tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37529840090120204122024-03-12T22:54:10.401-04:00JackBear StampsStamps with a Storyjackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249253531863873953noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-44691703186217278262016-12-27T15:30:00.000-05:002018-04-10T13:21:01.202-04:00Rochester Mini Maker Faire 2016 ReviewWell, I did five <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/search/label/jointed" target="_blank">PREVIEWS</a> of my project for the Rochester Mini Maker Faire, I suppose I should do a REVIEW of it too!<br />
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<a href="http://rochester.makerfaire.com/" target="_blank">The Rochester Mini Maker Faire</a> 2016 was a great time. The show began at 9 am and ended at 5 pm. We had someone in our booth until around 4 pm, when I turned to my wife who was there all day with me and I said, "Look, the booth doesn't have anyone in it!" So you can see it was BUSY!<br />
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I was able to finish the stamps for all five of the characters. All five were big hits. I didn't keep track of how many of each got made, but it seemed that maybe <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MermaidTory/" target="_blank">Tory the Mermaid</a> was the front runner, as I think the demographic of the attendees in my booth trended female, and the mechanics of the tail is hard to pass up. <br />
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What was equally great was the number of people to did "mash-ups." We had a great assortment, and lots of combinations of characters. I love it when someone uses a part for which it wasn't intended, like an arm gets used for an ear. You will see a lot of them in the album below because I really tried to get as many as I could captured in the moment.<br />
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We definitely had more kids than adults. The littlest ones really needed help with the scissors, so my wife and I helped cut out a lot of shapes. As someone who works with stamps nearly everyday, I am still astonished at the folks that I can tell have never picked up a rubber stamp before. My stamps are not mounted to wood, so that can be confusing at first, but getting people to get a decent print can be done, but it takes guidance. <br />
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One unexpected thing that happened was my choice in inks. I specifically picked dye based ink. It dries way faster than pigment ink, and that was important since folks would be going right from the stamping step to the cutting step. If i had picked pigment ink, it would have smeared. Dye based ink however stains. Stains fingers. Stains fabric. So I had to put up a little warning sign about that. I think I may have only had one family who didn't do it because of that though. It was still the right choice, but it took a couple days for my fingers to look normal again.<br />
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I loved this project so much. I loved working with my artist friends to bring some of their characters to a different medium. I loved helping folks MAKE something from scratch. I loved carving these stamps. I really want to make more of these, and maybe get some into my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/jackbear?ref=hdr_shop_menu" target="_blank">Etsy shop</a> for 2017. The last few years I have recycled my Maker Faire project for the ArtAwake event. So if you missed it, keep your eyes out for <a href="https://www.artawake.org/" target="_blank">ArtAwake</a> in 2017 and maybe you will be able to make one of these for yourself!<br />
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CLICK on the picture to see the whole album of photos.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" data-header="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/jackbearstamps/538u3u" title="Paper Dolls: Articulated Character Mash-Up"><img alt="Paper Dolls: Articulated Character Mash-Up" height="375" src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5830/30946480332_041cef1658.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249253531863873953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-9463979749886614362016-11-18T11:08:00.000-05:002016-11-18T11:08:00.177-05:00Rochester Mini Maker Faire Preview: Mermaid Tory<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U6atpjLhX7U/WC8lP1K4plI/AAAAAAAABLQ/C7emNpqkHxE0TxrzF0UHTifRfLBF3UKrgCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-18%2Bat%2B10.34.16%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U6atpjLhX7U/WC8lP1K4plI/AAAAAAAABLQ/C7emNpqkHxE0TxrzF0UHTifRfLBF3UKrgCLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-18%2Bat%2B10.34.16%2BAM.png" width="225" /></a>I will be presenting a new project for my third year at the <a href="http://rochester.makerfaire.com/" target="_blank">Rochester Mini Make Faire</a> on Saturday, November 19th, from 10 am to 5 pm at the Rochester Convention Center. <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2014/12/rochester-mini-maker-faire-review.html" target="_blank">Year one</a> and <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-empire-stamps-back.html" target="_blank">year two</a> were awesome, and I'm very excited about this year as well.<br />
<br />
This year I am doing a project I am calling the <b>Articulated Paper Creature Mash-Up</b>. That's a mouth full, but what is means is that you can come to my booth, stamp an image of various body parts of a character on cardstock, cut them out, and assemble the character with brass fasteners to create a poseable/jointed/articulated paper doll. I have hand carved each of the pieces into a rubber stamp by hand, so you can build your creation from the ground up.<br />
<br />
Oh, you mean like a paper doll that my grandma used to play with? Well, sort of, but not exactly. The characters and creatures are not just little cute little girls with pony-tails. The characters are from other local artist's imaginations. You can build a single character, or mix-and-match pieces together to create a brand new mash-up.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wf1SswmIhz8/WC8lP7-1CtI/AAAAAAAABLY/Wq9KyHTeyTY3IFJew6ttcoqanACpUx5fgCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-18%2Bat%2B10.36.13%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wf1SswmIhz8/WC8lP7-1CtI/AAAAAAAABLY/Wq9KyHTeyTY3IFJew6ttcoqanACpUx5fgCLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-18%2Bat%2B10.36.13%2BAM.png" width="174" /></a><br />
Today I'm featuring <span style="color: #ffd966;"><b>Mermaid Tory<span style="color: #ffd966;">!</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><br /></span></b></span>
Tory O'Neil is the woman behind Mermaid Tory and Friends. Tory is a character performer and costume maker. Tory says <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MermaidTory/" target="_blank">on her Facebook page</a> that she began her career performing as various princesses for a "princess company." Then she decided to create her own costumes and characters. As a character performer, <a href="https://www.gigsalad.com/mermaid_tory_rochester" target="_blank">she makes appearances</a> at hospitals, festivals, parities, and museums.<br />
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Mermaid Tory's tail is an art piece in itself. Made from neoprene and thousands of sequins, each carefully stitched into it's place, it is truly a show stopper. That alone would make it incredible, but what takes it to another level is the fact that Tory can swim with it on. That's right, it is waterproof, and she can swim with it!<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bfi3__qhTk0/WC8lP13KNJI/AAAAAAAABLU/xDBGPuiXNSQcW-xTZZXRSiJh73b_9vzTgCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-18%2Bat%2B10.34.03%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bfi3__qhTk0/WC8lP13KNJI/AAAAAAAABLU/xDBGPuiXNSQcW-xTZZXRSiJh73b_9vzTgCLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-18%2Bat%2B10.34.03%2BAM.png" width="320" /></a>One reason I was interested in doing a paper doll of Mermaid Tory was the fact that she has a strong sense of character. Each of the paper dolls I carved this year had a personality beyond the paper. Some of the characters, like Fidget and Budd Jett, are three dimensional sculptures. Ms. Lucha and Maker Kid are 2D illustrations. Mermaid Tory though is a living, performing, art piece. I think this variety nicely shows a range of what character art can be!<br />
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I'm very happy with how Tory's doll came out. Carving each scale on her tail took a good deal of time, more so than some of the other dolls. As I kept turning the block, and making a cut, just like the one before it, and repeating it over and over, I thought about how Tory had to stitch on each sequin, one after another, on her tail. You get into a rhythm, a bit of zen, but you also wonder when you will finish it!<br />
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I'm very excited to share Tory the Mermaid's paper doll to the public at the Maker Faire this Saturday.<br />
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<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249253531863873953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-63693554242324529012016-11-15T16:54:00.000-05:002016-11-15T16:54:28.604-05:00Rochester Mini Maker Faire Preview: Fidget<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uqAbEoiFUlY/WCuCNLMbrFI/AAAAAAAABJk/T1wzTUJeUh8J0M4DkcxXEVWgkJfP_C3xwCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-15%2Bat%2B4.46.20%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uqAbEoiFUlY/WCuCNLMbrFI/AAAAAAAABJk/T1wzTUJeUh8J0M4DkcxXEVWgkJfP_C3xwCLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-15%2Bat%2B4.46.20%2BPM.png" width="245" /></a>I will be presenting a new project for my third year at the <a href="http://rochester.makerfaire.com/" target="_blank">Rochester Mini Make Faire</a> on Saturday, November 19th, from 10 am to 5 pm at the Rochester Convention Center. <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2014/12/rochester-mini-maker-faire-review.html" target="_blank">Year one</a> and <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-empire-stamps-back.html" target="_blank">year two</a> were awesome, and I'm very excited about this year as well.<br />
<br />
This year I am doing a project I am calling the <b>Articulated Paper Creature Mash-Up</b>. That's a mouth full, but what is means is that you can come to my booth, stamp an image of various body parts of a character on cardstock, cut them out, and assemble the character with brass fasteners to create a poseable/jointed/articulated paper doll. I have hand carved each of the pieces into a rubber stamp by hand, so you can build your creation from the ground up.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uvpXBAVQRoc/WCuCM0KCClI/AAAAAAAABJY/4pAZjNiXkSQm60XRRKo-JnTOGOQ9SwjyACLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-15%2Bat%2B4.44.50%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uvpXBAVQRoc/WCuCM0KCClI/AAAAAAAABJY/4pAZjNiXkSQm60XRRKo-JnTOGOQ9SwjyACLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-15%2Bat%2B4.44.50%2BPM.png" width="273" /></a>Oh, you mean like a paper doll that my grandma used to play with? Well, sort of, but not exactly. The characters and creatures are not just little cute little girls with pony-tails. The characters are from other local artist's imaginations. You can build a single character, or mix-and-match pieces together to create a brand new mash-up.<br />
<br />
I will highlight each character over the next few days.<br />
<br />
Today I'm featuring KiraArts creation: <span style="color: #ffd966;"><b>Fidget!</b></span><br />
