Prius Project, Day Six: Touches
Prius Project, Day Six: Touches
Today was another studio intensive day at Casa Corteza while working on the Prius Project. We’re also happy to include an interview from Stephen Zerne, who comes to us from ArtNerd, Designer Friends, and as my partner. Stephen’ll be talking a little bit about his role in the project.
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M: So, talk to me a little about your role in this project.
S: Oooooooooooh…ummmmmmm. I helped?
Trust me, Stephen finds engineering a lot less puzzling than interviews.
M: But no, seriously.
S: My thought really was just how to make things work. That’s what I was focusing on, I guess: how to make the structure work, what elements could be reproduced or made/added modulally. My background as a designer and an education in structure [architecture], those are things that come to me naturally.
M: Have you work with recycled materials before this?
S: Depending on your definition: I definitely try to reuse things. Not everything I use is “recycled materials” but when I have a chance to repurpose or “not-wasted,” then I do that as much as I can. [I am concerned with archival lifespan] but whenever I can I use it in a project.
M: What advice would you pass along about using upcycled materials?
S: As far as being able to use recyled materials, pay attention to what’s available. Pay attention to your waste, so that you can use it [and use what you don't use]. Upcycling material is so different for each material, and there’s so many different things you can do with so many different materials, that the possibilities are endless.
Stephen's sketches for the crate concept.
M: So talk about your process of how you conceptualized the crate: from day one, the steps you took to get here.
S: Starting out, I had a quick guess about what size it would be, so I approximated [the materials list] from that. Turns out it’s shorter than I originally thought, but while there are minor differences, the [overall dimensions] of the crate are the same, where the handles go is the same, the lid is a little different but conceptually the same. Overall this sort of thing is formulaic.
M: What are things you’d advise to someone who hasn’t done this before?
S: Make sure anything larger than a couple of feet has a frame to it; that is to say, that the panels have wood to support and keep the panels flat and straight. Additionally, putting in screws through a flat panel into a board is a simple, easy solution for that sort of thing. Lighter objects obviously just need something to sit in, but as you get to heavier objects, you’ll need some framing, you’ll have to start thinking about how weight is dispersed. Luckily with upcycled materials, this is a fairly light object, but if you do anything with heavy wood, stone, or metal, then [that changes things] and it gets to be quite a bit more time-intensive to solve those engineering problems.
M: Is there anything about your part of the project you would have done differently?
S: Well, not really. I mean, I suppose if I’d had more time, I might have done something differently or been more extravagant, but I think everyone’s part of the project [affects my part]. Even with that in mind, I can’t think of anything I’d want to change about what I did.
Stephen likes this picture because he is "handsome" and "working."
M: What are the best things about working with a group of artists on this kind of project?
S: I think everyone who is an artist should work on at least one group project. In fact, I think everyone should work on a group project, even if it’s not art. The best part [of working] in a creative group is that you get a lot of great concepts you wouldn’t have thought about. You have that support, and you have fun as a team. You have tight deadlines, and you are pushing yourselves, but we had fun.
M: Anything else you want to add?
S: Just to be flexible. You can’t work with a team – or on any project – without being flexible. And don’t think that any idea is or is not “awesome” until you’ve seen that idea actually start to come together, because when you see it you may realize that in working with a team, that mixing ideas can be [creative] and interesting things can come out of it. Obviously not every team is going to mix perfectly, but you won’t find “it” if you don’t try it.
…Meanwhile, back at the casa with Corey, Megan, and Lindsey:
Corey puts the finishing touches (literally) of sealant on the bins...
...Lindsey works to implement our reclaimed fabric braiding...
...and megan ties off reclaimed fabric braids into the bottom petals.
Stay tuned for tomorrow to see the finished works!