Danger High Voltage Creativity! I found Steampunk Nirvana!

Steampunk Nirvana: Honest to god I thought I died and went to Steampunk Nirvana recently. The hubs knew of a place where there was so much stuff and the owner needs to clear it all out so he can finalize the sale of the property. I cannot disclose the location but as soon as I saw it I hardly knew where to look first. There were so many pieces of machinery, outbuildings full of boxes of all things metal-working. I managed to score an entire box of old propellers (it doesn’t get more steampunk than propellers, at least in my opinion). Every type of gear and cog both large and small, plumbing pieces, signs, old sodium light bulbs etc. I took all of my finds home and washed them. All the rusty gears and cogs got a coat of clear so the rust doesn’t come off on my hands. So now I am looking at these pieces and picturing what I can make out of them. I have ideas for clocks and lamps. What would you say to a propeller pendulum clock?……I am saying yes to that idea as well. As I finish these creations I will post them and of course they will be for sale in my Etsy store SyrinxAsylumArts. I am finally getting more traffic through there and even a few sales so that is encouraging. So here are the pictures of my finds, I know it probably sounds extremely geeky to be so excited by this but I had so far had to buy the gears and cogs online so its so cool to find a fairly local source.  I am so inspired.

Stay tuned for what becomes of my “shinies” bwahahahah!

 

I’m Back and I have New Work to Show You!

Whew! It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. I have to say that my creativity was sapped by all that went on between Christmas and through spring. So, no one was more amazed than I when it suddenly reappeared. I have spent a lot of time listening to Rush’s Clockwork Angel’s album as well as reading the fantasy book that tells the story in much more depth. Anyway, this was only the inspiration for this new art I am making, the other inspiration is my long time interest in steam punk art. I love the idea of making something new out of parts of old things, or creating something different out of something that used to be something else entirely. Kind of like giving new life to something to something that has become obsolete.

I have always had a hard time just throwing something in the trash, not to the point where I think I might be a hoarder but things that could sill be useful somehow just maybe not in their current form.

With this in mind, here is what I have done so far.

This piece started as a gold-colored metal angel that I think was a Christmas decoration. I found it at my favorite thrift store a few years ago. There were several of them and looking back I should have bought them all (but did not want to risk becoming a hoarder haha). Anyway, I have also been collecting old watches and watch pieces. In fact, recently, I went to an antique store in rural SC. I spent hours looking through all the things they had, I could have spent days there. I found a cache of jewelry and watches and carefully picked through them until I had all the broken ones and misc. pieces in their store. I brought them up to the register with my other unusual finds (which also included vintage “start” and “stop” buttons from some type of old machinery) and the older woman at the counter looked at me dumbfounded and said “hmmm, you want These?. Ok well we can call this miscellaneous, how about $4?” SOLD!

under construction

work in progress

 

 

 

 

This next piece was made from an unfinished wooden box I found in my sister’s things after she died. She loved to do projects so I am sure eventually she would have done something with it. I have had it for 4 years unsure what to do with it when it hit me. First I put the finish on it including lacquer, then I lined it with felt. Then I sat with the industrial looking findings that I had to work with. I love the finshed piece and clock inside is set to a time that has meaning personally to me. This piece is one I am willing to make more of possibly to sell and have already begun on 3 more that I will be listing on here for sale when they are completed.

it’s the journey not the destination

the arrow flies while you dream

 

Well, I am glad to be back and it really feels good to have my creativity flowing again. I have so many ideas in my head I want to quit my job so I can work on them full-time but of course that isn’t going to happen. As always thanks for reading, that is if there is anyone out there still reading since I have been gone so long. I would love any feedback you might have about these new pieces if you could take the time to write something. Thanks again, Carolyn  

Psst: I have been out thrifting some more and have found some very cool and very unique pieces and can’t wait to work on them so I will have more to show you very soon so stay tuned! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