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Kira Sinclair is the woman behind the monsters at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KiraArtsHandmade/" target="_blank">KiraArts</a>. I met Kira many years ago as part of the Rochester NY Etsy Street Team (RNEST). Kira absolutely KILLS IT when making here handmade monsters. She makes monsters like Fidget from upcycled sweaters. She finds homes for these cast off sweaters that she is given by friends and family, and that she sources from second hand stores. Color and pattern are important parts of her creations. Combining them in just the right way to bring a character to life.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dOBoNAxzDAg/WCuCjgKILpI/AAAAAAAABJo/SJC7HnkdEBw9zDEeoUnjJkK49hrQ-gbNwCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-15%2Bat%2B4.48.01%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dOBoNAxzDAg/WCuCjgKILpI/AAAAAAAABJo/SJC7HnkdEBw9zDEeoUnjJkK49hrQ-gbNwCLcB/s200/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-15%2Bat%2B4.48.01%2BPM.png" width="171" /></a>Kira gives all of her monsters names to fit their personalities. When I asked Kira about designing me a character for the Maker Faire, she came up with the drawing seen here. I asked her what was it's name, and without a second pause, she said "Fidget". I trolled back into her facebook photo's and found a gray and orange monster that had similar patterns so you can see it in 3D, but really each character is as unique as the sweater she uses.<br />
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Kira was at the Rochester Mini Maker Faire in 2015, showing how she creates her monsters. She has a <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/KiraArts?ref=l2-shopheader-name" target="_blank">Etsy store online</a>, and is a smash hit at all the arts+craft shows like <a href="https://maydayunderground.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Mayday Underground</a>.<br />
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I know Fidget is going to be a popular character at the Mini Make Faire this year. His ears are so expressive, that he can really display a range of emotions with them. I just hope he will be as fun as the real thing (even if he is less squishable).<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r-nWSNWsV5g/WCuCNM2_y7I/AAAAAAAABJc/GPoxrHYHyZwK4oQeHEVMEjUOLiX2Flg-QCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-15%2Bat%2B4.45.35%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r-nWSNWsV5g/WCuCNM2_y7I/AAAAAAAABJc/GPoxrHYHyZwK4oQeHEVMEjUOLiX2Flg-QCLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-15%2Bat%2B4.45.35%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249253531863873953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-80397558459050940292016-11-10T09:00:00.000-05:002016-11-10T09:00:28.171-05:00Rochester Mini Maker Faire Preview: Ms. Lucha<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T0B0HjOro8o/WCI1r3yu30I/AAAAAAAABHM/5qfgCc0y_pI-W_YperNPFi9o8kOpWNJ5ACLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B3.28.59%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T0B0HjOro8o/WCI1r3yu30I/AAAAAAAABHM/5qfgCc0y_pI-W_YperNPFi9o8kOpWNJ5ACLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B3.28.59%2BPM.png" width="242" /></a>I will be presenting a new project for my third year at the <a href="http://rochester.makerfaire.com/" target="_blank">Rochester Mini Make Faire</a> on Saturday, November 19th, from 10 am to 5 pm at the Rochester Convention Center. <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2014/12/rochester-mini-maker-faire-review.html" target="_blank">Year one</a> and <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-empire-stamps-back.html" target="_blank">year two</a> were awesome, and I'm very excited about this year as well.<br />
<br />
This year I am doing a project I am calling the <b>Articulated Paper Creature Mash-Up</b>. That's a mouth full, but what is means is that you can come to my booth, stamp an image of various body parts of a character on cardstock, cut them out, and assemble the character with brass fasteners to create a poseable/jointed/articulated paper doll. I have hand carved each of the pieces into a rubber stamp by hand, so you can build your creation from the ground up.<br />
<br />
Oh, you mean like a paper doll that my grandma used to play with? Well, sort of, but not exactly. The characters and creatures are not just little cute little girls with pony-tails. The characters are from other local artist's imaginations. You can build a single character, or mix-and-match pieces together to create a brand new mash-up.<br />
<br />
I will highlight each character over the next few days.<br />
<br />
Today I am featuring Chris Charles's creation: <span style="color: #ffd966;">Ms. Lucha</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iwAyziOv4eg/WCI1rqnzyBI/AAAAAAAABHQ/fCD1Rs3WMqQ8Mhg42ZMcBiAzWjsqE0u_wCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B3.12.22%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iwAyziOv4eg/WCI1rqnzyBI/AAAAAAAABHQ/fCD1Rs3WMqQ8Mhg42ZMcBiAzWjsqE0u_wCLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B3.12.22%2BPM.png" width="238" /></a></div>
Chris Charles is a letterpress printer, and is the creator, owner, operator of <a href="http://moonrabbitpress.com/" target="_blank">Moon Rabbit Press</a>.<br />
I got to know Chris through our artist group that sells work on Etsy.com, the Rochester NY Etsy Street Team. Chris has been printing her work on her own at Moon Rabbit since 2010. Usually when I think of letterpress, I think of type, and sometimes some graphics. Chris is all of that, but with another added layer. Much of the graphics you see in Chris's work is also hand carved in linoleum by her own hands. No machinery involved. As a hand carved, I totally respect that.<br />
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Ms. Lucha, as we are now calling her, has been around for awhile actually. Ms. Lucha is the star character on a poster Chris has been selling for years. The story goes something like this. Chris is approached to do a poster for an upcoming concert. The performers are were <a href="http://www.eilenjewell.com/" target="_blank">Eilen Jewell</a> and <a href="http://www.straitjackets.com/shows" target="_blank">Los Strait Jackets</a>. Chris combines the flavors of both musicians and carves up a cross-dressed luchadore, complete with lipstick and cowboy boots. It's a killer design, don't you think?<br />
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I have seen the poster for years in here craft booth at local art shows. I'll confess, I'm a huge wrestling mark. I love this gender bending design, and thought it would be totally rad to bring Ms. Lucha to life so she could be posed in the wrestling moves she was born to do.<br />
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Chris prints most of her work on the presses at the <a href="https://www.rochesterarts.org/" target="_blank">Genesee Center for the Arts and Education</a>. Her work can be found at most of the major arts+crafts show around Rochester and beyond, like Artist Row, Mayday Underground, and the Clothesline Art Show. She always finds the right blend of text, graphic, and color to make her work stand out, like her best selling crowing rooster with the text, "Rise and Shine, Bitches!"<br />
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I can't wait to see how Ms. Lucha (prototypes pictured) gets further mashed up with other characters at Maker Faire. I know the fists will be flyin'!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UXARTzWQo44/WCI1ruD70wI/AAAAAAAABHI/UYO4HZeQH-8vqbRtUCKSPbEn-KGbAwRMQCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B3.28.47%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UXARTzWQo44/WCI1ruD70wI/AAAAAAAABHI/UYO4HZeQH-8vqbRtUCKSPbEn-KGbAwRMQCLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B3.28.47%2BPM.png" width="271" /></a></div>
<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249253531863873953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-4298480870296443182016-11-09T09:00:00.000-05:002016-11-09T09:00:25.838-05:00Rochester Mini Maker Faire 2016 Preview: Maker Kid<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GoVoDYLymtA/WCIrsOcZLDI/AAAAAAAABGs/uxMfi6SFnoUBi3BD1VGvlAQJzIt1FlhlQCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B2.45.39%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GoVoDYLymtA/WCIrsOcZLDI/AAAAAAAABGs/uxMfi6SFnoUBi3BD1VGvlAQJzIt1FlhlQCLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B2.45.39%2BPM.png" width="268" /></a>I will be presenting a new project for my third year at the <a href="http://rochester.makerfaire.com/" target="_blank">Rochester Mini Make Faire</a> on Saturday, November 19th, from 10 am to 5 pm at the Rochester Convention Center. <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2014/12/rochester-mini-maker-faire-review.html" target="_blank">Year one</a> and <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-empire-stamps-back.html" target="_blank">year two</a> were awesome, and I'm very excited about this year as well.<br />
<br />
This year I am doing a project I am calling the <b>Articulated Paper Creature Mash-Up</b>. That's a mouth full, but what is means is that you can come to my booth, stamp an image of various body parts of a character on cardstock, cut them out, and assemble the character with brass fasteners to create a poseable/jointed/articulated paper doll.<br />
<br />
Oh, you mean like a paper doll that my grandma used to play with? Well, sort of, but not exactly. The characters and creatures are not just little cute little girls with pony-tails. The characters are from other local artist's imaginations. You can build a single character, or mix-and-match pieces together to create a brand new creation.<br />
<br />
I will highlight each character over the next few days.<br />
<br />
The next character is Randy Duncan's <span style="color: #ffd966;"><b>Maker Kid</b>.</span><br />
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Randy Duncan is a illustrator, sculptor, painter, and probably other hidden talents I'm unaware of because he always dazzles me with his talent. When I asked Randy about collaborating on this project, he had Maker Kid drawn up within hours, and had sketched out all the body parts individually in the next 24 hours. Randy is extremely productive, it isn't uncommon to see his new work on a daily basis on his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/duncanclaycreative/" target="_blank">facebook feed</a>.<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FYA7WMQsgD4/WCIrsGUIOsI/AAAAAAAABGo/9lfvZgxpzbEfnZ1ZbTsrJUmwoJKXDo1aACLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B2.44.43%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FYA7WMQsgD4/WCIrsGUIOsI/AAAAAAAABGo/9lfvZgxpzbEfnZ1ZbTsrJUmwoJKXDo1aACLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B2.44.43%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a><br />
I asked Randy for a masked superhero type character, with long limbs. I had seen illustrations he had done of Spiderman, and his version of Spidey reminded me of the work of comic artist <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/search/person:%20erik%20larsen" target="_blank">Eric Larsen's version of Spiderman</a>. Long, thin limbs, that bend at almost impossible angles. Randy hit the nail on the head in his first draft, with a boy like character, with a mask, cape, and long legs. It was in Randy's second draft he gave our masked kid a mohawk. That was a great addition, as it really cleaned up the design around the head, to highlight those long arms and legs.<br />
