>>IN THIS EDITION OF WUCF
ARTISODES WE SEE HOW A
CENTRAL FLORIDA ARTIST
COMBINES SCULPTURE AND
JEWELRY.
>>BECAUSE THE NATURE OF
THE WORK IS EYE CATCHING
AND IT'S MEANT TO BE WORN
OUT IN PUBLIC.
THERE IS ALWAYS A HIGH
LIKELIHOOD OF COMPLETE
STRANGERS ASKING, YOU KNOW
WHOEVER'S WEARING IT,
ABOUT THE PIECE.
LIKE WHAT IS THAT, WHAT
DOES IT MEAN, CAN YOU TELL
ME ABOUT IT?
THAT SORT OF THING.
>>AND WE MEET AN ARTIST
WHO WEAVES HER LOVE OF
FABRIC AND COLOR.
>>SO THEN, YOU'VE GOT THE
ABILITY TO TAKE ALL THESE
OTHER COLORS OF PLASTICS,
SHEER PLASTICS.
NOW IT'S JUST LIKE
PAINTING.
SO NOW YOU'RE TAKING
SOMETHING YOU'VE PUT ON,
NOW YOU'VE USED ANOTHER
SHEER LAYER, THAT GIVES IT
A DIFFERENT COLOR.
YOU CAN PUT ANOTHER LAYER
BEHIND THAT, AN OPAQUE
LAYER.
THAT GIVES IT ANOTHER
COLOR.
SO YOU CAN BUILD ON THIS
TEXTURE AND COLOR WITH THE
PLASTIC JUST LIKE YOU
WOULD IF YOU WERE PAINTING
A CANVAS OR FABRIC, OR
ANYTHING ABSORBENT.
>>IT'S ALL COMING UP ON
WUCF ARTISODES.
♪ THEME MUSIC  ♪
>>AS AN ARTIST, REBECCA
ROSE EXPLORES THE
INTERCHANGEABLE NATURE OF
HER MEDIUMS.
HER SCULPTURING'S ARE BOTH
DECORATIVE AND FUNCTIONAL
AND HAVE BEEN PURCHASED
INTERNATIONALLY BY PRIVATE
ART COLLECTORS.
EACH RING IS CRAFTED WITH
EXQUISITE DETAIL AND TELLS
A UNIQUE STORY.
>>THE IDEA OF LIKE
SCULPTING EVEN THOUGH ON
THAT GRAND OF A SCALE AND
THAT HUGE OF A SCALE WAS
JUST SOMETHING THAT I'D
ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN
EVER SINCE GROWING UP
GOING TO DISNEY LAND ALL
THE TIME, AND JUST BEING
SO ENAMORED BY ALL THE
CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT GOES
INTO THE DESIGN AND THE
SCULPTING OF THE
ENVIRONMENT THERE REALLY
DID INFLUENCE MY PROCESS
AND MY INTENTIONS AND MY
ESTHETIC.
THE SCULPTURE RINGS IS TO
BE ABLE TO SAY THE SAME
AMOUNT AND TO CONVEY A BIG
MESSAGE INTO THE SMALLEST
SPACE POSSIBLE, INSTEAD OF
HAVING GIANT INSTALLATION
SIZE SCULPTURES.
IT'S A LONG PROCESS.
USUALLY IT TAKES LIKE AT
LEAST 40 HOURS, SOMETIMES
OVER 100.
A COUPLE PIECES HAVE TAKEN
140 HOURS.
IT'S JUST A REALLY LONG
PROCESS, BUT I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT I DO IT
CORRECTLY, 'CAUSE THERE'S
LARGE ROOM FOR ERROR.
I TAKE WAX AND I CARVE IT
WITH THESE LIKE DENTAL
TOOLS AND THEN I TAKE A
MOLD OF IT AND I PUMP THE
WAX INTO THE NEGATIVE
SPACE OF THE MOLD.
