Tangible Livelihood of the artist

INTRO: Hello all, pre-Spring Update, we've Added Some new additions to the collection and While working on new presentation and team outreach platforms, We've Aquired more stores Representing the Brand and lifestyle-tailored goods under the Advanced Vapor Team name and working hard for the new releases, Spring collection, Private clients, and Online Storefront. New things to come, dear reader. These jams on deck.

Must be nice, This moment, I'll think. Years from now, a slow, quick burning break from the rush of rat race.. Sunlight filtering into the breadth of my porch where I work. The flag behind me, colored deep red, dirty white, and faded blue pop back and forth in the quiet breeze like a table cloth of heavy cotton hung to dry on a clothesline.  

I Breath deeply of the incense laden air. sweat, blood, and leather scraps litter this temple. many years development..  ... Development of years. finally seemingly turning into A tangible representation of the livelihood and values i try to entrench into my work. as a craftsman, artist, designer and tailor.  Feeling blessed for many of the travelers i have encountered in this past life of mine, as a new life blossoms slowly, like a bonsai or flower of that bonsai, acquiring decades to simply witness, behold. one day i could begin to decipher these mysteries of this life. the music plays, and i dance. harder than anything or more visceral than any other life i've yet lived. my heartbeat literally bursting forth, and well... 

I'm sitting Now, Resting my mind for just  moment in between the apparent rush of wind in my hair. my bones ache and the 

January 2016 Early Seeds. Cold winds and White Leather.

Cold Winds and White Leather.
Reminded of this old Blogspot, and finding myself wanting to dive back in.
Woke early in the night, and worked on these new cases for the ladies. Fringe, color combos, and classic handfuls of Class.  Hopefully Ship out to Lewis Center, later in the month. Working on a Deal with another local Vape store. Headed up by a lady with some style. manages the joint.
Heres a few shots. https://www.etsy.com/listing/264627934/limited-1-of-1-leather-phone-vape-sleeve?ref=shop_home_active_1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/264627934/limited-1-of-1-leather-phone-vape-sleeve?ref=shop_home_active_1

Hello Readers!
  Back from the brink Of the next Ice age, it seems our salvation lies in the week of April 1st!
The weather is here, and were climbing up the temperature ladder.
Returned From the cold north of Toronto Canada In one piece!  What a trip! Literally and figuratively!
The Skies bloomed with Glass monstrosities high as the eye could see, Like Obi-wan and Anakin Tracking bounty hunters on the planet Nar shadaa, we found ourselves amidst a see of city and people. it seemed like the city never ended, To the left, to the right, before and behind us, it stretched on ward, nearly blotting out the sun completely.

Model in photo seen on main road with massive Canadian Church in background. Second photo inside elevator of hotel.

    Because Sometimes, One cup is simply not enough!

Snow Tidings

The curling flakes of winter have briefly returned out my window for another whack at the patience of humanity. Sitting in my studio the forest of white falls silently outside my door while I type my days work.  Our harley parts are coming to fruition. the morning finds us working in the studio attending our own design meetings, convergence of the minds, feedback and morning back pains akin to the future late night groans we are anxiously awaiting after long summer adventures.   Soon, Later this week, i will be meeting with potential landlords to move the studio and my occupational presence elsewhere, the current situation having expired it's emotional benefits.
       Also this week, I have the hope of continuing my bronze casting having mother molds made, and Wax prep work in anticipation of creating the ceramic shell used for the burnout and casting process.



   The Wax prep will eventually be submerged into a ceramic shell bath, and eventually the insides will be burnt out to create a cavity for the mold.

Failures, Frauds, And Perseverance

SO!   The last few weeks, of prototyping Glass parts have been rough.  Prototyping and one-off customs are heavy hearted cousins to long winded projects.

