Lemon Lights/Season's Greetings

The festive season is upon us and what better way to spend the holidays than with good friends and good times. And what better way to have good times with good friends than by making a battery? None, exactly.
In a leisurely chat with long-time friend and artist, Lukas Geronimas, we discussed how the basic elements of life have come to be often taken for granted. Clothing, soap, shoes, heat and electricity. An inspiring example of creating one's own electricity is that of William Kamkwamba, the African Having set a tight deadline to create our finished work of electricity within that day, we quickly got to work on making electricity. Our battery illuminated 3 LED christmas lights and was made from 100 lemons, copper and zinc. Happy Holidays!

10,000 Sparklers

As part of a series of experiments in public interaction, this event was planned. The idea: invite people to simultaneously and continuously spark sparklers for as long as possible. It seems that people have a soft spot for sparklers or they just thought the idea was great because despite it's last-minute planning, it garnered not only a decent attendance but a neat write-up in the Torontoist. It made for interesting photos and in general a good time was had by all.

Simpicitree

Partnering with Syd Healey, a fellow OCAD student, we created this concept model of a reusable Christmas tree. The product goals include bringing manufacturing dollars back to Canada (rather than to China where most artificial trees are made), avoiding the use of PVC and other toxic substances, providing a compact solution for small urban dwellings and just making a cool thing using a laser!






Use in semi-circular arrangement against a wall to save space.
White colour above is due to flash photography.




Tiny cuts in the wood allow for easy display of gift cards

To Do Wrist

My latest endeavor was a piece of "Wearable Technology". For the ideas-man on the go, this is the accessory to have. Never miss another eureka moment! Made of an old leather overcoat, 3M's mini post-its and a modified Bic pen and of course love.

Sticks - Timelapse

Sunnyside Pavillion - Interactive Installation

As part of the Art Initiatives 2009 Sunnyside Pavillion Art Show and Sale, I put together this stick project. The idea is illustrated below - "take a stick, add it on, repeat". I was pleased at how many people took part in making this large structure. To make assembly as easy as possible, I created elastic bands by cutting a bicycle inner tube into sections. Being extremely strong, these "gummies" (so called by one group of participating kids) allowed a joint to be created between sticks in a matter of seconds.

Aeronauts

The toy teaches principles of buoyancy, fine motor contol and patience. A fun narrative accompnies the object of the first Aeronauts travelling the sky adjusting their altitude by adding and removing ballast water or sand.

Gyrototter

Children have all the fun, or so it seems. For the first many years of life, we are encouraged to play, play with others, be played with and so on. "Hey you, let's play"...
Adults, on the other hand, are rarely encouraged in such a way. Adult leisure is more centred around exercise or alcohol rather than pure enjoyment. With this idea in mind, i set out to create an adult sized play apparatus. Adults are not so easily amused and have often become jaded by years of disappointment and perceived sufferings of day to day life.

The Gyrototter is a fun ride. It goes up and down (like a see-saw) as well as 'round and 'round (like a 'roundabout). An extra-clever individual might have entitled it The Combination Teeter-Totter and Roundabout. But that isn't me. Gyrototter, Rotototter or Pitch and Yaw-saw are amongst the favorite appelations. The Element of danger makes this ride all the more exciting. A newer, safer model is in the mix of course. In terms of fitness, a pair of athletic riders can easily burn five hundred calories per session*. Take a look at the video.

There just arent enough toys for adults these days. Don't get me wrong, I like kids. The yougsters get all the fun stuff and the adults get all the bills and substance abuse problems. This portable amusement device disassembles into three pieces which can be moved to like wherever. Safety features have been a key element of the design since the Mark 1. Counterweights allow riders of different weights to ride comfortably, enjoyably and safely together. Tangent wheels guard against sudden stops. Communication is very important, be it verbal or using intuitive physical sensations as well as the general understanding that you don't want to send the other person flying off. The experience can be gentle and relaxing or wild and physically demanding, it's up to the riders to decide.

All riders are briefed on technique before taking part and generally, first rides are taken with an experienced rider.

For bookings, contact c parker.

OCAD Design Competition 2009

This design competition called for re-thinking our models of consumption. Some projects dealt with shopping experience, some with package design, others with low-impact lifestyles for the upper middle class. Essentially what I was trying to stress was that whatever problems we are experiencing are OURS to deal with. Considering that Toronto is actually experiencing something of a 'garbage crisis' where we are stockpiling our refuse, I find the following scenario to be pretty interesting.

Click to Enlarge









Completed Comment Cards:



Since posting this, some new notions have come to my attention about the atmospheric impacts of Coal-Burning Power Plants. Continuing to creating our energy in this way means, basically, that in fifteen years, it is likely that we'll be seeing water and food shortages, war and suffering across the globe. It won't matter what we have done with our packages. Indeed, with threatening technologies developed for war, an effective force could be rallied against global climate offenders. This, perhaps, is the fish we should be frying. More of these plants are being built every week to meet 'demand'. Do you give a kid everything he or she wants? But that's what's happening. When wants become like needs, all become feeds for our justified greeds...it's the opening of the oompa loompa song they sing after the humans go down the chute...wah wah...

Modern Day Mongolfier - Mark James Gallery

 

 

 

 

Yes indeed! Williamsburg, NY. I was pleased as punch to be invited to participate in a tremendous showing of toil at the Mark James Gallery. Joined by four other talented canadian artists, I had a great opportunity to do something really exciting and meet great people. Experimenting with found materials, I explored the aesthetic of early balloon builders. The Mongolfier brothers of nineteenth century France turned their paper-making shop into an impromptu balloon manufacturing concern. The marvelous notion swept through minds of the day and soon enough, many citizens turned aeronauts were taking to the skies teathered beneath private bubble of gas. Balloon flight has been a fantasy of mine and continues to be. The thought of going to sleep in a balloon and waking up in a balloon is, for some reason, incredibly attractive. High above the earth, silently drifting along, embedded in the flowing aircurrent...Oh that i were a Mongolfier. Thanks be to Lukas Geronminas, Dylan Eastgaard, Ryan Forster and Niall McClelland.