AND THEN I'LL HEAT UP THE
METAL TO ABOUT 1,786
DEGREES AND THEN I TAKE
THE ENTIRE THING WITH
TONGS AND I QUENCH IT IN A
BUCKET OF WATER, AND WHAT
THE QUENCH DOES IS THAT IT
BREAKS AWAY THE
INVESTMENT.
LEAVING THE METAL PIECE
WITH THE SPREWS ATTACHED.
AND THEN I HAVE TO SAW OFF
THE SPREWS, GRIND IT DOWN
SO THAT THE SPREWS ARE
COMPLETELY GONE AND THAT
IT'S COMFORTABLE TO WEAR.
THE METAL ACTUALLY COMES
OUT BLACK BECAUSE IT'S
BEEN OXIDIZED.
SO I'LL BRUSH AWAY THE
OXIDATION AND THEN I'LL
POLISH IT FOR TWO TO THREE
DAYS UNTIL IT GETS REALLY
SHINY.
THIS PIECE THAT I'M
WEARING IS INSPIRED BY A
SONG THAT I REMEMBER
PLAYING GROWING UP.
I THINK ESPECIALLY WITH
MUSIC, I THINK MUSIC AND
ART WHATEVER WE KIND OF
ABSORB AS WE'RE YOUNG, IT
DOES INFLUENCE US AS WE
GET OLDER.
I USE A LOT OF FOUND
OBJECTS.
A LOT OF TOYS THAT I
REMEMBER USING AND PLAYING
WITH AS A CHILD AND I
INCORPORATE THAT INTO MY
WORK.
I THINK BY HOLDING ONTO
THE CHILDHOOD ASPECT OF MY
WORK IT NOT ONLY BRINGS
BACK LIKE A NOSTALGIC
POINT OF VIEW, BUT IT ALSO
BECOMES KIND OF KITSCH
KIND OF SENTIMENTAL BUT
ALSO THE WAY THAT I'M ABLE
TO SCULPT IT AND CREATE
THE FINAL PIECE, IT HAS
LIKE MORE OF AN ADULT
MESSAGE.
BECAUSE THE NATURE OF THE
WORK IS EYE CATCHING AND
IT'S MEANT TO BE WORN OUT
IN PUBLIC.
THERE IS ALWAYS A HIGH
LIKELIHOOD OF COMPLETE
STRANGERS ASKING YOU KNOW,
WHOEVER'S WEARING IT,
ABOUT THE PIECE.
LIKE WHAT IS THAT, WHAT
DOES IT MEAN , CAN YOU
TELL ME ABOUT IT?
THAT SORT OF THING.
AND IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE
HOW THE BYPRODUCT OF
WEARING WEARABLE ART HOW
THAT GOES BEYOND THE PIECE
ITSELF AND THEN BECOMES
LIKE AN EXTENDED
EXPERIENCE.
>>AT THE EUREKA FORGE
STUDIO IN PACIFIC,
MISSOURI, CRAFTSMEN WORK
WITH METALS TO CREATE
INTRICATE AND ENDURING
PIECES OF ART.
FROM GATES TO STAIR
BALUSTRADES, DESIGNERS
UTILIZE CENTURIES-OLD
TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS TO
CARRY ON AN AGE-OLD
BLACKSMITHING TRADITION.
>>EUREKA FORGE IS A FAMILY
BUSINESS, AND I'VE BEEN
WORKING HERE SINCE I WAS
LITTLE.
WE DO ORNAMENTAL AND
ARCHITECTURAL
BLACKSMITHING.
AND UH, WE WORK A LOT IN
RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS OR
HIGH END CUSTOM HOMES.
UM WE DO BALUSTRADES,
STAIR BALUSTRADES, UM,
GATES, CUSTOM FORGED
FENCING.
WE WORK WITH A LOT OF
STEEL, STAINLESS STEEL,
BRONZE, BRASS, ALUMINUM.
WE DO A LOT OF WORK ON
HISTORIC LANDMARKS, WE
REPAIR THE IRONWORK THAT
WAS DONE 100 OR 150 YEARS
AGO.
>>WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE
AT EUREKA FORGE IS VERY
UNIQUE IN ITS TRADE IN
TERMS OF THAT WE BRING ART
INTO EVERYDAY LIVES.
