October 4, 2008 - Recycled Beauty

I think this is a beautiful chandelier and an amazing piece of art. This piece was created by Stuart Haygarth in 2004. The original Tide Chandelier is part of a larger body of work based on the collection of 'man made' debris washed up on a specific stretch of Kent coastline. The sphere is an analogy for the moon which effects the tides which in turn wash up the debris. More amazing and creative lighting to come. m

Sept 17, 2008 - Island Getaway

These are some of the unique plant life found on a very secluded island off the coast of Africa called Socotra. It's an almost alien world that has been geographically isolated from the mainland for 6 or 7 million years. Like the Galapagos Islands, this island has 700 extremely rare species of flora and fauna, one third of which are found nowhere else on earth.

The Island has been declared a World Heritage Site and has around 40,000 inhabitants. If you're looking for a little getaway the island is geared toward eco-tourism—trekking, camel riding, cave exploration, snorkeling, and diving on shipwrecks—no beachfront hotels and restaurants. But it could be a place you'll never forget. What is unfortunate is that Socotra is located off the coast of Yemen, one of the hot spots for violence in our world as evidenced by the attempted bombing of the US Embassy just yesterday.

Sept 14, 2008 - Open Art Studios

Time goes by too fast. There are times when I seem to have lots to tell you about and then it slips away and suddenly a whole month has gone by. August was great, slow and a bit lazy. The weather was amazing too. Mild and comfortable, a rare thing in my memory. You just need some time to be lazy every once in awhile. September is definitely accelerating my days. I'm working on a few freelance projects and I have a good stream of lamp orders to get done, including some custom work which isn't that common for me. I'll show you the results when they're done.

I wanted to take some time to promote the Open Art Studios tour here in the Madison area. It's coming up on the weekend of Oct 4-5. Around 150 artists open up their studios to the public for one weekend only. For a lot of these artists it's the only time during the year when you can actually see an artist's true working environment. And I think it's kind of fascinating. Unfortunately, for the last 4 years I've been one of the artists showing and I haven't been able to take the tour myself. But I'd really like to. There's something about seeing behind-the-scenes. It tells much more of the story behind an artist's unique vision. That's kind of what I'm trying to do with this blog but being in the environment is much different than seeing pictures of it.

Here's how it works. We are fortunate to have a preview exhibit at the wonderful Overture Center in downtown Madison. The exhibit is in the Community Galleries from Sept. 22 to Oct. 10. The galleries are located on 3 floors of the center located off the main rotunda entrance. The exhibit features one work from every artist participating in the event. The idea being that you can pick the artists you want to visit based on the work you see in the exhibit. Printed maps of all the artist's studio locations are available at the galleries and at local library branches and community centers. There's also an opening for this exhibit on Sept. 26 from 6 pm-9 pm. There will be a cash bar and a great silent auction. 

Go to the official Open Art Studios web site for more information. The site features a listing of all the artists, their work, and an interactive map of the studio locations. There are also a few locations where a group of artists are showing. These are artists who don't have studios near by or whose studios just aren't able to handle the public coming through. Take this very rare opportunity to visit some studios including mine, pictured below. Have a great day. It's very dark and rainy here but it makes me feel better about staying in and making lamps. Ciao. m

August 27, 2008 - Who can top that!

The critics are saying "the best closing ceremonies ever". I didn't love them. There were highlights but the images of all the people going up and down the tower was a little disturbing to me, although I can't tell you exactly why. There was something very robotic about it all. And that singing by the reigning rock stars of China was grating at best. It felt like each of them was trying to outdo the other with vocal gymnastics. 

The Olympics are a fascinating spectacle. It's not supposed to be political but it is so very political—which country got the most metals; US criticizes China for not allowing more protests; Bush visits and games and takes care of international business; Russia invades Georgia on the first day of the Olympics (coincidence? They've done this before). It's interesting that China wants to be a world leader and yet they aren't too hot on playing by anyone's rules but their own. Control is everything to them. Rather than focus on the money spent and the human toll, they want us only to see the spectacle, the glitter. But how can we not take notice of the mechanizations that went into it all and frown.

But I loved watching the athletes and the challenges they faced. That ultimately was what it was all about and it didn't feel political when you're rooting for an underdog or watching a simply amazing talent. I enjoyed it and looked forward to watching everyday.

So now we move on to local politics. The DNC is well under way and the RNC is soon to follow. It should be interesting.

August 24, 2008 - It looks blue, but it's green.

What's the Greenest building at the Beijing Olympics? It's the Water Cube. The cube is covered with 100,000 square meters of Teflon-like translucent plastic ETFE bubble cladding which allows in more solar heat than glass, making it easier to heat the building, and resulting in a 30 percent reduction in energy costs. This energy savings is equivalent to covering the roof in solar panels. The bubbles are air-tight, and LED-lit. They're only .008 of an inch thick and can hold up to 300 times it's weight and span greater distances than glass. It also costs 70 percent less to install.

A rainwater collection system gathers 10,000 cubic meters each year, while a recycling system reuses 80% of the building's water, crucial in Beijing's drought-plagued landscape. And the building will have a good afterlife. The building will be converted into a recreation facility for residents who not only can swim, but can take advantage of tennis, a waterslide and a cafe. Unlike the nearby "Bird's Nest" stadium which some see as a "white elephant" once the games are done. And no one was killed during construction, unlike the stadium which claimed at least 10 lives.

August 22, 2008 - Anything for a Great Show

By any standard the opening ceremony for the China Olympics were brilliant, amazing, and unprecedented. But at what real cost. The Chinese government has long been known to use it's massive population as a seemingly expendable natural resource. As much as we were dazzled, what reaction should we have to find out about the harsh conditions the performers endured. An article at ESPN.com gives a hint of what the performers went through. 

The performers stayed in army barracks outside the city and were not allowed to leave. Performers were injured, fainted from heatstroke and some were forced to use adult diapers so breaks weren't necessary. The ceremony's director wanted the world to know of the suffering and sacrifice of the nearly 15,000 members of the cast and crew. He said "Only the North Koreans could have done better." I'm not sure how he meant this statement.

The participants of the synchronized tai-chi routine rehearsed an average of 16 hours a day, every day, for three months. A young 26-year-old dancer fell from a 10-foot stage and may be permanently paralyzed from the waist down.

Despite the sacrifices, the student performers were grateful for the opportunity to participate in the historic event and view it as an honor.

As a comparison, the director pointed out that in the West frequent coffee breaks were necessary and they could only work 4 and a half days per week, with no overtime. I don't think he was happy with that situation either.

August 21, 2008 - The Mysterious Cauldron Appearance

Perhaps you're as curious as I am, but how could a 10-story, 45-ton structure get to the top of the Bird's Nest during the opening ceremonies without a hint of where it came from. Here's what I've learned.

The secrecy of the cauldron became a top priority. Look at the photo above and you'll see a 30-meter, air-cushioned tunnel set on top of the roof that kept the cauldron under wraps for almost two months. A rail system was created to move the giant cauldron to the edge of the stadium and down into position. So while you and I and everyone else were watching the parade of athletes, a button was pushed and it took about 16 minutes for the cauldron to move into position surprising everyone. The inflatable tunnel disappeared and no one was the wiser. The whole system and Cauldron weighed about 405 tons and cost about $1.5 million dollars.

This photos shows the day when the cauldron was inserted into the inflatable tunnel. Now you know. :-)