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wMfHh4oA0B8/WCIrsMtMhdI/AAAAAAAABGk/b9jzKzKJaSIIkOs8zgynuKtkX2jbFz6WACLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B2.45.09%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wMfHh4oA0B8/WCIrsMtMhdI/AAAAAAAABGk/b9jzKzKJaSIIkOs8zgynuKtkX2jbFz6WACLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B2.45.09%2BPM.png" width="229" /></a><br />
I will confess, I am a not too subtle fanboy of Randy's work. He is part of an artist collective called <a href="http://dudesnightout.weebly.com/" target="_blank">"Dude's Night Out"</a>. The DNO exhibit work across the city or Rochester, and also exhibit at the Rochester Mini Maker Faire. I got to know Randy through arts+craft shows, but I have seen his gallery shows at Roc Brewing Company, Record Archive, and several other openings around the city. I have several of Randy's illustrations in marker and watercolor hanging in my studio that serve as inspiration to continue to hone my craft. I even have a swing top bottle covered in skulls and creepy worms he did as a commission for me to hold beer (or moonshine).<br />
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I am super pumped to be able to share Maker Kid (prototypes pictured) with the Maker Faire visitors, and spread the word about the artistic talents of Randy Duncan.<br />
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<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249253531863873953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-33507102939236893222016-11-08T14:00:00.000-05:002016-11-08T15:30:58.434-05:00Rochester Mini Maker Faire 2016 Preview: Budd Jett<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5XMXDGDlUNw/WCIfv9ARPdI/AAAAAAAABGI/VMWOYmXG8r0VTC7zILqL2trssq9MOlA1gCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B1.45.05%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5XMXDGDlUNw/WCIfv9ARPdI/AAAAAAAABGI/VMWOYmXG8r0VTC7zILqL2trssq9MOlA1gCLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B1.45.05%2BPM.png" width="186" /></a>I will be presenting a new project for my third year at the <a href="http://rochester.makerfaire.com/" target="_blank">Rochester Mini Make Faire</a> on Saturday, November 19th, from 10 am to 5 pm at the Rochester Convention Center. <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2014/12/rochester-mini-maker-faire-review.html" target="_blank">Year one</a> and <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-empire-stamps-back.html" target="_blank">year two</a> were awesome, and I'm very excited about this year as well.<br />
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This year I am doing a project I am calling the <b>Articulated Paper Creature Mash-Up</b>. That's a mouth full, but what is means is that you can come to my booth, stamp an image of various body parts of a character on cardstock, cut them out, and assemble the character with brass fasteners to create a poseable/jointed/articulated paper doll.<br />
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Oh, you mean like a paper doll that my grandma used to play with? Well, sort of, but not exactly. The characters and creatures are not just little cute little girls with pony-tails. The characters are from other local artist's imaginations. You can build a single character, or mix-and-match pieces together to create a brand new creation.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lGWX5pxfuVk/WCIfvoDapmI/AAAAAAAABGE/7sgI4mTJ4DwN-Sp-MPcdsbW6-XNYPkEGACLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B1.46.47%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lGWX5pxfuVk/WCIfvoDapmI/AAAAAAAABGE/7sgI4mTJ4DwN-Sp-MPcdsbW6-XNYPkEGACLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B1.46.47%2BPM.png" width="202" /></a>I will highlight each character over the next few days.<br />
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The first character is Dan Bentley's robot, <b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Budd Jett</span></b>.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Ux0qjLJRgQ/WCIfv2V9qSI/AAAAAAAABGA/BQusf7Utlm0r0OwMJr8YLOtDD4R3xyfrwCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B1.46.10%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Ux0qjLJRgQ/WCIfv2V9qSI/AAAAAAAABGA/BQusf7Utlm0r0OwMJr8YLOtDD4R3xyfrwCLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B1.46.10%2BPM.png" width="212" /></a>Dan Bentley creates sculptures of robots from found materials, like old radios and metal salt+pepper shakers that he calls <a href="http://www.retrobots.us/gallery/4zuh2h32tkx1bxa2den7t7j2v42z1f" target="_blank">Retrobots</a>. Dan has shown his 'bots at the first Rochester Mini Maker Faire, the Strong Museum, and Clothesline Art Show. I have known Dan for many years, and I drool over his creations every time I see them. He trolls local flea markets to find components for his futuristic creations. One of his sculptures named Budd Jett was the inspiration for this paper creature (prototype pictured). Budd was built from a bank, tumblers, and bowls to name a few of his components. But he is way more than the sum of his parts.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QTuVq27QQuM/WCIfvx6eP-I/AAAAAAAABGM/2UgMFO311GIZeWhqcEZS5nWpdGZmIrp1wCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B1.47.24%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QTuVq27QQuM/WCIfvx6eP-I/AAAAAAAABGM/2UgMFO311GIZeWhqcEZS5nWpdGZmIrp1wCLcB/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-11-08%2Bat%2B1.47.24%2BPM.png" width="310" /></a>I love Budd Jett mostly because of the bank. The red, white, and blue stands out so well against the shining silver chrome. This guy is such a throw-back to old patriotic superheroes. His jet pack on the back made from nautical navigation lights is the perfect accessory for this mechanical marvel. I also in love with the flash bulb eyes, which remind me of my Dad's camera growing up.<br />
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To learn more about Dan's process and selection of his pieces, you should check out his <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjZ27y-6JnQAhXj6oMKHQd8DAUQtwIIGzAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DR9j8fKP24Nc&usg=AFQjCNHW04RRNGxHlfJ6wERnn3EnOHSPOg&sig2=OjIa62RMuK6CVVFw66mgRg&bvm=bv.137904068,d.amc" target="_blank">short interview by WXXI's Arts in Focus</a> program.<br />
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It is a great honor to help bring Budd Jett to life in paper. Though Dan's metal version of Budd is immobile, I have imaged joints that allow his arms to swing, and his legs to bend at the hips and knees, so he can get into a flying position. To infinity and beyond! Or perhaps more appropriate would be Dan's tag line, "To the future of the past!"<br />
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<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249253531863873953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-79577469656983951782016-03-06T12:32:00.000-05:002016-03-07T08:55:48.533-05:00Vending Machine Project Part 3: Postage Vending<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QqdoHN5GwCI/VtxnTUQr8TI/AAAAAAAAA-0/VFIakTXeQjY/s1600/IMG_4828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QqdoHN5GwCI/VtxnTUQr8TI/AAAAAAAAA-0/VFIakTXeQjY/s200/IMG_4828.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
Wait what?<br />
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If you have been following along my vending machine project <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2016/02/vending-machine-project-part-1.html" target="_blank">part 1</a> and <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2016/02/vending-machine-project-part-2_27.html" target="_blank">part 2</a> you might be wondering what happened to the toy capsule/gumball machine? Have no fear, that project is still moving forward. I can't contain all the ideas in my head so I had to add on more!<br />
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I got thinking about how I had to purchase some materials to work on the capsule machine. If I was working on TWO machines, it would help disperse the overhead costs of the two. Ok, so maybe I just really wanted a second machine to play with. Yeah, maybe that was it.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--Vd-M0-41xY/VtxnTg3vpfI/AAAAAAAAA-4/zTM0g8A-aCU/s1600/IMG_4833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--Vd-M0-41xY/VtxnTg3vpfI/AAAAAAAAA-4/zTM0g8A-aCU/s200/IMG_4833.JPG" width="200" /></a>Seriously though, this postage vending machine is the perfect vehicle to execute an idea I have. A sticker vendor. I have long had people suggest to me that I should offer stickers, stamped from my hand carved rubber stamps. While I could do this from a capsule machine, it seems to make more sense to me to use the capsule vendor for stamps, and a postage vendor for stickers.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mXE6IL9lMXE/VtxnTi7pK5I/AAAAAAAAA-8/lvODw0rBNvI/s1600/IMG_4834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mXE6IL9lMXE/VtxnTi7pK5I/AAAAAAAAA-8/lvODw0rBNvI/s200/IMG_4834.JPG" width="150" /></a>This old postage vending machine used to sell postage stamps in small cardboard "sanitary" folders. Sanitary is on all these machines going back to the early 1900's when <a href="http://postalmuseum.si.edu/collections/object-spotlight/schermack-machine.html" target="_blank">people feared that germs</a> were getting passed along on the sticky back sides of postage stamps to the tongues of their victims. The little folders held the stamp inside of it, protecting it from germs. That might be true, but imagine if the stamps where not protected by some container, the gummy backsides would have probably stuck to each other in the machine as water vapor in the air moistening them. These mini folders are about 1 inch by 1.75 inches, and will be perfect for protecting my sticker they will hold.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-83JbgIEV1tU/VtxnS8i1X9I/AAAAAAAAA_A/sq8YppZyTmo/s1600/IMG_4827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-83JbgIEV1tU/VtxnS8i1X9I/AAAAAAAAA_A/sq8YppZyTmo/s200/IMG_4827.JPG" width="150" /></a>I also like the price point of fifty cents for a sticker. Since I have two columns to work with on the postage vendor, my initial idea is to making it a kind of voting machine. Think of all those classic opposites... Coke vs. Pepsi, vanilla vs. chocolate, Chevy vs. Ford, Trump vs. Hillary (or whoever ends up getting on the ballot). People can vote with two quarters. Pick your side. Pick'em and Stick'em.<br />
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What's that, this old machine looks dirty and old? Nothing some sanding and painting won't fix. I have to replace the lock, or create new keys, but the mechanisms on the inside are functioning great so far, and I hope that they will have years of life left in them.<br />
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OK, now I've got some work to do!<br />
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<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249253531863873953noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-38607961824662648282016-03-03T08:30:00.000-05:002016-03-03T09:57:13.036-05:00Stamping All Year Long<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PKLRKpHnzsw/VthOsQSIfQI/AAAAAAAAAsU/hOi5kYc-CC8/s1600/Cover%2BStamping%2BAll%2BYear%2BLong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PKLRKpHnzsw/VthOsQSIfQI/AAAAAAAAAsU/hOi5kYc-CC8/s320/Cover%2BStamping%2BAll%2BYear%2BLong.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
I have advertised JackBear Stamps for several years running in the pages of <a href="http://www.rsmadness.com/index.html" target="_blank">Rubber Stamp Madness</a> (RSM) magazine. The staff at RSM and I having many things in common, and I feel that my mission and theirs is a good fit.<br />