    Glass casting and blowing are commercial elements of manufacturing often overlooked by the public, and even those in the industry.   For these recent projects, making molds and having them finally fail, so thoroughly,  It upsets me the students, faculty and Professors, were not able to foresee these issues, or even offer advice and guidance. Shame on you glass majors, shame on you!

    fortunately,  Over the last eight years I have been specializing in prototyping and one-off custom pieces.  Failures and long winded projects are not a stranger to me.   For the Next run, Were doing things commercially.   And that means GRAPHITE. Milled, and Lathed Graphite. big BLOCKS of it. its messy stuff from what I'm told, But yields perfect results.

For the Next runa t these Harley lenses and lights, I am going to be casting glass with graphite. The goal here, being to make perfect run pieces, with a focus on numbers. lots and lots, made consecutively and very quickly.

      Here's some videos on how the process goes down!
Both for Metal (very interesting science)  and also for Glass!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok79tUZhNCE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoyrTMfDMtQ

ELEGANT, WEAR-PROOF, RELIABLY TIMELESS.

ELEGANT, ELEMENT PROOF, RELIABLE.

     If I look into your daily routine, in the fifteen minutes before You exit the Front door, What Do we find as your Go-to Goods?  When I take a Peak into your pockets, What would I find Day in and Day out?  For me, and others Toting DANKO BLOOD LEATHER goods in their pockets and on their choppers, Daily-Wear goods are the backbone of reliability.   These are the wallets, rucksacks, belts, jewelry and bling that we use to communicate a daily persona.
    For myself, My wallets and Belts have always Been a huge part of my business.  From handing out a snappy, and well presented business card, to dealing with money, wallets have been a great conversation piece and great at their job.   Belts were often a fun part of the fashion culture having a number of different environments of performance.  An automotive grade upholstery leather belt for a suit when Visiting an Art gallery opening or A handsome Veg-tan belt for daily Studio work and in the shop on the bikes.  One summer I even spent the majority of my time working on boat docks, on the water and riding pontoon boats around. My belts would constantly get soaked, stretched, twisted and used to capacity.  The belt, made of high grade upholstery leather Stood the test, and went far beyond what was requested of it.

    When it comes to Custom Goods, And goods designed for a client, The issue of "Will this be something I want to wear on a daily basis?"  arises often in my mind, as the lead designer.
 We want to build and design (everything) brilliantly effective for our clients.  (Everything) timeless, and applicable for their needs.


   Question for the Week,

     What's in your pockets, And what do you carry on the daily?

Here's a Link to a DIE-HARD site For EVERY DAY CARRY kind of folks.
 http://everyday-carry.com/page/2
Love this site, and the gear and goodies on it! Check it out for some SWEET HARDWARE, KNIVES, WALLETS, AND other GEAR!

Glass And Molds, and Harley parts!

Good Morning Creatives, Today were looking at the glass casting process.   this process is fairly involved with numerous stages to set up, creation and refinement.   We began on the drawing board, designing a round lens for the Harley.   These disks needed fit a number of different parameters, including the reusability of the mold.  this was a big part actually having a number of lenses needed for each bike, and exponentially more needed for a fleet.  

For the Early Stages, We created concepts of several styles, time periods, and functional thickness.   The lens being fully glass, consideration must be taken when the glass is being annealed, or melted.   Glass, when successfully annealed, should neither crack nor shatter.  However, When dealing with non commercial molds and glass, there is a higher risk during product development for the items to shrink and warp during the annealing and melting process.   This can yield unsatisfactory results, including the items not surviving the process!
   Pictured at right are the Model pieces being prepped for mold making.  Sealed and polished extensively, this assists greatly in the mold process and mold release.  Without sealing the mother model, this process would fail most certainly.

   After the layers and layers of sealing and polishing,  we take our precious Mother Model, and begin Creating molds,  and then those molds fail, and we hone the mother model into a more refined version, re grease and make more molds, which inevitbley may need MORE refinement and then we make a couple molds that DO work! YAY!   So now we have Molds full of glass several weeks later, full of crushed, measured glass, and waiting patiently in the deep heat of the annealer.

               Lets go Pull them out!!


          Till next week!