Branching out

[Gimnick]

I can't find the original thread here in Dante's Pub where Vikki, a few others and myself go back and forth on other creative pursuits we find ourselves involved in through the natural curiosity our respective work instills in us, but I've got a bit of a nugget to share with you guys along that line.

 A couple months ago while on the road back from a trip to Lake Charles, Louisiana (round trip run of about 180 miles), I passed by a local grocery store with several concrete statues in a fenced in area in front of the store. I went in to see about picking through the selection and I ended up with two extremely weathered and ill-cared for garden angels. Over the next few weeks, I meticulously cleaned, repaired, resculpted (in some places), and sealed these statues to get them to the point where I could give them "the IFS treatment". Now, obviously, I'm not going to outline the specific techniques I used to add light-reactive properties to concrete with acrylic paint (mainly because I've already forgotten several key steps), but here are the before and afters - just in case you're feeling pigeon-holed by your 2D work and our looking for motivation to try your hand at something else.
 I present to you now the image entitled "Restoration of Tranquility" (the before) and the first angel in the set "Restoration of Accountability", entitled "Retribution" (the after). Enjoy!

[Gimnick]

before

[Gimnick]

after

[Pub Wench]

Really beautiful, Lelan. Tell us how you did it.

[Gimnick]

I'm running through the steps in my head, because I have to duplicate the effects on the second one to make it a set. Obviously, first I cleaned it and did the aesthetic pruning of the rough pieces. Then I coated both with an aerosol wood and concrete weather proofer to control the absorption rate of my base pigment (calligraphy ink), which I brushed on paying close attention to the natural high points and shadowed areas and controlling my brushstrokes to get a good blend going. After that it was layer after layer of various inks and acrylic/ medium mixtures (sort of like I've seen done on those custom hot rod shows. Extremely time-consuming and patience-wearing process, but the results are well worth the effort.

[Gimnick]

after pic of angel #2, "Penance"

[Gimnick]

damn. sorry bout the image. I'll resize it later for you guys

[Pub Wench]

Fantastic Lelan!  I really love things like this . Love restoring - enchancing and giving it new life or  beauty it deserves and maybe never had.  The whole process is exciting and just down right fun!   It's also so 'in' today - quite marketable and I think an untapped market for artist.

Don't know if you've seen it-  There's shows cropping up like 'Picker Sisters'. It's really a silly reality show but you have to look beyond 'them' and at what they're doing . They're making incredible (extremely pricey)  art and funtional furnishing out of what other's would classify as old junk.  They especially gravitate toward rusted pieces and incorporate the rust in the finishes. 

I think the attraction is not that it's been turned into something beautiful...but comes with its own a past - its own spirit. .. you know?

[Gimnick]

I've seen the shows and all that, but I've always been one to scan my surroundings looking for anything I might be able to restore or turn into something completely different.

[Pub Wench]

I just think its soooo much fun. That (as you know) was the basis for my repurposed humidors.

[Gimnick]

  i DO know that. After all this craziness surrounding Art on Wheels is behind me, I can focus more energy on projects for my shop. (Ol' Sarge's Workbench -- www.olsargesworkbench.com). The other thing I need to gain momentum on is my organizational and event consultation and planning firm, Gimnick Enterprises, LLC (www.facebook.com/GimnickEnterprises). Check 'em out and let me know what you think.