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One shared passion is a love for <a href="http://www.atlasquest.com/" target="_blank">letterboxing</a>. RSM has had articles on letterboxing, and <a href="http://www.rsmadness.com/howtopdf/Letterboxing.pdf" target="_blank">online tutorials.</a> I love that they have embraced letterboxing as an art form. We also share a sense of humor in our work. The editorial staff at RSM take a very light-hearted approach to the rubber stamping art form, and it comes through in the pages of the magazine.<br />
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RSM is a real community. They readers make submissions, and the editorial staff sift through the best to make the pages. <a href="http://www.rsmadness.com/submissions.html" target="_blank">Submissions</a> are a huge part of the magazine, and I love reading the mail section as the readers share their experiences in stamping. Even the ads in the book are incredible! I am always inspired by each page I turn.<br />
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Rubber Stamp Madness has published two previous large volume book releases, and they now have a third 116 page book published called "Stamping All Year Long (SAYL)". The newest release focuses on artwork from all four seasons, and covering all the holiday seasons. SAYL is not just a full color book of eye candy but, "Stampers share information about each piece, providing tips, techniques and inspiration for your own stamping projects." The book contains layouts for inspiring greeting cards, calendars, and scenes of wonder.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mr55077NfX0/VthOshVZIJI/AAAAAAAAAsc/POIIWAG75pk/s1600/43_Bradbury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mr55077NfX0/VthOshVZIJI/AAAAAAAAAsc/POIIWAG75pk/s200/43_Bradbury.jpg" width="151" /></a>The folks at RSM have reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in offering "Stamping All Year Long" <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/270710958/stamping-all-year-long-art-book?ref=shop_home_active_5" target="_blank">on my Etsy shop</a>. So if you are interested in picking up this limited release (yes, they do sell out... good luck trying to find the first two they published), you can purchase it through my etsy storefront. I let RSM know, and they ship it right out to you!<br />
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Happy Stamping!</div>
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jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-80658248300198895742016-02-27T21:42:00.000-05:002016-02-27T21:42:41.661-05:00Vending Machine Project Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UoOyp2tQN3M/VtJaklpf_SI/AAAAAAAAA9w/cGhwtaTqC0o/s1600/IMG_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UoOyp2tQN3M/VtJaklpf_SI/AAAAAAAAA9w/cGhwtaTqC0o/s200/IMG_0001.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jFbPSjwT_34/VtJamPqQF-I/AAAAAAAAA90/hxmdJboWllQ/s1600/IMG_0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jFbPSjwT_34/VtJamPqQF-I/AAAAAAAAA90/hxmdJboWllQ/s200/IMG_0003.jpg" width="200" /></a> The vending machine restoration has begun! Today I decided to start working on the exterior cosmetics of the machine. I targeted the small dents and sanding projects.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPivaYyqt4o/VtJasxdhETI/AAAAAAAAA98/_1TbW6eGfmc/s1600/IMG_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPivaYyqt4o/VtJasxdhETI/AAAAAAAAA98/_1TbW6eGfmc/s200/IMG_0004.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EI3gTRXqeCQ/VtJaja-dkkI/AAAAAAAAA9s/9FUV_l0-dJo/s1600/IMG_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EI3gTRXqeCQ/VtJaja-dkkI/AAAAAAAAA9s/9FUV_l0-dJo/s200/IMG_0002.jpg" width="150" /></a>I began be taking out the interior mechanism of the vending machine. There are really just a couple screws holding things in place, so this was elementary. I downloaded a schematic of all the parts of the machine for future use reassembling, and I also took lots of pictures on my phone of all the parts before I took everything apart.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A73lQ_FLaf4/VtJatskAzyI/AAAAAAAAA-A/mJTZ0ybaEq8/s1600/IMG_0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A73lQ_FLaf4/VtJatskAzyI/AAAAAAAAA-A/mJTZ0ybaEq8/s200/IMG_0006.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ytqFCk_6ziY/VtJarNFjpYI/AAAAAAAAA94/4tBJkhjF1_I/s1600/IMG_0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ytqFCk_6ziY/VtJarNFjpYI/AAAAAAAAA94/4tBJkhjF1_I/s200/IMG_0005.jpg" width="165" /></a>After the inside guts were gone, it was time to try to tackle the two small dents that are on one of the side panels of the metal housing. I saw on YouTube that one tip to removing dents was to heat the metal with a hairdryer or heat gun to warm the metal first. I did this then hit the dents from the inside on a wood spacer to distribute the force of the hammer. Honestly, it did have some impact on the dents. I didn't get the dents out completely, but by feel I could feel a that the dents were lessoned. I can live with a few dents, it is a used machine after all.<br />
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jHLHpqzbpCY/VtJaydB8QcI/AAAAAAAAA-I/xmVEJgu3f8g/s1600/IMG_0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jHLHpqzbpCY/VtJaydB8QcI/AAAAAAAAA-I/xmVEJgu3f8g/s200/IMG_0007.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xMGw-g-1MtM/VtJa0RKwB4I/AAAAAAAAA-M/VYNh6Bb6gQg/s1600/IMG_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xMGw-g-1MtM/VtJa0RKwB4I/AAAAAAAAA-M/VYNh6Bb6gQg/s200/IMG_0009.jpg" width="150" /></a>After I finished with the dents, it was time to begin sanding. I made sure to get a mask on before I started. I had bought one along with a nice 3M sanding block that was about 100 grit. I started on the bottom to see how it would work, and it was great at roughing up the old paint and removing any corroded parts (which are not much at all). The sanding went great, and I got all the sanding done, inside and out, of the main exterior metal housing.<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tjY0FyHh9Fw/VtJaxd6r6zI/AAAAAAAAA-E/Hnppe2WhN3E/s1600/IMG_0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tjY0FyHh9Fw/VtJaxd6r6zI/AAAAAAAAA-E/Hnppe2WhN3E/s320/IMG_0008.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
Next session I'll sand the top piece, which is also painted red at the moment. Then I will clean it all up with mineral spirits to prep it for painting. So what color is it going to be? <br />
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I really want to make it look like a vending machine for JackBear Stamps, so I'm going with my dominate color in my logo and branding, so it will be GREEN! I also plan on painting the text from my logo on the sides panels. <br />
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Stay tuned until next time!<br />
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<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249253531863873953noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-84820051362496319942016-02-15T13:58:00.000-05:002016-02-15T13:58:05.830-05:00Vending Machine Project Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Back in April of 2015 I came across the idea of selling art in a vending machine. I don't know if something came across one of my numerous social media feeds, or if someone mentioned it in a meeting, but the spark of the idea took light in the tinder in my mind. Since then I have been finding other similar projects others have embarked on. I also started trolling Ebay until I found the machine I wanted. But I shouldn't get ahead of myself.<br />
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A great resource on art through vending machines I found at <a href="http://callithump.org/art_vending_history/index.html" target="_blank">Callithump.org</a>. This blog has a great history page of other vending machine art projects over the last century. Through their history page I learned aboutthe largest "art in a machine" projects: <a href="http://www.artomat.org/" target="_blank">Art-O-Mat</a>. Art-O-Mat machines can be found all over the US. Each machine is a reconditioned cigarette vending machine that dispenses art in a cigarette pack, usually at the $5 price point. Each machine itself is a <a href="http://www.artomat.org/portfolio-gallery/machines/" target="_blank">work of art</a>. Out in Chicago, the Busy Beaver Button Company has been doing a <a href="http://www.busybeaver.net/blog/2013/08/13/a-brief-history-of-the-button-o-matic/" target="_blank">Button-O-Matic project</a> since 2002. Using a toy capsule vending machine to sell buttons seemed like a natural fit. I also reached out to the <a href="http://www.jennifersquires.ca/blog/greeting-card-vending-machine-the-vending-arts-project/" target="_blank">Vending Arts Project</a> in London, Ontario. Janine Wass said that the project wasn't a huge money maker but I love the idea of greeting cards through a repurposed snack machine. And these were just a few I found!<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--nzr4p4UooM/VsIe_Hd0cJI/AAAAAAAAA7s/oKGWJ3gpKMQ/s1600/24417675494_9c9f3355cc_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--nzr4p4UooM/VsIe_Hd0cJI/AAAAAAAAA7s/oKGWJ3gpKMQ/s320/24417675494_9c9f3355cc_z.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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With so much inspiration to draw from, I began bouncing ideas off my friends and family. I began brainstorming idea. Should I put mini rubber stamps in a machine, or buttons, stickers, or all of the above? What would be the topic; mythical creatures, food, candy? What price, 50 cents, $1.00? So after much thinking, and watching Ebay for a solid machine at a good price, I pulled the trigger. I am now the proud owner of a Northwestern capsule vending machine that dispenses 2" capsules.<br />
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So the machine is mechanically solid. It came with a 50 cent coin mechanism, but I will likely replace this shortly with a $1.00 coin mech (four quarters). The paint is chipped in a few places, and it has a few dents, but I have been watching some YouTube clips and plan on giving it a nice facelift with a new color. The plexiglass (polycarbonate) face has some scratches that I will try to buff our, or replace if necessary. The machine can sit on a table right now, but I might add a wooden stand for it to sit on. So after a little tender loving care, I'm sure it will be looking as good as new.<br />
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So what is going to be IN the machine? What will come out of it? Stay tuned....<br />
<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249253531863873953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-58921810323190958802016-02-02T13:36:00.000-05:002016-02-02T13:48:05.186-05:00The Empire Stamps BackBack in November, I participated as an exhibitor at the <a href="http://makerfairerochester.com/" target="_blank">Rochester Mini Maker Faire</a>. This was my second year <a href="http://jackbearstamps.blogspot.com/2014/12/rochester-mini-maker-faire-review.html" target="_blank">(review from 2014</a>). This year my project was called "The Empire Stamps Back." I had various hand carved rubber stamps that I made, and instructions on how to doodle Star Wars characters from finger and thumb prints. Participants could use these to create a free postcard to take home. The inspiration came from the book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Klutz-Star-Wars-Thumb-Doodles/dp/054549284X" target="_blank">"Star Wars Thumb Doodles" by Klutz.</a> With the upcoming release of "The Force Awakens" I thought this would be the perfect year to let kids play around with the Star Wars universe.<br />
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Here are some pictures you can click through of prints I made leading up to the event, then some from the Faire itself...<br />
