Latest Adventures

Altoids Clock

These are a few things that I have been working on lately for my etsy shop, MetalArtDude's Metal Shop. An Altoids tin clock, a 72 Buick Electra 225 Hubcap Clock, and a Metal Dog, Rusty. Recently the gallery that I have work at in downtown HomeGrown Decatur was featured on the local news about local small downtown shops and such, there is a video on the home page for the gallery. They pass by an Altoids clock and a couple of robots that I made. So what else has been going on? I went to the sauna yesterday for 4 hours and it was free! Well, no the volunteer coordinator at the Newnan Habitat for Humanity Restore joked that at least we got a free sauna yesterday. The warehouse isn't air conditioned and the temps yesterday and today are in the upper 90's. I volunteer at the store and it's a lot of fun plus I like the mission of Habitat for Humanity. If you need any kind of building supplies, furniture, and more check out your local Restore because they do have quality items at reasonable prices, sometimes even brand new in the box items. So now onto the art and clocks.

1972 Buick Electra 225

Rusty the Springer Dog

Pluto

Rusty is a parts dog, much like my crazy little dog, Pluto.

Pluto and Shaft

So the little parts dog with the big ears, small nose, huge underbite, tiny stub tail, short legs, and a big dog attitude. His best friend is a white German Shepherd, Wolfie. Pluto thinks that he's the main dog and doesn't let Wolfie get the best of him, he's a tough little dog.

Parades, Polkas, and Pizza

1930's Ford

Jesus to the Rescue Firetruck

International Truck

McCormick-Deering Tractor

Farmall Tractor "My Big Pink Tractor"

These are a few pictures from the 4th of July parade in Carrollton, GA. There were tractors (lots of them), a few old cars (needed more old cars), local businesses, tractor trailers, wreckers (more than 3), horses and riders, Veterans, and 2 marching bands. Of which I have to say my alma mater high school band was better. I didn't take any pictures of the big rig wreckers, I thought my Mom was kidding about them when she said that we would see some tow trucks in the parade. The horses, cars, and tractors were cool and the people seemed like they were all having a good time. Someone was throwing out popsicles to the crowds and somehow with my sisters 4 kids we ended up bringing a bunch home with us.

Tractors

 

1920's Ford

Early 1960's Chevy Bel Air Police Car

68 GMC Truck with a really big Dog

Later in the evening after a few rounds of bocce in the front yard with my niece and nephews, some frisbee, and then some ice cream, I headed over to the church parking lot to watch the fireworks for Carrollton. The church was nice enough to block off a big area for people to sit and they had lemonade! We got there late but it wasn't crowded, at least not what I had seen for the last 3 years in Decatur, GA, so we had a great view of the fireworks and the lightning show in the sky that evening but no rain for us but just a few miles away my sister was deluged in Lowell.  So hope everyone out there had a good day! And now time for the self promotion part of this broadcast.



http://www.etsy.com/listing/77303549/wall-clock-from-a-1970-1972-buick

Ramblings

 

Swamp in July

Swamp in May

Swamp in January

I walked down to the swamp at the end of the neighborhood and counted about 18 geese in what remained of the water in the swamp. Apparently the water level is a bit low due to the fact that the beaver dam got partially washed away by the last few storms, 3/4" in about 1 hour last time.The geese didn't move around that much because of the lack of space but they genuinely seemed to be enjoying themselves. After standing there for awhile the frogs started up a rolling symphony of sound coming from one end of the swamp and rolling towards us, stopping, and then all encompassing of the swamp. It was a strange affect and grew louder as more of the frogs croaked in and then stopped. Strangely beautiful. The swamp changes with the seasons, last time that I photographed it was earlier this year with a lot of water and then when we had a snowstorm.

 And now for one of my latest sculptures. A little black and white "parts" dog. It was inspired by my crazy little black and white mutt, Pluto, of somewhat astonishing bits and pieces and some paint!

little-black-white-dog-metal-sculpture
Now if I could just remember the story of E and C who lived in an A-frame house and worked at an advertising agency in Zeeville. Oh well maybe another time and another place. Thanks!

What is Going on with Me? Or how I learned to stop worrying about the beans and weld.

1970 Oldsmobile 98 hubcap 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the latest hubcap clock for my etsy shop, metalartdude's metal shop. The new junkyard that I get most of my hubcaps from now just has a big pile of them and I have to research them to get the year and model. Sometimes the owner of the junkyard helps me out if I ask about something that I have no idea about, like the DeSoto with the spinner cap, probably from the 50's. That's still sitting by the bus in the junkyard. I didn't want to get it right now but I did take the Thunderbird from the early to mid 70's, it's sweet. There is a Mazda hubcap from the early 70's there also, maybe one day I'll pick that one up. But for now I have quite a few left in the trunk of my car, why yes, I do have junk in my trunk. ;P

So now time for some randomness. Lime green flamingo!

 And more flamingos!

Around the neighborhood

There is a neighborhood cat, JJ, where I am living right now. I don't think that he's anybody's cat per se but several of the neighbors make sure he is taken care of and well fed. On tonight's walk he lazily crossed the road to come and see me, be scratched on the head and back. He crossed the street quietly announcing that he was coming to say hi with a soft mew. After we had walked on he sat there and watched us walk away. Sometimes I see him laying on top of a truck and sometimes sitting in the grass panting, it's been really hot lately, with one of the neighbors that is doing some weeding. Once he followed us home and hung out in the front yard with us but got bored and sauntered down to the backyard. A few minutes later he was gone when I went to check on him. I guess he finally found a faster speed. He is a super nice friendly cat, reminds me of my old neighborhood cat Manny, who lived behind me and came over to hang out once and awhile. So tomorrow its to Decatur and a long shift at HomeGrown. One of these days I'll go and get my truck and bring it back to Carrollton!

Junkyards and Clocks

Walked around a junkyard.  It's a cool, sad, exciting, and an educational experience all at the same time. I went looking for hubcaps but I don't want to take the ones that I see as a complete set on a car. I feel bad using them for a clock when they could be used to finish another car restored to it's former glory and back on the road but then I wonder how long these cars from the 50's and 60's have been in this junkyard and wonder if anyone will take the hubcaps for their restoration project.

The cars of years past were really big, and to think they usually had drum brakes, no power steering, no power anything, and yet they were driven. We are spoiled by the modern conveniences and safeties of our current daily drivers. It truly is a different experience to drive a vehicle that is 40-50 years old, and I drive a 64 Ford F100, not as a daily driver but I do drive it as often as possible and use it to its fullest capabilities as a truck. It ain't pretty, it's a truck, it was designed to haul things and tow things. At least the previous owner told me he had towed his fishing boat with it.  Well time to go to the basement and get something done. Later.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/71139254/hubcap-wall-clock-1975-mustang-ii

And some newer art work for today. "Headed Askew"

Blackberries and Robots

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/74810845/like-iron-robot-original-metal-sculpture

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75321599/dancing-robot-original-metal-sculpture

We went blackberry picking today, urban foraging, if you will. What does this have to do with robots? Not much but we did get a lot of prickers in our hands and ran into some poison ivy too but all is well. Picked about 4 cups of berries and left lots on the bushes. It would be cool to have a robot to wander into the bushes and pick some of those nice berries that are just beyond reach without getting ripped up and scratched up. Oh well, maybe the next robot will be a berry picker. One of these days though, I will actually finish painting that small dog sculpture....and then there is that other dog that I finished that needs to be photographed. Well thanks for reading.  Someday soon I'll be heading back to the local junkyard to find a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner for a clock.