Cork Screws

Cork screws, hand carved cork, 50 x 20 x 20 mm
Cork Screws, hand carved cork, 50 x 20 x 20 mm

This visual pun came to mind as I was contemplating what to do with my collection of corks.

Cork Screws (close up), cork 50 x 20 x 20 mm
My collection of Cork Screws, photograph.

Cork is difficult to carve, creating chunky shavings and so it is a delicate and time consuming process. I attempted to carve one cork which claimed to be recyclable and seemed to be made from a kind of rubberized paper material. It was very difficult to effectively work with and so if you want to carve your own cork screws, stick to the natural corks.

Cork Screw #3, recyclable cork (50 x 20 x 30 mm)

More photos on Flickr.

Practical Rubber Cheese

I get my share of spammy comments and junk feedback on this website. Often they are from server bots testing for security vulnerabilities or trying to get their spam links posted on the website.

Practical Rubber Cheese, Digital Image

From time to time I read through all the recent messages to the website to make sure I am not missing out on a good deal on “конвективные секции котлов (convection sections of boilers)” from RanertgopriliVR in Moscow or to help AllenMutVW who is “looking for a demo of the game named X-Hex”.

And it always good to get a message of appreciation like this:

My children and I are excited to have found such a nice site, it is really what my friend and I have been hoping for. The detailed information here on the web page is definitely appreciated and will assist my family and friends a lot. It looks like each member gained a lot ofunusually deep amount of detailed information about the things I am always studying and the other hyper links and knowledge really exibits it. I am not usually on the internet during the night however when my clan get a break im always hoping for this type of information and things closely related to it. I have three of my cohorts that have acquired a liking in this because of what I have learned about it and they are more than likely going to be visiting this blog since it is such an outstanding score.  I’m also delving into in government issues and dealing with the new turns and twists in Trump issues and equally looking for alternate sports betting services to feed my hunger for making cash for my other hobbies…

RandallVuhCZ

Here are some other genuine responses to the contact form.

Namesolid state
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectPractical Rubber Cheese
Messagewithdrawal
Contact form submission
Name6th generation
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectIntelligent
Messagevirtual
Contact form submission
NameIncredible
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
Subjectdeposit
MessageJewelery
Contact form submission
NameRobertbrotoQJ
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectMy riding blog
MessageFor sure, theoheartist.com isn’t a perfect place to share my equestrian hobby, but I have to start somewhere, so I thought that this category will be ok.
Contact form submission
NameComputers
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
Subjectexpedite
MessageHuman
Contact form submission
NameMonitored
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
Subjectbypassing
Messagewithdrawal
Contact form submission
NameBuckinghamshire
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectShoes
MessageHuman
Contact form submission
NameHat
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
Subjectopen-source
Messagesynergistic
Contact form submission
NameBedfordshire
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectKids
MessageHome Loan Account
Contact form submission
Nameprogram
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
Subjectarray
Messagekiller
Contact form submission
Nameconnecting
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
Subjectsolid state
Messageport
Contact form submission
Nameoptimal
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectClothing
MessageSavings Account
Contact form submission
NameRubber
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectBorders
Messagecapacity
Contact form submission
NameSouth Carolina
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectUnbranded
MessageSleek Soft Table
Contact form submission
NameRight-sized
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectGeneric Soft Computer
Messagekiller
Contact form submission
NameCheese
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectSAS
MessageKentucky
Contact form submission
NameOklahoma
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
Subjecthaptic
MessageAnalyst
Contact form submission
NameHandcrafted Concrete Soap
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
Subjectdigital
MessageCambridgeshire
Contact form submission
NameTurkey
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectStream
Messagedeposit
Contact form submission
NameGermany
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectFacilitator
MessageChips
Contact form submission
NamePersonal Loan Account
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectCircles
MessageCanada
Contact form submission
NameTexas
Email[removed to protect the innocent]
SubjectGroup
MessageWooden
Contact form submission

Perhaps these messages are a secret code – can you decipher it?

Or perhaps they are meant as inspiration or instructions for a commissioned art piece.


Email addresses have been removed from these messages because often a borrowed, stolen or fake email address is by the spammers.

This is not a banana

This is not a banana, graphite pencil on paper (148 x 210 mm).

Like René Magritte’s The treachery of images (This is not a pipe), this is also not a pipe. But it is not a banana. It is a digital photograph of a pencil sketch of a duct tape sculpture of a banana.

This is not a banana either

This is not a banana either, colored pencil on paper (148 x 210 mm).

It is a digital photograph of a colored pencil sketch of a print of a photograph of a banana.

Do you use a printed calendar?

Do you use a printed calendar?
Do you use a printed calendar?, Digital image

I changed my calendars again today. Only five days after the start of the month. That might be the earliest I have changed my calendars since they arrived (though I don’t remember when they did and postage is notoriously slow, so they might have been installed late).

Since the advent of electronic calendars, I have had very little use for printed calendars. I do not buy them for myself, but I usually get one every year from our property manager and sometimes from a relative so we have 12 New Zealand photographs to look at. Of course, living in the opposite hemisphere, the images are counter to the season, but with global friends I am used to seeing Facebook updates of their summer beach images in my winter or their skiing photos during my summer.

Do you still have printed calendars and change them on time?

If I created a series of 12 images would you buy them in a calendar format? Would you look at them? Would you change them on time?

The world is falling apart

Just over a year ago, I created Non-flat earth (unpainted), a sculpture of a model of the earth that combined facts and legends of how the earth is supported.