SO IT'S THE ULTIMATE OF
BLENDING FORM AND FUNCTION
TOGETHER.
>>YOU KNOW, WE LIKE TO
MAKE A PIECE THAT YOU COME
INTO A HOME AND YOU SEE IT
AND YOU'RE AWE STRUCK.
YOU KNOW AND UH WE LIKE TO
TAKE IT FROM UM THE RAW
ELEMENTS AND KIND OF FORGE
THEM INTO SOMETHING THAT
IS A PIECE OF ART.
AND UH, WE HAVE A SAYING.
IT'S UH KIND OF A MOTTO,
IT'S LIKE: FROM YOUR
IMAGINATION WE FORGE
REALITY AND IF YOU CAN
THINK IT UP, WE CAN MAKE
IT.
YOU KNOW WE TRY TO BLEND
THE MODERN TECHNIQUES AND
THE OLD WORLD TECHNIQUES.
YOU KNOW WE TAKE THE
TECHNIQUES FROM HUNDREDS
OF YEARS AGO AND MIX THEM
WITH SOME OF THE NEW
THINGS THAT ARE TIME
SAVERS.
YOU KNOW, BUT WE STILL
LIKE TO DO THINGS THE OLD
WAY BECAUSE IT GIVES OUR
CLIENTS A BETTER PRODUCT
IN THE END.
IT'S THE OLD HAMMER AND
FORGE THAT GETS THE JOB
DONE REALLY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF OLD
EQUIPMENT THAT WORKS
BETTER FOR US THAN THE
NEW.
LIKE THIS DRILL PRESS FROM
THE 1950S THAT CAN DRILL
UP TO A THREE INCH HOLE
VERY EASILY.
WE'VE GOT MACHINES THAT
ARE OLDER THAN THIS.
WE'VE GOT POWER HAMMERS
THAT DATE BACK TO 1910.
>>EVEN THOUGH WE USE HEAVY
EQUIPMENT, THERE IS A
SENSITIVE WAY OF USING
THAT EQUIPMENT AND DOWN TO
THE FAUX FINISHES THAT WE
DO THAT ALSO TAKES A LOT
OF ARTISTRY AND
SENSITIVITY TO PULL OFF
THE FINAL PRODUCT.
>>THERE'S HEAT,
THERE'S SPARKS FLYING
EVERYWHERE, THERE'S
SCALE POPPING OFF, IT
BURNS, YOU GET USED TO IT.
A LOT OF TIMES WE START
OFF WITH BAR STOCK.
A ROUND BAR, SQUARE BAR
AND WE PUT IT IN THE FORGE
OR WE HEAT IT WITH A TORCH
AND WE CAN DRAW IT DOWN IN
SIZE AND UH TO A POINT
TAPER IT INTO WHERE WE CAN
BEND SCROLLS AND DO THINGS
LIKE THAT SO DO MORE
ORNATE THINGS WITH IT.
IT STARTS OFF KIND OF COLD
LOOKING AND YOU KNOW AND
THESE STANDARD SHAPES AND
WE LIKE TO FORGE THEM INTO
SOME NICER ELEMENTS THAT
WE ADD IN HERE.
>>EVERY DAY IS A NEW
CHALLENGE AND EVERY DAY
HAS A NEW PROJECT AND
THROUGH THAT PROJECT ARE
HIGHS AND LOWS, BUT
THERE'S A SATISFACTION
OF FINALIZING AN
INSTALLATION AND LOOKING
BACK AND SEEING EVERYBODY
APPRECIATING IT AND
THERE'S THE NEXT DAY
GETTING GOING AGAIN ON A
NEW PROJECT.
>>I GET TO BLEND ART WITH
STRUCTURE AND I ENJOY
THAT, IT'S YOU KNOW,
IT'S A MONUMENTAL
STAIRCASE WITH A FORGE
BRONZE BALUSTRADE THAT IS
GOING TO BE THERE FOR
HUNDREDS OF YEARS AND IT
LOOKS PHENOMENAL AND I
LOVE IT, IT'S MY
PASSION.
