Mould-making

Inspiration/research photos

Inspiration/research photos (09/17/21)

- Many trees in Montreal have been dying, and I documented some in my neighborhood. (article: https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/city-cutting-down-40000-ash-trees-in-nature-parks)
- I wanted to document the tree's texture, and these trees will soon disappear and be removed by the city, so I had to idea to preserve these trees through mould-making.
- It was also interesting to me when I saw new plants growing from the dead tree trunk, it truly shows the strength of nature
-Artist inspo: Ana Mendieta's Siluetas series of photography, where she made ephemeral imprints of her body in the Earth, and documented their progress of decay

Process and materials (09/17/21)

- I found some tutorials here that I will use to help me make my idea come to life:

https://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/crafts/nature-crafts/tree-crafts-for-kids.htm#:~:text=Bark%20Casting-,Bark%20casting%20is%20a%20way%
20to%20capture%20an%20impression%20of,bark%20patterns%20of%
20different%20trees.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Bark-Rubbing?amp=1


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I will first use modeling clay to make an impression of the pieces of bark I collected, and from that piece of modeling clay I will gently lay air-dry clay to capture the impression that I made.

I also left traces of the tree bark in my impressions, as well as the environment I found the pieces in. My clay impressions have traces of bark, dirt and other organic material to give clues to the viewer. Clay was used for my impressions as it too comes from the earth.

Metal-working

Inspiration/research photos (09/15/21)

- A sketchbook page with my idea, a chain mail vest made of keys


-After discussing my ideas with my professor, and also considering time constraints, we decided it would be best to produce a small sample of this keychain mail, enough to be able to experience the effect this fabric would have: like its movement, flow, sound, light reflection etc.
- Through experimentation with the keyrings, I found that the fabric would not lie flat, or the way I desired it to look, to the right is a sample of this.
- I decided instead to use metal wire, this giving me more freedom to move and place the keys how I wanted, creating a kind of sewing/weaving process.


- Keys have many connotations, from keeping things safe, protection, security. Hence why I wanted to equate them with chain mail, an item worn by soldiers to protect them. However, keys can also connote theft, access, and mystery, something I wanted to explore in the creation of this project. I find it interesting how such a benign object can be imbued with so much meaning, and how it can change depending on how we transform the object.
-My father is also a locksmith, so I have an inside view and fascinating connection with the locksmithing trade, especially within the context of an institution as he works at Concordia.

PROJECT 1 - Oneself, Materials, and Process

Wood-working

Inspiration (09/21/21):

- I headed to the Center for Creative Reuse for this study, as I wanted to find a way to reuse wood scraps to create a sculpture from them.

- My initial idea for this one is to make a free-standing bowl like object from the long slender wood scraps I took from the CCUCR, and experiment in form, shapes and structure. I also want to experiment with burning wood, perhaps making an object that looks like fire but is ironically made of wood.

FINAL PROJECT

Possible further explorations discovered through making

Experimenting with form:

I decided to experiment with form for my final piece. I wanted to juxtapose the flat, rectangular wooden pieces with a round circular design. So I snapped the long pieces of wood in half and in quarters and stacked them while rotating their orientation, creating a circle. The circular pattern gets smaller as the sculpture gets taller, giving the illusion of a pinecone or flower-like pattern. I like that by snapping the wood manually there is evidence of my hand, and also through the imperfect stacking of the wood pieces. This was a great exercise in form and shape. I'm somewhat new to sculpture so this was a great way to acquaint myself with working in 3 dimensions.

I used wood glue to assemble the pieces.

FINAL PROJECT

FINAL PROJECT

India-Lynn Upshaw-Ruffner
Untitled (wood study)
20 inches (diameter) x 5 inches
Wood
2021

India-Lynn Upshaw-Ruffner
Nature's impression is left on us
(1)14.5x7x1.5 inches, (2)10x5.5x1 inches, (3)12x5.5x1 inches
Clay, tree bark, dirt and other organic material
2021

NOTE: Please right click on the image, select "open image in new tab" to see a clearer image

India-Lynn Upshaw-Ruffner
Keychainmail Sample
5x10 inches
Metal keys and metal wire
2021