The world is falling apart, photograph of a sculpture previously known as Non-flat earth (unpainted).

The foundations are crumbling and decaying which is kind of appropriate with the laws of thermodynamics and the current global pandemic.

However, there is hope.

‘They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. ‘

Isaiah 61:4 https://my.bible.com/bible/111/ISA.61.4

‘Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ‘

Revelation 21:1 https://my.bible.com/bible/111/REV.21.1

I could repair the sculpture. Or leave it to decay further. Or build a new one.

As the (unpainted) title of the original sculpture suggests the work is not finished. It was a prototype for further work and could have been painted to fit more with the ancient legends. My procrastination has given this sculpture an opportunity to express itself its own way.


Post about the creation of the original sculpture:

Sofa Safari

Exploring Furniture in the Wild

Over the last 18 months, as I walk around the neighborhood, I often see the furniture that has been abandoned or has escaped domestic confines and is now residing on the streets or in the fields.

Couch family
Couch family, digital photograph

In fact, all over Turkey, I see wild furniture. I’m searching for the most elusive varieties of furniture – the avian and the aquatic. Maybe one day I will be lucky enough to see some furniture flying or swimming or even just resting beside a waterway or in a tree or on a rooftop.

Join me on a Sofa Safari

Sofa Safari Poster, digital image
Sofa Safari Poster, digital image

View the whole series on Flickr

Street couch
Explore my series of photos of Wild Furniture sightings on Flickr

Duct tape banana

Duct tape banana, politape, 145x80mm
Duct tape banana, politape, 145x80mm

In response to media surrounding Maurizio Cattelan’s work, “Comedian”, I have created this expression of a banana. Some media reports are incorrectly labelling Maurizio’s work as a duct tape banana when, in fact, it should be labelled duct taped banana.

My work is fastened to the wall with “blu tack”, some of which is not blue.

Is it duct tape or duck tape? This yellow tape is similar in color to that of a yellow rubber duckie. The tape used in this sculpture is branded Politape was purchased from a “dollar” store.

The banana that served as the model was also purchased from a discount store. The banana used in the production of this sculpture was later unknowingly eaten by my son.

Non-flat earth (unpainted)

There are some conspiracy theories floating around suggesting that the Earth is flat. I have traveled around the world and observed that it is in fact round. Well, roundish.

Hindu mythology has the earth supported by elephants or a tortoise/turtle or both or a snake. North America has a legend of a ‘Great Turtle’, which upholds the Earth.

Combining the facts with the legends, I have created this model of the Earth.

Front, non-flat earth (unpainted)
Front, non-flat earth (unpainted), mixed media
Back, non-flat earth (unpainted)
Back, non-flat earth (unpainted), mixed media
Face, non-flat earth (unpainted)
Face, non-flat earth (unpainted), mixed media
Back detail, non-flat earth (unpainted)
Back detail, non-flat earth (unpainted), mixed media

The book of Job in the Bible says the Earth is suspended over nothing.

He spreads out the northern skies over empty space;
    he suspends the earth over nothing.

Job 26:7. NIV

While this lines up with the science, getting my globe to suspend itself over nothing is rather challenging.

I’m currently reading a book called The World is Flat. [affiliate link]

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Flight to Egypt

I looked out the window and there were three types of light sources of increasing power. On the ground below were man-made city lights. On the horizon were flashes of lightning from a tropical storm. And above a myriad of stars.

Flight to Egypt #1
Flight to Egypt #1, White and Silver Pens
Flight to Egypt #2
Flight to Egypt #2, Oil Pastel
Flight to Egypt #3
Flight to Egypt #3, Colored pencils
Flight to Egypt #4
Flight to Egypt #4, Fineliner Pen
Flight to Egypt #5
Flight to Egypt #5, Gouache
Flight to Egypt #6
Flight to Egypt #6, Torn and Etched Aluminum Foil
Flight to Egypt #7
Flight to Egypt #7, Florescent Sharpie
Flight to Egypt #8
Flight to Egypt #8, Emirates Colour Pencil
Flight to Egypt #9
Flight to Egypt #9, Pointillism, White Pen
Flight to Egypt #10
Flight to Egypt #10, Graphite (4B) Pencil
Flight to Egypt #11
Flight to Egypt #11, Spray Paint
Flight to Egypt #12
Flight to Egypt #12, Spray Paint Stencil Print
Flight to Egypt #13
Flight to Egypt #13, Cut Paper Inverse (Stencil)
Flight to Egypt #14
Flight to Egypt #14, Cut Paper
Flight to Egypt #15
Flight to Egypt #15, Glitter
Flight to Egypt #16
Flight to Egypt #16, Torn Masking Tape
Flight to Egypt #17
Flight to Egypt #17, Acrylic Paint
Flight to Egypt #18
Flight to Egypt #18, Wax Crayon
Flight to Egypt #19
Flight to Egypt #19, Horizontal Lines, Yellow Colored Pencil
Flight to Egypt #20
Flight to Egypt #20, IKEA Pencil
Flight to Egypt #21
Flight to Egypt #21, White Colored Pencil

Taking The Mickey

Theo does quite a bit of “Taking The Mickey” in his art. 

Here he takes the mickey out of Andy Warhol’s, 1981, Quadrant Mickey Mouse/Myths.

Taking The Mickey
Taking The Mickey, Digital image

The Collins English Dictionary has these definitions:

The Urban Dictionary has this definition:

Taking the mickey

Joking, doing something without intent.

Making fun of someone or something.

A less offensive way of saying taking the piss.