>>"ART FOR INDUSTRY" IS A
TEXTILE EXHIBIT THAT WAS
FEATURED AT THE MC-NICHOLS
CIVIC CENTER BUILDING IN
DENVER, COLORADO.
DURING WORLD WAR II,
TEXTILES REFLECTED THE
AUSTERITY OF THE TIME,
WITH QUIET AND SIMPLE
DESIGNS.
BUT AFTER THE WAR, A SENSE
OF HOPE AND REBUILDING
INFUSED THE ARTS,
RESULTING IN A DRAMATIC
SHIFT IN STYLE.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE
EXHIBIT, WHICH SHOWCASED
WORKS BY DESIGNERS SUCH AS
HENRY MOORE AND FRANK
LLOYD WRIGHT.
>>I THINK IT'S VERY
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
TIME, WHICH WAS A TIME
THAT, IT WAS VERY MUCH
ABOUT HOPE, AND RENEWAL,
AND KIND OF LOOKING AT
BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD.
>>WE BECAME INTERESTED IN
BRITISH DESIGN, AND WE
WERE ALREADY INTERESTED IN
AMERICAN DESIGN -
MID-CENTURY DESIGN - AND
WE TOOK A TRIP TO ENGLAND
AND BEGAN JUST SEEING
THESE ONE TEXTILE HERE,
ONE TEXTILE THERE, AND
THOSE DESIGNS WERE SO
FANTASTIC, PARTICULARLY
THOSE TEXTILES THAT WERE
PRODUCED IN THE 1950S,
THAT WE JUST SAID "JEEZE,
THAT'S EXCITING,
INTERESTING" SO WE BOUGHT
ONE HERE, ONE THERE AND WE
ASSEMBLED OUR COLLECTION
OVER THE LAST FIFTEEN
YEARS.
THE ART FOR INDUSTRY
EXHIBITION PRESENTS
TEXTILES DESIGNED IN THE
POST WORLD WAR II PERIOD
THAT SHOW THE CHANGING
DESIGNS AND PATTERNS AND
COLOR WAYS THAT EMERGED
AFTER THE WAR.
>>THE EXHIBITION OFFERS A
GLIMPSE INTO A SIGNIFICANT
ERA IN THE HISTORY OF
TEXTILE DESIGN.
PRIOR TO WORLD WAR II,
MOST OF THE COLORS WERE
FAIRLY DRAB, MUTED, DARK
GRAYS AND BROWNS, WHEREAS
AFTER THE WAR THERE WAS
THIS EXPLOSION OF COLOR.
>>IT BECAME LIKE, NOW YOU
HAVE A LICENSE TO REALLY
PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF
WHAT TEXTILE DESIGN WAS.
FROM JUST UTILITARIAN WITH
KIND OF SUBDUED COLORS IT
TURNED INTO AN EXPLOSION
OF COLOR AND PATTERNS THAT
WERE BOLD, GEOMETRIC,
ORGANIC, THAT WERE
REMINISCENT OF NATURE.
MANUFACTURERS AT THE TIME
REALLY, I THINK, TOOK A
RISK.
BEFORE IT WAS IN HOUSE
DESIGNERS, AND THEY TOOK A
RISK AND INVITED
ARCHITECTS LIKE FRANK
LLOYD WRIGHT, OTHER
ARTISTS LIKE HENRY MOORE,
BASICALLY TO USE THEIR,
THEIR ARTISTRY AND WORK
FOR THEM AND CREATE NEW
PATTERNS AND FORMS.
>>THE MORE WE COLLECTED,
THE MORE WE CAME TO KNOW
THE NAMES OF THE DESIGNERS
AND REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT
THEY WERE.
WE HAVE A VERY BEAUTIFUL
TEXTILE BY FRANK LLOYD
WRIGHT.
MARINO MARINI WAS A
SCULPTOR.
MANY OF THE DESIGNERS ARE
FROM ENGLAND OR SCOTLAND.