<a a="" data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jackbearstamps/albums/72157658930771405" title="The Empire Stamps Back"><img alt="The Empire Stamps Back" height="500" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/639/22476636514_2de15d5b3f.jpg" width="434" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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The project was a big hit with the kids especially, and several adults. The kids were willing to jump right in and take a risk. Many of the adults seemed intimidated to make a postcard, or get inky. It was interesting watch this psychology all day. The children would run up to the table, and start right in, while the adults would take two steps back into a supervisory pattern to watch their offspring make something.<br />
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I didn't get a chance to circulate much around the Faire, but several adults circled back to tell me that my table was their kids favorite.<br />
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The project really helped me think about how each of these characters are made up of different shapes. I know illustrators really start with shapes as the structure of a character, and this project helped me reverse engineer what some of the shapes were for humans and aliens alike.<br />
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<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-15757302543838983802015-09-21T15:56:00.002-04:002015-09-21T15:57:21.659-04:00All thumbs?Tinkering around with some ideas. More to come in the following weeks....<br />
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Photo by: Kira Sinclair</div>
jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02249253531863873953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-90555317397008230982015-05-04T00:30:00.000-04:002015-05-04T00:30:01.829-04:00May the 4th B w/ UAh, May 4th... Star Wars day. May the fourth be with you. Only geeks would come up with this stuff (myself included). It is so cheesy it's tasty.<br />
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So much of my playtime as a child of the 80's revolved around Star Wars. I had nearly every action figure, and would spend hours inside and out playing with them. In fact I think there is still a Luke Skywalker in Besbin outfit buried somewhere under my parents pine tree near the fence. I have shown my daughter the original trilogy so "the circle is now complete," as Vader would say.<br />
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In honor of Star Wars Day, and in anticipation of the upcoming Episode 7, the Force Awakens, I have posted a few photo's of rubber stamps that I carved for letterboxes several years ago.<br />
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Can you tell my favorite movie was Episode 4?<br />
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Now go check out <a href="http://wyvernscreations.blogspot.com/2015/05/may-fourth-be-with-you.html" target="_blank">my sister's blog</a> and her works of art she posted for Star Wars day.<br />
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<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-27385587274935029622015-02-07T11:44:00.000-05:002015-02-07T17:11:29.974-05:00WXXI Arts in Focus Feature on JackBear Stamps (behind the scenes)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The story begins at the <a href="http://makerfairerochester.com/" target="_blank">Rochester Mini Maker Faire</a>. My friend Dan Bentley, who makes the most incredible robot sculptures called <a href="http://www.retrobots.us/" target="_blank">Retrobots</a>, had his 'bots on display near my table. We were passing time as we waited for the doors to open. He mentioned that he had been approached by <a href="http://wxxi.org/" target="_blank">WXXI</a> producer <a href="http://interactive.wxxi.org/musicforlife/shows/meet-thomas-dooley-documentary-producer" target="_blank">Tom Dooley</a> about being featured on a new program that would be called <a href="http://www.artsinfocus.tv/content/about-arts-focus" target="_blank">Arts in Focus</a>. The show would showcase artists from Rochester and around the country. He asked if he should put in a good word for me. "Sure!" I said.<br />
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Before the end of the day, Tom Dooley who had stopped by to talk to Dan and check out the Maker Faire came over to my table to introduce himself. I explained what I did, gave him my card, and he said he would get in contact with me. I was a little surprised when he did, and we set up a time for him to come to my home and do an interview. He said he would like to do the interview in my creative space. I don't think he knew that at that moment that my creative space was a cold basement room with pretty crummy light.<br />
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Tom showed up at my house in late December with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jim-Day-Photography/101197173298299" target="_blank">videographer Jim Day</a>. I said we could shoot in the dining room with good light, or the living room that was a bit less echo-y. They said they wanted to see where I worked. As soon as they walked into the basement they said, "yes, let's do it here." Fortunately I worked for days cleaning it up. Not too much, I wanted to leave artwork from my friends in <a href="http://rochesternystreetteam.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">RNEST</a>, and that made by my daughter to remain in the background had they chose to shoot in this space. Jim asked up to give him a little time to set up a few lights and get things set up in the room. Tom and I talked a bit about how the show would go and I pried into his world travels a bit.<br />
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Jim called us back to the basement and we got the microphone and sounds checks done. Then Tom asked me questions. I did not know what the questions would be before time. I was confident in being able to field most questions they would have. After doing some podcasting in the past, I wasn't afraid of the camera or microphone. Unlike podcasting, I didn't have the ability to self censor myself, or do something over. However, I had trust that the pro's at WXXI like Tom and his editors would be able to cut things together to make me sound good, and to tell a coherent story, even if I wasn't able to do that on the fly. I think all the questions went great, until they got to the question I had dreaded, but knew would come up, "how is what you do art?"<br />
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Well, I fumbled my way through the question, going in very esoteric directions. After I finished, Tom asked me the question in a different way, and asked me to clarify some things. I don't remember exactly what he asked, but it worked, and I answered the question in a different way that didn't sound so idiotic. I have always viewed my work as a bit more mechanic, more craftsman. But after answering the questions Tom presented, I came to a new conclusion. Sometimes my work is very "paint by numbers," but other times I am making artistic decisions about what to include, what to leave out, what mood or movement do I want to bring to the stamp. And wouldn't you know, this was a very important part of the interview that made the final cut.<br />
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After about an hour of talking, we moved over to the carving table and I worked on a stamp of the Bausch & Lomb building from the Rochester skyline. I felt very comfortable in this roll, as Jim worked his way around the table getting different angles. I always wanted some video of me doing this, so this was cool to see it happening.<br />
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Tom and Jim finished up and we said our farewells. They informed me that the segment would be cut down from a couple hours of footage to about 5 minutes. I didn't envy them that job, but knew as professionals they had it covered. I emailed a few high-res scans that they wanted to use in the segment, and I waited patiently for the premiere.<br />
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I was a bit shocked when the show got advertised in the <a href="http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/staff/2015/01/12/arts-infocus-a-new-wxxi-produced-tv-series-that-spotlights-artists-here-at-home-and-beyond/21647417/" target="_blank">Democrat & Chronicle</a> newspaper in mid-January, and they used a picture of me carving! I didn't see that one coming. Cat was out of the bag now! People at work started calling me Jack Bear. Oh boy, time to embrace this thing.<br />
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Well, the day came, and the show aired on WXXI on February 6, at 8:30 pm (prime time people!) I DVR'd it, and watched it with my wife later that evening when she got off of work. I crossed my fingers and hoped I wouldn't sound ridiculous. My fears were immediately relieved when I heard my voice and knew I had been well taken care of. And what good company I had on the show; <a href="http://www.artsinfocus.tv/segment/ward-stare" target="_blank">Ward Stare</a> for crying out loud! Man, am I honored to be on the same show as this talent.<br />
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So that is the behind the scene story of my interview! Thank you so much to Dan, Tom, Jim, and all the other behind the camera folks that work to put this show on the air at WXXI. I'm on cloud nine.<br />
<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-4203985087146345002014-11-30T09:30:00.000-05:002015-03-01T23:12:10.717-05:00Rochester Mini Maker Faire Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://makerfairerochester.com/" target="_blank">Rochester Mini Maker Faire</a> took place at the Rochester Convention Center on Saturday, November 22. I had a blast being a maker on exhibit there! I would recommend it to any artist/maker/creator for next year! I found it very well organized, and attendance was great. It was a wonderful opportunity to share my work, and make connections I never would have made if I was sitting at home carving stamps in my basement.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OfAGuYRkPUs/VNYoR-0d2XI/AAAAAAAAAng/jaFWE8qKyrM/s1600/16218951717_b0f6d189ba_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OfAGuYRkPUs/VNYoR-0d2XI/AAAAAAAAAng/jaFWE8qKyrM/s1600/16218951717_b0f6d189ba_z.jpg" height="136" width="200" /></a><br />
I created a series of stamps that I called "Godzilla's Monster Melee." I wanted to make a series of stamps in homage of the giant monsters from japanese films that I grew up loving as a kid. The stamps would be used to stamp on blank postcards that attendees could save as a free curio, or send to a friend. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uBhah3haMEo/VNYoQXrFxVI/AAAAAAAAAnI/IoqlF7j9Q-s/s1600/15790667010_0e71c907b6_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uBhah3haMEo/VNYoQXrFxVI/AAAAAAAAAnI/IoqlF7j9Q-s/s1600/15790667010_0e71c907b6_z.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>I wanted the monsters to have local focus. What better way than to imagine the monsters had come to Rochester, and were battling it out in the Rochester skyline. I carved the familiar buildings like the Xerox, Bausch & Lomb, and Times Square buildings. I also carved the Anthony/Douglas bridge. To my surprise one of the bridge designers (Howard Ressel) attended the Maker Faire and I got to meet him, and make a couple more stamps of our amazing bridge for him. What an honor!<br />
