The Coldspot

After a great deal of work, time and expense the Coldspot Belt Buckle is finally finished! This project was spurred by an evening spent with a couple close co conspirators looking at all the junk that had lying around in my studio! Rummaging around the Coldspot pressed graphic emerged and was deemed moderately appropriate . I originally rescued the logo 2 years ago from a 1950's refrigerator that had been run over by a bulldozer next to my old studio in Columbia, Mo and rolled around the studio, office desk and bench for the next few years. The piece is made up of 4 layers including the graphic.

First, the logo is mounted to a die formed copper plate outlining the Coldspot. There then follows a narrow copper frame that surrounds the die form and also has fastens all layers via rivets to the back brass plate. Mounted to the frame are 36 silver tube set 2.5 mm stones, 18 of which are clear CZ's and the other 18 are lab-grown sapphires. In the lowest point of the p sits a 5 mm Topaz. The back brass plate was acid etched from a photo I had taken and it was transferred via PNP. Finally, the bar and prong where lost wax cast with an end weight of 4 ounces of sterling silver.  They are hand carved and modeled off of a refrigerator handle from the era of the logo. This project roughly took 2 months to complete as there was a bit of learning needed in order to reach the end, but well worth it!

Copper, Brass, Cast Sterling Silver, Die Forming, Acid Etch, Cubic Zirconia's, Lab Grown Sapphire's, Topaz, Leather
7" x 7" x 0.5 "

 

  

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Would You Like Some Beard on That?

The Beard Shaker!
Brass, Silver, The Beard Trimmings of Greg Orloff
1.25" x 2.5" x 0.75"

The Beard Shaker is a piece intended to challenge a viewers comfort zone as to what is repulsive and discomforting by the distribution of ones beard trimming in public spaces. It is meant to be uncanny and disruptive of socially constructed comfort zones in order to gain understanding about imposed norms.

 

The Sand Box

Brass, Silver, Fine Silver, Sand (Puerto Rico)

 

The Next Suit!

So after a great workshop with the Wire Working Magician Ellen Wieske, I have felt draw once more to work with steel wire! Bouncing off some rough sketches, I'm in pursuit of my next performance suit utilizing 12 gauge steel wire along with stretchable nylon fabric. I'm at the moment remaining very playful with the material and simply just having some fun as its about time I do so. 

This last semester out at COA, I have been working very tight and very focused on small scale detailed work, hinges especially (Thanks Tim, Bob and Ellen for the tips). It is a breath of fresh air to return to more large scale sculptural work and I'm excited to see where it will lead!

Recently, I was accepted into the 2013 SupBrooch Exhibition juried by Cortland Dewitt and Sharon Massey. Thank you both for providing this opportunity.... Actually, its about darn time an exhibit like this is up because you I'm all about a good man brooch! SO Total props!
http://one-wall-gallery.com/supbrooch/

And finally, I have also been accepted to the 2014 Hand Crafted Exhibition at Imperial Art Center in Rocky Mount, NC. The piece would be my previous suit which i have titled the Embossment Suit.
http://arts.imperialcentre.org/

 

  

Cheers to you all!

Fall Update

A great deal of new work has been brewing on the bench! I'm Currently taking a beginning jewelry class at College of the Albemarie with Kathryn Osgood. For most part, I have been self taught in jewelry, but now i am in need of the professional training. I couldn't be in a better place with a well equipped studio, a bench that has a view over looking the Shallowbag Bay and of course mentor-ship of Kathryn. Heres a look at what I've been up to!

Forged Steel, Brass, Fine Silver, Found Object, Kinetic

Brass, SS, Found Object

SS, Gold Leaf, LED, Glass

Lumen's City Hall Debut!

With the Ragtag Cinema successfully achieving their fundraising goals to upgrade to digital projection, Lumen the Robot (who was the the central icon for the fundraiser) was in need of a new home. As this project was community effort, Ragtag decided to gift the piece to Columbia, MO Visitors Center in City Hall! Its a huge honor and I must admit a bit emotional as its amazing looking back to where it all began. Thank you again to my family, friends and supporters as I could not have done it with out you!

Process Pics

Finished Pics

Film Bumper

Columbia Tribune Article

 

Left: Executive Director  of Ragtag Cinema Tracy Lane 

 

 

Greg Orloff
American, born 1988

Lumen
Found-object assemblage sculpture, 2012
Commissioned by Ragtag Cinema and gifted to the City of Columbia, 2013

When I look at an object, whether it is a kitchen tool, a typewriter, or an automotive component, I see beyond its original function and imagine a new purpose. I have always been curious about how things work, the thought processes of the inventor, and the history of human kind’s desire to construct. As an artist, I feed upon the ideas, products and solutions of a past history of engineering and design. Just as my predecessors have done, I implement the process of innovation; the recycling of ideas and materials taps into my desire to understand not only how something works, but also how inventions have directly influenced culture and history.

           

Lumen is a robot sculpture made of found objects, which was commissioned by Ragtag Cinema, a non-profit organization that champions independent films in Columbia. With the end of 35mm film production in Hollywood comes the era of mandatory digital projection. It is a moment that prompted Ragtag Cinema to address whether it should convert its traditional film projectors to digital, or ultimately be forced to limit releases to films produced with older technology. To garner support for the new projectors, Lumen became the central icon in the cinema’s fundraising campaign, “Ragtag Needs Robots.” In just over a month, the theater successfully raised the funding required to convert to all-digital projectors.

Lumen’s purpose represents more than that of a mascot; it embodies the cumulative efforts of an entire community with differing backgrounds, experiences, educations, perspectives and lifestyles. Made up of the dirty, broken-down discards of obsolete, forgotten technologies, Lumen stands as a shining beacon of Columbia’s endeavors and successes—there is hope, no matter what the odds are, as long as you have community.

— Greg Orloff, 2013