WILLIAM SCOTT IS A VERY
FAMOUS ABSTRACT
EXPRESSIONIST PAINTER FROM
SCOTLAND.
VICTOR VASARELY WHO WAS
HUNGARIAN.
A NUMBER OF BRITISH WOMEN:
LUCIENNE DAY, BARBARA
BROWN; A NUMBER OF BRITISH
MEN: EDUARDO PUOLOZZI,
JOHN PIPER WHO WAS A
FAMOUS PAINTER.
SO ALL OF THESE ARTISTS
DESIGNED TEXTILES, WE'RE
JUST FORTUNATE TO HAVE
THEM.
>>IT ELEVATED THE TEXTILE
INDUSTRY.
IT ELEVATED YOUR HOME TO A
MORE FANCIFUL OR
FASHIONABLE PLACE.
>>MANY OF THE DESIGNS, IN
OUR OPINION, ARE TIMELESS.
I MEAN, THEY COULD HAVE
BEEN DESIGNED A YEAR AGO
OR SIX MONTHS AGO RATHER
THAN FORTY OR FIFTY YEARS
AGO.
I THINK THEY'RE REFRESHING
AND THAT THE DIVERSITY IS
VERY INTERESTING.
>>THESE DESIGNS ARE TRULY
TIMELESS, AND IT'S ALSO
SPREAD THROUGH NOT ONLY
TEXTILE DESIGN, BUT THE
WORLD OF FASHION.
THEIR IMPACT INTO THE ART
WORLD HAS GONE BEYOND JUST
TEXTILE PRODUCTION.
>>NEXT, WE MEET DAVE
KOENIG, A BLACKSMITH WHO
KEEPS THE FRAFT OF FORGING
ALIVE.
KOENIG USES TRADITIONAL
BLACKSMITHING METHODS TO
CREATE UNIQUE, YET USEFUL
OBJECTS.
>>I REALLY ENJOY SOLIVING
PROBLEMS.
MY NAME IS DAVE KOENIG AND
I BUILT THIS SHOP 30 YEARS
AGO.
I BUILD ABOUT ANYTHING I
WANT.
I COME UP HERE AS A
HOBBYIST BLACKSMITH, NOT A
PROFESSIONAL BLACKSMITH.
MARILYN AND I WENT TO A
LOT OF ESTATE AUCTIONS AND
I SAID OH OKAY THESE ARE
BLACKSMITHING TOOLS
INVESTED 25 BUCKS IN IT,
BOUGHT THE STUFF, JUMPED
IN THE CAR, CAME HOME AND
DECIDED THAT I WAS GOING
TO BUILD A FORGE.
THE LAST TIME I SAW A
FORGE I WAS PROBABLY 4
YEARS OLD AND THAT'S
ABOUT
EVERYTHING THAT I
KNEW ABOUT IT.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING I
WANTED TO DO, SO I
BUILT A
FORGE.
I GOT SOME COAL, I LIT THE
FIRE, AND I HAVE BEEN
BLOWING AND GOING SINCE.
WHEN WE BUILT THE SHOP
WITHOUT ELECTRICITY WHAT I
LEARNED IS THAT THE WORLD
IS A MUCH BETTER PLACE
WHEN YOU ARE NOT LISTENING
TO SCREAMING EQUIPMENT.
IT WAS WONDERFUL.
I LOVED IT.
YOU CAN CONCENTRATE.
YOU CAN THINK!
THE QUESTION THAT IS
INTRIGUING IS WHEN DID PEOPLE
FIGURED OUT HOW TO MAKE A
HOT FIRE.
YOU NEED A HOT FIRE TO
HEAT UP METAL.
YOU NEED A HOT FIRE TO
MAKE METAL.
HOW DID THAT ALL START?
AND I'VE SINCE FOUND
THAT IF YOU WANT TO GO
BACK 1.2 MILLION YEARS AGO
OUR ANCESTOR WERE PLAYING
WITH FIRE IN A CAVE IN
SOUTH AFRICA THAT WE KNOW
OF AND CAN DATE.
