Pre-baked 127-Hours Severed Arm Meat-Loaf / photograph of mixed media 

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Light Defining Texture

Composition of Five / photograph

Four of the five were featured in a post one week ago. Left to right: (1) ceramic hand for jewelry display (decorated with decals); (2) porcelain glove mold, size 6.5, right hand; (3) porcelain glove mold, used; (4) articulated poseable human hand artist model; (5) Gianna Rose Atelier ceramic decorative hand, No. 520.

It pleases me not how all my walls are texturized.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Airing Of The Grievance(s)...

Don't Touch My Monitor / digitally manipulated photograph

Really... Please Don't Touch My Monitor / digitally manipulated photograph

Ok - Just one hand-related grievance to air today. Why? Why? Why must people (co-workers) touch the screen surface of my monitor when pointing to something? It leaves smudges and seems rude.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Mild Monday Morning

Barely There Hand / digitally manipulated scan

This hand was specifically chosen for a Monday morning... kinda quiet... unobtrusive...

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Colorful Writing Process

Pen In Hand / photograph

My hand, photographed (by my other hand) in front of a computer monitor. The monitor had a screen full of little black dots displayed (created in Adobe Illustrator). I disabled the camera flash.


High Contrast Pen In Hand / digitally manipulated photograph

The image was opened in Adobe Photoshop, where contrast and edge fidelity were manipulated.


 Write Now / digitally manipulated photograph


Then I added a color halftone filter - 17 pixel maximum width. (tried 30 & 50 but 17 was as large as I felt the distortion could go while still maintaining recognizable imagery)

Saturday, February 19, 2011

More Hands Around My House

Porcelain Glove Molds Displayed in an Arched Window / photograph

All porcelain glove molds... all the time! A total of five porcelain glove molds are displayed in an arched window in my living room. Another six glove molds stand in the kitchen window, facing the street.

Several years ago, two police officers came to my home. They asked to enter so that a discussion could take place. I obliged their request.

Once inside, the two officers started looking around at all the hands. They stopped counting at 40 and then proceeded to ask the reason for acquiring and displaying so many hands. I answered succinctly, "Because I like them."

Apparently this answer was insufficient. I was then asked (in a very serious tone)... "Don't you think that is really strange?"

My reply... "Officer, you have really nice hands."

Three Porcelain Glove Molds / photograph

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Holding Hands Without Touching

Holding Hands / photograph

Both of these hands are meant to hold something. The top hand is ceramic and functions as an incense holder. The lower hand is made of glass and is fashioned to hold soap or jewelry. I have used neither for their intended purpose.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Pre-Spring Cleaning...

Cover Idea: Spring 2005 / photograph

I was sorting older files on my hard-drive last week and came across this image - my hand with borrowed tiles.

A Valentine's Day Post Mortem

Super Crappy Valentine's Day Confirmed / vector based disappointment

If Valentine's Day were a drink you could order at the Starbucks... it would be named a Crappaccino

If Valentine's Day were a small beach town near Santa Cruz, California with really bad parking... it would be named Crapitola

Sunday, February 13, 2011

A Typographic Love Story...

Feel / vector illustration

Hug / vector illustration

Grope / vector illustration

Slap / vector illustration

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Feng Shui Nightmare

Hands Behind the Toilet 3 / photography

Hands Behind the Toilet 4 / photography

Hands Behind the Toilet 6 / photography

Yes, that is a blue stability ball in the shower. No, I do not use the blue stability ball in the shower... That would be crazy. I just store it there when not in use.


Hands Behind the Toilet 5 / photography

Porcelain Glove Molds Behind the Porcelain Throne / photography

I have received numerous user comments. Apparently some find the juxtaposition of glove molds to the toilet disturbing. The mirror seems to double the effect... a jungle of hands ready to help... or grab. "Standers" comment far more than "sitters".


Friday, February 11, 2011

My Negative Space

Hidden Upper Case "S" / photograph

Another porcelain glove mold from my hand collection. Happy Friday.

It's Frodo Friday!!!

Frodo Loves Anyone With Snacks / photograph

I acknowledge this is a shameless way to share the cuteness that is my little dog Frodo on a blog that, by my own design, has nothing to do with pets. Please note: In order to fulfill my self-imposed daily hand obligation I added a hand to the lower right hand corner.


Oops, I Spilled Something / photograph

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Thumbs Up Poetry


 X-acto Injury / low resolution scan

Thumbs Up Poetry / musings from my co-workers

The creative effort above was inspired by an unfortunate work-related injury. It tells the sad and bloody story of my thumb. Apparently mocking the weak is always a good use of energy.

Waves Hello

See Hand / illustration



Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Meandering Sans-Purpose

Ode to Skull-A-Day... Boo! / vector illustration

Rough study: Two hands reversed out of circle. I thought the initial symbol would look happy but then I noticed a skull shape taking form so I swapped the smile for skully teeth. The happy version on the left looks a cross between an extraterrestrial and Squidward without a nose.

Hats, Hands, & Skully Teeth / vector illustration

I Hate Clowns / vector illustration

There is a fine line between Peruvian bowler hats (very cool) and little clown hats (creepy). 

Repetition of shape: the negative space created by the fingers (rounded triangles suggesting eye location) is again repeated in a bow-tie directly below the head... interesting in theory but the execution is a one-way trip to clown town...

Conclusion: The Peruvian bowler hat only works without the bow-tie.

Hands Around My House

Washroom Hand / photograph

This particular glove mold can not stand up due to bolts and heavy screws attached to the bottom. This was definitely a working glove mold. I display it on the counter - one of nine hands currently residing in the guest bathroom.

Retired Glove Mold / photograph

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Tuesday Line Up


The Line Up / photograph

Left to right: (1) small ceramic decorative hand for displaying rings; (2) porcelain glove mold, size 6.5, right hand; (3) porcelain glove mold, used; (4) articulated poseable human hand artist model; (5) Gianna Rose Atelier ceramic decorative hand, No. 520; (6) small ceramic bud vase.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Two Completely Different Styles of Porcelain Glove Molds

Two Porcelain Molds / photograph

From my collection: The mold on the left has a smooth finish and appears to be in mint condition. The other mold has a porous matte finish and has been used to make gloves. Both please me for different aesthetic reasons.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Sunday's Addendum

ABAGM (Another Big Ass Glove Mold) / photo illustration

Big Ass Glove Mold & Color Halftone Test  / photo illustration

Another Big Ass Porcelain Glove Mold: 23.5 Inches Tall

Cracked Class Only Close Up / photograph

Too bad this big ass glove mold is cracked - damaged in shipping is my guess but I will never know. It has an iridescent glaze and appears more glass-like than porcelain.

Cracked Class Only / photograph

Cracked Class Only Detail / photograph