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I chose a host of the kaiju monsters. Of course, the King of Monsters himself, Godzilla was star. But I also tried to hit some of this allies, like Mothra and Jet Jaguar. I did Gamera also (who is not technically in the TOHO Godzilla pantheon) so you could set up a dream style match with the giant turtle vs. some of Godzilla's most famous opponents. To face off against Godzilla or his allies were Gigan, Rodan, Hedorah (Smog Monster), and the MUTO from the newest Godzilla film from 2014. In the near future I plan to add Mechagodzilla, King Kong and Ghidorah, but didn't have time to get them ready for the Make Faire.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wHWgUjuV5QM/VNYoQECyKBI/AAAAAAAAAnE/xriGtXfDn9s/s1600/15355676204_880e38f555_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wHWgUjuV5QM/VNYoQECyKBI/AAAAAAAAAnE/xriGtXfDn9s/s1600/15355676204_880e38f555_z.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cm9lqNtNsx0/VNYobLDrrAI/AAAAAAAAAno/3B1DgQPEnwY/s1600/15977938145_2404341127_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cm9lqNtNsx0/VNYobLDrrAI/AAAAAAAAAno/3B1DgQPEnwY/s1600/15977938145_2404341127_z.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>Since carving these stamps I have fallen back in love with this genre and am gobbling up all the old DVDs I can find of these films. An honored guest I also got to meet was Prof. Joanne Bernardi. She teaches a film studies course at the the University of Rochester called <a href="https://rochester.edu/pr/Review/V73N2/0309_bernardi.html" target="_blank">"Atomic Creatures."</a> It focuses on this genre of films, and students watch and study films like Rodan, Gojira, and King Kong. Her family attended the Faire and made several postcards. I hope I can take her course in the future and really immerse myself further in the genre.<br />
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If you missed the Rochester Mini Maker Faire, stay tuned. The Monster Melee will likely make a return in 2015 at other events. For more pictures from this event, check out <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jackbearstamps/sets/72157650144053239/" target="_blank">my Flickr album</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">* Godzilla is a licensed trademark of the TOHO Co., so sorry I can't make any of these stamps or postcards for sale.</span>jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-45330142028210731192014-10-27T10:02:00.000-04:002014-10-27T10:02:46.900-04:00Scraps to Stamps<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UK1TcGwJpOc/VE5Fu7QsGeI/AAAAAAAAAk8/jebsovHVqSY/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UK1TcGwJpOc/VE5Fu7QsGeI/AAAAAAAAAk8/jebsovHVqSY/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(3).jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a>Over the last six year of JackBear Stamps, I have carved hundreds of stamps. I haven't counted lately, but I'm confident it's over 500, maybe higher. In the course of carving an image, I generate a fair amount of scrap (that's "crap" with an "s"). As you can see from my old pistachio containers pictured, it comes in all shapes and sizes.<br />
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My parents grew up in the Depression, so they weren't the kind of folks to throw stuff away unless it was beyond repair or worth. So I keep the bits of corners that get cut off when making a larger image, or the long line that is leftover from trimming something square. I do throw out tiny bits and shavings that can't be used again, I'm not a total hoarder!<br />
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But over the years I have generated quite the stockpile. The thought in my head was I would use this material to carve tiny stamps. The size of which could probably be mounted to a penny or a quarter. So into the extra jars this material went. I certainly have enough, and I am more confident in my abilities to carve smaller details.<br />
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Some of my <a href="http://www.letterboxing.org/" target="_blank">letterboxing</a> or stamp carving friends immediately notice the difference in colors of the material above. The pink stuff is the tried and true, "smooth as butter", material from Speedy Carve from Speedball. They also will notice the white material. This is hard to tell apart, but I'm sure the containers are full of PZ, MZ, NZ, OZ, and Firm Kut (as I have carved a little bit of all these) from Stampeaz.com. Of course the one that would bring the most attention is the now defunct Orange PZ Kut from <a href="http://stampeaz.com/">Stampeaz.com</a>. Carvers think back to the days they carved on this material like they think back on their favorite Christmas present from their youth. I still have a few scraps of it left. I usually just stare at it wistfully. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e8od4tAiH1E/VE5FuhZrgeI/AAAAAAAAAkc/XFMEe7vmgLg/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e8od4tAiH1E/VE5FuhZrgeI/AAAAAAAAAkc/XFMEe7vmgLg/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(1).jpg" height="161" width="320" /></a>With one of my biggest shows of the year on the horizon, <a href="http://maydayunderground.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Mayday Underground</a>, I decided it was time to put the scrap to good use. So I have been busy carving some sets of stamps to use it up, though honestly I haven't even scratched the surface yet (no pun intended). <br />
<br />
Some of the scrap I used to make fault washi tape stamps. <a href="http://www.cutetape.com/creative/blog/2012/6/what-is-washi-tape" target="_blank">Washi tape</a> is decorative tape used in crafting to decorating just about anything you can tape, from clothespins to clipboards. So I used a bit of the scrap to make sets of three designs that can be stamped side by side to create a washi tape effect.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xAxaP6CS8bg/VE5FvLJmGqI/AAAAAAAAAko/0F6cnGS-7HI/s1600/IMG_3292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xAxaP6CS8bg/VE5FvLJmGqI/AAAAAAAAAko/0F6cnGS-7HI/s1600/IMG_3292.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>I found this font online of all kinds of sci-fi ray guns. Being a Sci-Fi fan, I was immediately drawn to them, and figured I could downsize them onto my scrap bits of carving material to create a set. They are small enough that I think you could use them with other stamps of people or aliens and get it to fit snugly in their hands. The one pictured in black reminds me of Han Solo's blaster. The purple and green ones pictured remind me more of the Flash Gordon or art deco style sci-fi ray guns.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qfA_WtXQQ58/VE5FvSY-EfI/AAAAAAAAAk0/roceX0Fpwlg/s1600/IMG_3293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qfA_WtXQQ58/VE5FvSY-EfI/AAAAAAAAAk0/roceX0Fpwlg/s1600/IMG_3293.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>I have to say I am a skeptic. I believe in proof, not intuition. However, there is a small part of me that wants to believe. I hope aliens are out there. I can't totally rule out that Illuminati are secretly controlling the world. Is Bigfoot really wandering around the forests of our continent? I don't think any of these things are true, but the lack of evidence does not immediately disprove it's existence. So I totally get sucked into shows on the History channel that speculate on the treasure of Oak Island, or the hidden troves of Templar artifacts. I guess my older brother and sisters watched a bit too much of "In Search Of..." with Leonard Nemoy and I got sucked in.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2elYGp4_Ndw/VE5Ful1GsJI/AAAAAAAAAkY/LYWSf7mHlww/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2elYGp4_Ndw/VE5Ful1GsJI/AAAAAAAAAkY/LYWSf7mHlww/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B(2).jpg" height="119" width="320" /></a>Pennants and chevrons are all the rage. You see them all over craft shows, and all over Pinterest. So some of my scrap is going toward some pennants with patterns. The cool thing with these is that you can use just one from the set of three, or you can use two, or all three, to create a line of banners. You can ink them up in any color you have, or even multiple colors of the rainbow. They are VERY versatile. I have fun printing with them, and then taking my pen and drawing a line to connect them. This could not be easier.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cDEBasnUBKE/VE5FvDnuoEI/AAAAAAAAAkg/JELk9VlgzmY/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cDEBasnUBKE/VE5FvDnuoEI/AAAAAAAAAkg/JELk9VlgzmY/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" height="172" width="320" /></a><br />
If you are interested in one of these sets drop by <a href="http://maydayunderground.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Mayday Underground</a> this Saturday or Sunday at the Village Gate in Rochester, NY. Or if you aren't local, drop me a message on my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/jackbear?ref=hdr_shop_menu" target="_blank">etsy.com shop</a> and I'll carve you up a custom order.<br />
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<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-78685402201094311942014-10-07T15:46:00.001-04:002014-10-07T15:46:20.703-04:00Art in a Cart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sc6eIttrUY0/VDPvJFbPeoI/AAAAAAAAAik/SCfR5K-QXmo/s1600/10037086665_3c4b3c2d71_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sc6eIttrUY0/VDPvJFbPeoI/AAAAAAAAAik/SCfR5K-QXmo/s1600/10037086665_3c4b3c2d71_z.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
Imagine an artisan of old pushing around a cart from village to village full of his handmade wares. He peddles the treasures to welcoming faces who have never seen the likes inside the borders of that their town. Screeeeeeeech! Wait, that isn't how this is supposed to start.<br />
<br />
The story begins with an opportunity. At the University of Rochester the student commons is called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WilsonCommonsUR" target="_blank">Wilson Commons</a>. Within the depths of the bottom floor lies a candy counter that sells candy by the bulk, as well as house made fudge, called the Common Market. It is run by the Student Activities Office, which in full disclosure, is where my wife works (the office, not the counter).<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HP0yb0JMNBo/VDPy2gISUZI/AAAAAAAAAjc/jM-9rqOc3DM/s1600/10037088055_d20130d0d3_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HP0yb0JMNBo/VDPy2gISUZI/AAAAAAAAAjc/jM-9rqOc3DM/s1600/10037088055_d20130d0d3_z.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>The Student Activities Office had an idea to sell some items by outside vendors in a cart to be built next to the Common Market. The cart was built to look like... well, like a cart. It has wheels (though flat now), doors, and even lights. First it was originally designed to sell plants, then imported hats, scarves, and mittens. Those early vendors blazed the trail, ran the risks, but couldn't sustain.<br />
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Enter the idea. What if the cart could sell handmade goods by local artists and craftspeople ? I'm not sure who's idea it was, perhaps it was the Student Activities Office fearless leader Anne-Marie Algier. Maybe it was the ever professional Laura Ballou (yes, that's my wife). Or was it the cart's current supervisor, Michael Dedes. Let's give them all credit.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4xgtgdOhBAc/VDPwqMOk9yI/AAAAAAAAAi4/AGzFqsIP8f4/s1600/10316335076_ca99ee9ba0_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4xgtgdOhBAc/VDPwqMOk9yI/AAAAAAAAAi4/AGzFqsIP8f4/s1600/10316335076_ca99ee9ba0_z.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>Who could provide such handmade goods? Who could work on such a small scale? Who could bring enlightenment to the darkness? Sorry.... getting carried away.<br />