THAT'S PRETTY MIND
BOGGLING.
I FEEL A CONNECTION TO THAT
PAST.
PEOPLE WONDERED ABOUT THE
PEOPLE WHO MADE METAL
BECAUSE THEY ARE OUT THERE
GATHERING DIRT AND THEY
ARE THROWING IT IN A FIRE
AND WAH-LA YOU'VE GOT
METAL.
NOW NOBODY IN THEIR RIGHT
MIND CAN DO THAT, SO THESE
BOYS MUST BE IN A LEAGUE
WITH THE BAD GUYS.
THEY MUST OF SOLD THEIR
SOUL TO GET THAT
KNOWLEDGE.
ALL OF THE OTHER CRAFTSMEN
RELIED ON THE SMITH TO
MAKE THEIR TOOLS.
SO THE JEWELER, THE BOAT
ANCHOR MAKER, THE FISHHOOK
MAKER- ALL THESE PEOPLE
WERE RELIED ON THE CRAFT
OF FORGING .
FORGING MEANS YOU TAKE A
PIECE OF METAL, YOU MAKE
IT HOT OR COLD AND FORCE
IT INTO SOMETHING BRAND
NEW.
THE BASIC TOOLS OF A
BLACKSMITH SHOP ARE
BELLOWS A, TWEER- A WAY OF
GETTING THE AIR TO THE
BOTTOM OF THE FIRE, THE
FORGE TABLE ITSELF.
OTHER BASIC TOOLS ARE
GOING TO BE A VICE AND OF
COURSE ANVIL.
I'VE GOT AN ANVIL IN
THERE ITS AN ENGLISH
PATTERN ANVIL.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE ONE
WYLIE COYOTE THREW OFF A
CLIFF.
IN MY SHOP I HAVE A
SELECTION OF HAMMERS AND
THEY ARE DIFFERENT SIZES
AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT
PEENS ON THEM.
SOME ARE ROUND, SOME ARE
CROSS, AND SOME ARE IN
THEIR DIFFERENT SIZES.
DIFFERENT WEIGHTS, SOME
ARE ALL BALLS DEPENDING ON
WHAT I WANT TO DO.
EVERY TIME I USE A HACKSAW
I USE A FILE; I USE A
HAMMER.
IT'S HOW MUCH INFORMATION
COMES THROUGH YOUR HANDS
INTO YOUR BRAIN.
YOU CONTINUE TO BUILD ON
IT, IT'S ABSOLUTELY
AMAZING.
IN 1997 WE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT TO
THE BARRINGTON LIVING
HISTORY FARM THAT WAS
BEING CREATED.
THEY NEEDED HARDWARE FOR
THE KITCHEN, THE
SMOKEHOUSE, THE CORNCRIB,
A BARN.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
HASPS, HOOKS, HINGES,
FIREPLACE CRANES, TRIVETS.
SO WE GATHERED UP SMITHS
FROM AROUND TEXAS AND
DIVIED UP THE WORK.
SO WE MADE THESE THINGS
FROM A TRADITIONAL MANNER.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT A
SMITH BACK THEN WOULD HAVE
DONE.
THE MAGIC OF A SHOP, THE
WHOLE THING IN MY HEAD,
ABOUT WORKING THE WAY I
DO, IS IT NEVER CEASES TO
AMAZE ME, WHAT I CAN DO
WITH THE SIMPLE STUFF I
HAVE.
I AM ALWAYS SOLVING
PROBLEMS.
I JUST HAVE A BALL WORKING
WITH SIMPLE THINGS TO MAKE
BEAUTIFUL THINGS.
YOU DON'T NEED FANCY
TOOLS TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL
THINGS.
>>FOR FIBER ARTIST DONNA
TRONCA, THE ABILITY TO MIX
MEDIA WITH TRADITIONAL ART
ENABLES HER TO CREATE
BEAUTIFUL KIMONOS FROM
MATERIALS THAT OFTEN ARE
DISCARDED.
TAKE A LOOK.
