Featured on Skullspiration

Anna at Skullspiration was nice enough to write a little blurb about my skull works. Check out the other articles for cool skull stuff.

SKULLSPIRATION

Aircraft Engine Light

I'm always on the look out for pieces that I can transform into something else. When I saw the fan housing at the thrift store, my brain began to assemble something from the parts I knew I had and could order. I immediately saw an old radial airplane engine.

The Inspiration

The "engine"

The finished piece.

 

Take off!

Skull-A-Day Blog

Was just featured on Skull-A-Day blog. Pretty awesome! Check out the other skull related posts.

Skull-A-Day

Star Trek Clock Blast from the Past

So i'm a nerd, who is into antiques, who has an eye for detail. What happens when I watch Star Trek: Into Darkness? I see a clock that has like 5 seconds of screen time, and I recognize it.

The movie takes place in 2259, the clock? A Lawson Model 304 "Zephyr" made around 1933, making it 326 years old in the movie. Glad to know they last! It is one of the character's alarm clock. Except the 304 has no alarm capabilities, it just tells the time. Oh movie magic!

The 304 was made of brass with most of the body finished in antique copper. It is one of the most sought after of the art deco Lawson clocks, worth a few thousand dollars today. These clocks were the first digital clocks, in that they actually shows the digits. I found out about this clock because I bought and restored one of its cousins. A Pennwood 100 "Cheiftan" with a brown bakelite body.

This model was made from 1938 to 1972 with minor variations. Mine is a very early model, and still runs. The simplicity of the motor astounds me, and is probably why it lasts so long. Pennwood and Lawson used the same patented design inside their clocks, producing many clock case designs over the years. Lawson's were more upscale featuring metal cases and high polished finishes. Here is a look at what a Pennwood movement looks like.

The motor on the right, drives a gear box that constantly turns the seconds tumbler. A tab on the seconds tumbler flips the minute tumbler at each full turn. This goes on down the line until the hour tumbler gets flipped. It's a pretty cool clock to watch change time.

Now you know a little more useless information. Hope it was worth your time!

Skull Globe

Globes and skulls, two things I love. Why not combine them?

Skull model with printed gores that were stretched to fit the traced pattern of the skull.

Gores glued to skull model, and test fitted onto the stand from a globe i'm using in another project.

 

Painted to hide the edge of the goring using a color close to the oceans blue with gold accents.

Sealed and mounted.

 Finally in the environment for which it was made.

Very pleased with the results, will possibly make more in the future.

Window time at Portfolio Art Gallery

So the owner at Portfolio Art Gallery in 5 Points in Columbia has set up a bunch of my lighting pieces in the window. Took a pic (though its so bright out its hard to see) when I went to drop off a few new pieces but I know there are more in the window now.

Also in the works is the hanging church lantern I'm making into a table lamp. Going to get a map printed to fill the panes for the light to shine through.

I also have found three different light up globes. I know one will go on top of this floor lamp shelf I found.

New Globe Pieces