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Along comes a man who knows a few people who could be of service. Let's call him Jack. Jack is a member of a group of local <strike>heroes</strike> artists who call themselves the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/RNEST/135039037339" target="_blank">Rochester NY Etsy Street Team (RNEST)</a>. The group is very diverse: jewelers, knitters, painters, illustrators, designers, photographers... you name it. Though diverse, they all share three things in common: 1) they are local 2) they make things by hand 3) they have shops on etsy.com. Jack say's that he could get an artisan to set up in the cart for a month at a time. They could call it the RNEST Art Cart. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_pOXy49QksE/VDPxFYLP9lI/AAAAAAAAAjA/ypQUMFWQ3GM/s1600/12443639514_55a1599f34_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_pOXy49QksE/VDPxFYLP9lI/AAAAAAAAAjA/ypQUMFWQ3GM/s1600/12443639514_55a1599f34_z.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Ui6vZTF5kg/VDPvhGVO6hI/AAAAAAAAAis/xABMaJ0yBgA/s1600/10037148586_d4fb951815_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Ui6vZTF5kg/VDPvhGVO6hI/AAAAAAAAAis/xABMaJ0yBgA/s1600/10037148586_d4fb951815_z.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>New plexiglass doors were installed, new signs were made, contracts got written and rewritten. The RNEST Art Cart opened in the Fall of 2013. The first year was the trial. Could this work? Would there be enough interest? Jack and Michael tried to pick artisans who might succeed. Taking into consideration the time of year, students' interests, artisans with adequate inventory. <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/jackbear" target="_blank">JackBear Stamps</a> was first, since it would be important to work out some of the early kinks. Next came <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/CircuitBreakerLabs" target="_blank">Circuit Breaker Labs</a>, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/PapersaurusCreative" target="_blank">Papersaurus Creative</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kristina-Murty-Massage/178327335559970?sk=timeline" target="_blank">Pure Bodycare Essentials</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/duncanclaycreative" target="_blank">DuncanClay</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f4jfz0hUkl4/VDPxSO-JVkI/AAAAAAAAAjI/zk2xla8_m5s/s1600/14934073409_92d7b781fa_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f4jfz0hUkl4/VDPxSO-JVkI/AAAAAAAAAjI/zk2xla8_m5s/s1600/14934073409_92d7b781fa_z.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
The first year's trial taught Jack and Michael many lessons. The successes outweighed the failures, so a second year was planned. Leading the pack with her incredible letterpress-ed masterpieces was Chris Charles of <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/flyrabbitpress" target="_blank">Fly Rabbit Press</a>. Jack had hoped for a knitter to provide some warm hats and scarves in October, but he couldn't get one in time. <br />
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So coming full circle, back for the month of October 2014, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/jackbear" target="_blank">JackBear Stamps</a> will be in the RNEST Art Cart again until October 30th. To finish off the semester, and throughout the holiday season, the Art Cart will feature <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/SunshyneSilverwear" target="_blank">Sunshyne Silverware's</a> amazing repurposed jewelry and accessories.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dbE2LbuRvCo/VDPxjVAgE6I/AAAAAAAAAjQ/mSi8p5qbJQo/s1600/15425477651_0ba1a5a771_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dbE2LbuRvCo/VDPxjVAgE6I/AAAAAAAAAjQ/mSi8p5qbJQo/s1600/15425477651_0ba1a5a771_z.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
How does the story end? Will the RNEST Art Cart continue to flourish? Can they keep local <br />
handmade goods available to the University of Rochester community? Will the mass produced forces of darkness take over? (Sorry, slipped off the edge there again)<br />
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The end is, "To be continued."<br />
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<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-59090658332077919592014-09-22T11:01:00.000-04:002014-09-22T11:01:30.642-04:00The Maker Moniker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NgWjSY5qAtM/VCA1hTAmHaI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/Jt_IdLao28k/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-09-22%2Bat%2B9.45.43%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NgWjSY5qAtM/VCA1hTAmHaI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/Jt_IdLao28k/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-09-22%2Bat%2B9.45.43%2BAM.png" height="320" width="245" /></a></div>
I am happy to announce that I have been accepted into <a href="http://makerfairerochester.com/about/" target="_blank">Rochester's first Mini Maker Faire</a> on November 22, from 10 am to 4 pm at the Riverside Convention Center!<br />
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So I told my wife the good news and she said, "Can you tell me what a Maker is in one sentence?" (She knows I can be longwinded. )<br />
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But then I had to scratch my head a bit. Can I capture this in one soundbite? Someone who makes things? A creator? Part artist, part inventor? Yes all apply, but that really isn't the full story.<br />
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The story really begins with the rise of the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) movement. With more emphasis by print and broadcast media about projects you could do on your own, and more access to instructions on materials on the internet, a subculture formed of people looking to "make stuff."<br />
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Dale Dougherty comes along from O'Reilly Publishing and captures the essence of this movement and founds <a href="http://makezine.com/" target="_blank">MAKE magazine</a>. MAKE begins in 2005 with a focus on DIY, technology, woodworking, metalworking, etc. It publishes ideas on projects, expanding one's skills, and sharing what the maker learns. <br />
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MAKE also launched the first Maker Faire in 2006. Wikipedia chronicles the first Maker Faire, as <span style="color: #cccccc;">"<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">a public annual event to "celebrate arts, crafts, engineering, science projects and the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset."... </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">It included six exposition and workshop pavilions, a 5-acre (20,000 m</span><sup style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1;">2</sup><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">) outdoor </span>midway<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, over 100 exhibiting Makers, hands-on workshops, demonstrations and DIY competitions."</span></span><br />
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Since then, hundreds of Maker Faire's and Mini Maker Faires have been held across the world. Imagine stepping into a giant show-and-tell room, filled with creative minded makers who want to not only show you what they do, but give you a hands-on taste of it. Perfect for kids, but also those creative minded adults who like to tinker or create.<br />
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So to me, "Maker" is a moniker that serves as an umbrella term for anyone who executes an idea, to create a physical item, and wants to share his/her skills and knowledge with others.<br />
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If you are interested in learning more, here are a few quick links:<br />
More about my project for the Rochester Mini Maker Faire to come, stay tuned.<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://makezine.com/" target="_blank">MAKE magazine</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://makerfairerochester.com/about/" target="_blank">Rochester Mini Maker Faire</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.rochestermakerspace.org/" target="_blank">Rochester Makerspace</a></span><br />
<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-11907620396788279042014-09-15T18:49:00.000-04:002014-09-15T18:51:37.515-04:00Origin Story<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nBsc9tw-ZWA/VBclfP-W9vI/AAAAAAAAAhw/mOyhddji5k4/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-09-15%2Bat%2B10.18.36%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nBsc9tw-ZWA/VBclfP-W9vI/AAAAAAAAAhw/mOyhddji5k4/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-09-15%2Bat%2B10.18.36%2BAM.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">original photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
First I will confess I am tired of origin stories. As a comic book reader in my youth I read so many stories about how superheroes came into being. And very often the comic book writers rewrote those stories with new details, so I got those stories over and over. Now that all the Marvel and DC movies are coming out to the big screen, I am seeing all these stories again. I get it though, producers need to introduce the characters to new audiences. Origin stories answer questions like "Why" and "How" the characters got to where they are now. Who will ever forget: Adam and Eve, A babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, the Earth on Turtle's Back, or Krypton exploding. They are both memorable and powerful.<br />
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I have probably written enough about how I became involved in a hobby called <a href="http://www.letterboxing.org/" target="_blank">letterboxing</a>, my need to carve my first stamp, and my letterboxing handle "jackbear."<br />
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But an origin story that I haven't told in much detail is the one of how I turned an avocation into a vocation. It answers the questions, "How did I create JackBear Stamps?"<br />
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It began with an email and a photograph in May of 2008. I received a message on <a href="http://www.atlasquest.com/" target="_blank">Atlas Quest</a>, my favorite letterboxing website. A letterboxer, going by the handle of JBBK, contacted me to carve a portrait stamp. She was not confident in her own skills yet to carve faces, and she had a photo of her friend's boys (or maybe it was a relative?) that she wanted carved into a stamp to give to him as a gift. She wanted to know how much I charged. I told her that I wasn't really carving for cash, but since I didn't know her at all up until this point, she could just order me some PZ Kut from <a href="http://stampeaz.com/">Stampeaz.com</a>, my carving medium of choice from my online supplier. She was very pleased with that arrangement, and I had an opportunity to test my skills without too much pressure.<br />
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I ran the photo through some filters in photoshop, and managed to teach myself how to transform a full color photo into something black and white, and then into a line drawing that I could carve. We worked out a size and I got started carving.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oyWEdWxSen0/VBcllr8sVrI/AAAAAAAAAh4/tFRGvfAtbvA/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-09-15%2Bat%2B10.14.50%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oyWEdWxSen0/VBcllr8sVrI/AAAAAAAAAh4/tFRGvfAtbvA/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-09-15%2Bat%2B10.14.50%2BAM.png" height="302" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">finished custom rubber stamp image</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I don't remember how long it took me, but after I proofed it for the first time, I felt like I was onto something. The biggest challenge for me, and many newer carvers, are "eyes." If you don't get them right, the person looks strange. If I had to carve the stamp again today, I would make a change or two, but for my first commissioned stamp for compensation I was pleased with the result.<br />