>>OK, WE HAVE OUR LAST RED
BAG SO-- FOR ME, I THINK
IT WAS THE ABILITY TO
ABSORB THE
FEELING OF THE
COLORS, WHICH, THAT'S
ANOTHER THING
THAT I DO.
I FEEL THE COLOR AND
IT'S, WHEN I THINK OF
THESE THINGS, THEN I THINK
OF THE COLOR FIRST.
AND SO WHEN I AM THINKING
OF MY WORK, IF I GET
STUMPED, THEN I THINK
ABOUT SOMEWHERE I'VE
BEEN OR A SOUND, OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND IT BRINGS COLOR, AND
IT HELPS ME TO GO FORWARD,
IF I'M IN A CORNER.
[LAUGHTER] 
>>TRONCA STARTED IN ART IN
THE TRADITIONAL WAY, BY
TAKING CLASSES IN HIGH
SCHOOL.
SHE STARTED COLLEGE AS AN
ART MAJOR, BUT HER FATHER
TALKED HER INTO A BUSINESS
DEGREE.
BUT IT WAS AT COLLEGE THAT
SHE WAS INTRODUCED TO
FIBER ARTS.
>>WELL FIBER ARTS, IT WAS
PRIMARILY EARLY IN
COLLEGE, AND I DID MORE
WEAVING THEN.
AND I'M NOT REALLY ONE
TO SEW, SO I PREFER THE
WEAVING OR FELTING.
I LIKE THAT ABILITY TO
CREATE AN INTERLACEMENT,
AND THE FELTING, YOU CAN
DO THAT WITH EITHER NEEDLE
FELTING OR THE TRADITIONAL
WET FELTING.
AND THEN THE WEAVING,
CREATING ALL THESE
DIFFERENT PATTERNS WITH
THIS INTERLACEMENT.
BUT WHEN I DISCOVERED THE
PLASTIC, AND THAT CAME
MUCH LATER.
THAT'S ONLY BEEN ABOUT 5
YEARS AGO.
WHEN I DISCOVERED THE
PLASTIC, I DISCOVERED THAT
I CAN DO THE SAME THINGS
WITH THE PLASTIC, NOT THE
FELTING, BUT I CAN WEAVE,
AND I CAN CREATE THESE
QUILT-LIKE PROJECTS THAT
ARE BRIGHTER.
THE COLORS ARE BRIGHTER.
THEY'RE MORE INTENSE
THAN I CAN GET WITH A
TEXTILE.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT
DRAWING ME TO IT, AND WHAT
KEEPS ME THERE IS THIS
ABILITY TO HAVE THESE,
THESE WONDERFUL TEXTURES,
BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE
DIFFERENT.
THEY'RE BRIGHT,
THEY'RE SHINY, THEY'RE
LONG LASTING [LAUGHTER].
NOW I HAVE SOME MORE COLOR
IN THERE.
LET'S SEE WHAT IT DOES
HERE--OOH, THAT'S NICE.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT
DIFFERENTLY, AND IT TAKES
A LOT OF RESEARCH AND
EXPERIMENTATION.
AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED
WORKING WITH IT, I WAS
PRIMARILY USING THE DESIGN
ELEMENTS THAT WERE IN
PLASTIC BAGS THAT WERE
ALREADY IMPRINTED ON
PLASTIC.
BUT IT WASN'T--I
DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH
VARIETY.
I WASN'T ABLE TO, TO BE
AS CREATIVE WITH THAT AS I
WANTED TO BE.
PLUS, YOU HAVE TO BE
RATHER CAREFUL ABOUT
TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT
TOO, SO YOU HAVE ALL OF
THOSE ISSUES.
SO WHAT I DID WAS I
STARTED TO LOOK FOR PAINTS
THAT WERE NOT OIL-BASED.
SO, ACRYLIC PAINTS,
BEAUTIFUL, YOU CAN PAINT
THEM ON THE PLASTIC.
SOMETIMES THEY'LL
BUBBLE; THAT CAN BE A
LOOK.
I CAN DO A LOT WITH A HAIR
DRYER, DRYING THEM AS THEY
GO ON.
BUT WHAT I REALIZED WAS
THAT YOU HAVE TO LAYER
WHATEVER IT IS YOU APPLY
TO YOUR FIRST LAYER, YOU
HAVE TO LAYER ON TOP OF
THAT OR IT FLAKES OFF.
SO THEN YOU'VE GOT THE
ABILITY TO TAKE ALL OF
THESE OTHER COLORS OF
PLASTICS, SAY SHEER
PLASTICS, AND SO NOW
IT'S JUST LIKE PAINTING.
SO NOW YOU'RE TAKING
SOMETHING YOU'VE PUT ON,
NOW YOU'RE USED ANOTHER
SHEER LAYER, THAT GIVES IT
A DIFFERENT COLOR.
AND NOW YOU CAN PUT
ANOTHER LAYER BEHIND THAT,
AN OPAQUE LAYER, THAT
GIVES IT ANOTHER COLOR.
SO YOU CAN BUILD ON THIS
TEXTURE AND COLOR WITH THE
PLASTIC, JUST LIKE YOU
WOULD IF YOU WERE PAINTING
A CANVAS, OR FABRIC, OR
ANYTHING ABSORBENT.
>>TAKING THE CREATIVE
PROCESS FURTHER, TRONCA
TOOK ART OR "PLASTIC ART"
THREE DIMENSIONAL.
>>GROWING UP IN THE AREA
OF CALIFORNIA THAT I DID,
WE HAVE A VERY LARGE
JAPANESE POPULATION.
AND I'M VERY DRAWN TO
THIS BEAUTY OF JAPANESE
ART.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOT A
SIMPLICITY BUT A
COMPLEXITY AT THE SAME
TIME, AND THEY USE
DIFFERENT PATTERNS WITH
OTHER PATTERNS THAT YOU
WOULD THINK WOULDN'T
WORK, BUT THEY DO.
SO I THOUGHT, "HOW CAN I
DO THAT WITH THE PLASTIC?"
AND, HOW CAN I MAKE
SOMETHING VERY
TRADITIONAL, IN A VERY
TRADITIONAL MANNER, OUT OF
SOMETHING YOU WOULDN'T
IMAGINE THAT I WOULD MAKE
IT FROM?
SO, IT'S CONTRAST.
SO YEAH, I STARTED DOING
THAT.
I SEW IT ON THE SEWING
MACHINE.
PLASTIC WILL STITCH.
I CAN MAKE ALL OF THESE
INTERESTING PATTERS USING
MY OWN IMAGINATION OR
STENCILS OR ANYTHING,
ANYTHING WORKS.
SCRAPING, ANYTHING.
AND IT ALLOWS ME ALSO TO
USE PLASTICS THAT ARE NOT
RECYCLABLE, AND THAT'S
REALLY THE DIRECTION I'M
GOING NOW MORE THAN
ANYTHING.
THESE HEAVIER PLASTICS
USED FOR SHIPPING AND
THINGS LIKE THAT THAT
REALLY THE RECYCLING
CENTERS WON'T TAKE THEM.
SO IT'S MY LITTLE WAY OF
KEEPING THAT OUT OF THE
LANDFILL WHERE THE OTHER
BAGS I CAN TAKE TO A
RECYCLING CENTER.
THAT'S THE OTHER THING
THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING
ABOUT USING THIS MEDIUM IS
THAT EVERYBODY CAN GET
INVOLVED.
SO PEOPLE SAVE BAGS FOR
ME.
PEOPLE WHO MAYBE HAVE SEEN
ME IN A GALLERY, THEY'LL
BRING BAGS TO THE GALLERY
AND ASK THAT THEY GIVE IT
TO ME.
I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL
BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE
LOOKING AT PLASTIC
DIFFERENTLY TOO.
YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING
THAT WELL, SOMEONE CAN
REUSE THIS OR RECYCLE THIS
IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
SO THAT'S BEEN KIND OF
FUN.
>>THAT'S ALL FOR THIS WEEK
ON WUCF ARTISODES.
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