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The feedback I got was overwhelmingly positive. JBBK and the recipient of the stamp loved it, and I got some extra PZ Kut in the arrangement. But more importantly, it sparked an idea in my head. Up until this point the people I knew through letterboxing all carved their own stamps. No need for my services. But after this transaction I realized there might be people who weren't confident yet in their carving skills, or they might have friends who were NOT in letterboxing that needed a stamp. That had never occurred to me before.<br />
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Around the same time I had learned about <a href="http://etsy.com/">Etsy.com</a>. Now there was a marketplace with low overhead that I could market my work through. I rapidly researched how to set myself up as a business and get a sales tax number. By that Fall I opened <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/jackbear" target="_blank">my etsy shop</a>, and started selling stamps.<br />
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The rest is history as they say. Every time I look at this stamp I think about how this was the one that started me on this journey of JackBear Stamps, and I will always remember it as part of my origin story.<br />
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<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-53113596506891851542014-09-04T21:30:00.001-04:002014-09-04T21:32:58.428-04:00New Beginnings - It's time to tell some stories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d4gKP0ZxYIk/VAi3XYMuxQI/AAAAAAAAAhE/gC8HeJydL24/s1600/jackbearAD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d4gKP0ZxYIk/VAi3XYMuxQI/AAAAAAAAAhE/gC8HeJydL24/s1600/jackbearAD.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
Three times during the year I get the feeling of "new beginnings": New Year's Day, those early days of spring when the spring flowers start to bloom, and the first days of a new school year. The last is probably due to years of going through that ritual of going back to school as a child, but even now working at a University I have that feeling with each new incoming class year.<br />
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It seems fitting then to do some rebranding at JackBear Stamps. The first thing I'm rebooting, I just typed. I'm trying to capitalize the B in Bear. JackBear. Before, I left it a little b. Does it matter, not really. It's just that it often ended up as Jack Bear, or as JackBear when others transcribed it, so might as well roll with it, instead of Jackbear. In most of my logos it will be all caps anyway, JACKBEAR. <br />
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Next, and this is the big one, I am adopting a new tagline that will define how I market my products. The tagline is "Rubber Stamps with a Story," or "Stamps with a Story." I felt like my hand carved rubber stamps each had a story to tell.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8tFvs3Y7OIA/VAkPa-NK-9I/AAAAAAAAAhU/0CEWHaCiUZ0/s1600/port.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8tFvs3Y7OIA/VAkPa-NK-9I/AAAAAAAAAhU/0CEWHaCiUZ0/s1600/port.jpg" /></a></div>
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You see I keep a big book, a portfolio of sorts, that has images of all the stamps I have carved for JackBear Stamps (I have a lot more I have carved for <a href="http://www.letterboxing.org/" target="_blank">letterboxing</a> that are in different journals). This visual catalog of my stamps is fun to flip through to see how I have improved, see the size and shapes I have carved, and to get lost in the menagerie of topics covered. When I share this portfolio with others, and they flip through, a common comment is often, "Wow, look at this one." That always leads to me telling a narrative about why that stamp was carved. I find myself telling a story about who it was for, and why they wanted an that particular image carved.<br />
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For instance, the image below I carved for a client on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/jackbea" target="_blank">etsy</a>. She sent me an old photograph of this fellow, and told me that she wanted a stamp of it for a friend who was a photographer. Her friend identified with this photograph because of how it was shot, the subject in the photo, the look in his eyes, and when it was taken. Take a close look at it:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gzQJ1DYZA8o/VAi23vDDXmI/AAAAAAAAAg8/RRw5T3p9Swg/s1600/payne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gzQJ1DYZA8o/VAi23vDDXmI/AAAAAAAAAg8/RRw5T3p9Swg/s1600/payne.jpg" height="320" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Powell_(conspirator)" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;" target="_blank">photo credit: Alexander Gardner</a></td></tr>
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Would you then be surprised if I told you the name of this fellow is Lewis Powell (Payne) and the photograph was taken in 1865! Now look at the background in the photo, see those large rivet like circles? Those are from the iron-clad naval ship USS Saugus. Now look closely at his hands? They are manacled. You see Lewis Powell was convicted and hanged as one of the co-conspirator's in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Now that is a STORY!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wrZMzCbAv8U/VAkPyVrhxFI/AAAAAAAAAhc/jwzSakNLBXg/s1600/payne2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wrZMzCbAv8U/VAkPyVrhxFI/AAAAAAAAAhc/jwzSakNLBXg/s1600/payne2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My stamped image inspired by the above photo</td></tr>
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So you see, each stamp tell's a story. I wanted to start sharing those stories here on the blog, on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jackbear-Stamps/45031198208" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/JackBearStamps" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. Pictures do tell a thousand words, but sometimes you need to help build the background of the story.<br />
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With the new tagline, a bear paw didn't seem to visually represent "stories" to me. But what did? In my mind, a rocking chair did. Maybe old grandpa sitting by the hearth telling a yarn. But what kind of rocking chair, a windsor back? No, I love the rustic motif. My favorite piece of furniture by far is the Adirondack Chair (having grown up north of those mountains). So how about an Adirondack rocking chair. That brings up images of old hermit of the Adirondacks, and folk heroes like <a href="http://tauny.org/subpages/84/103/19/ham-ferry" target="_blank">Ham Ferry</a> and <a href="http://tauny.org/subpages/84/101/19/bill-smith" target="_blank">Bill Smith</a> (but that's a story for another day).<br />
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So here we are now, sitting by the fireplace, rocking away in our chair, telling stories on a chilly autumn eve as the smoke of the fire seasons our flannel shirts with its charcoal-like smell. That is my happy place. This place is now JackBear Stamps.jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-42819386779458246882014-02-06T09:09:00.000-05:002014-02-07T10:07:49.638-05:00Olympics = televised CURLING!I have been curling for ten years. That's not much, but for those of us in the USA who are curlers, that isn't insignificant either. Most of us didn't grow up in a curling environment. I also live in New York state, which I believe has four dedicated curling rinks statewide. Finding curlers is like finding endangered pandas.<br />
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So when the winter Olympics come around, that means those of us who live in the backwater countries where curling is still small, we finally get to see curling on TV. I grew up in Northern NY, where we had the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Channel) on our cable package, so I got to see curling on TV out of Canada. I miss those days now!<br />
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So in honor of curlers worldwide, I have listed some items in my shop for curlers, or friends of curlers.<br />
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First up is greeting cards. I have three designs. They come in packs of two. You can <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/jackbear?ref=si_shop" target="_blank">buy them in my etsy shop.</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/178425582/rock-star-curling-greeting-cards?ref=listing-shop-header-1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wY_0CZ5Xu0M/UvOWV3N-09I/AAAAAAAAAdI/Zx9tBA0eOJY/s1600/il_570xN.560723914_s5av.jpg" height="320" width="297" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/178423872/curling-stone-greeting-card?ref=listing-shop-header-2" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jgRKOf7xXbA/UvOWVhnINiI/AAAAAAAAAdc/Z5F4XGrldek/s1600/il_570xN.560822731_9kdq.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/178436315/you-rock-curling-greeting-cards?ref=listing-shop-header-0" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yt5V2_d--OQ/UvOWV2pxJFI/AAAAAAAAAdE/u0kbTe7H1QU/s1600/il_570xN.560831441_93e8.jpg" height="320" width="309" /></a></div>
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Next I have an ACEO/ATC in serval choice colors. Also <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/jackbear?ref=si_shop" target="_blank">available in my shop.</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/178426598/rock-star-curling-aceo?ref=listing-shop-header-3" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7LxXuspjAEI/UvOWWP6XdCI/AAAAAAAAAdM/8nmajPNjXAM/s1600/il_570xN.560837257_ai0s.jpg" height="302" width="320" /></a></div>
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And last but not least, a <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/178593997/curling-stamp-set-hand-carved-rubber?ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank">mini rubber stamp set</a>!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-parf95VKy14/UvT2ogovJaI/AAAAAAAAAuI/Tr2bAX7JcFo/s1600/il_570xN.561312900_j7u7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-parf95VKy14/UvT2ogovJaI/AAAAAAAAAuI/Tr2bAX7JcFo/s1600/il_570xN.561312900_j7u7.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Enjoy some curling on TV for a change!jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-91982945383188288152014-02-04T08:36:00.000-05:002014-02-04T08:41:50.863-05:00Book PlatesWhy do I love book plates? Maybe it's the graphics. Maybe it's the ownership of a great book. Maybe it's the uniqueness and personalization. Maybe it's the Latin!<br />
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Whatever the reason I have carved a ton of great bookplates. I took some quick snapshots of a few I have done and pictured them below. I keep a master book of all the stamps I have carved so I have a visula record of stamps I have carved before. Some of the images were provided by the customer. Some of them were modified or designed by me. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-42333241477966506302013-06-10T14:32:00.000-04:002013-06-10T14:32:23.168-04:00Artist Card Giveaway!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0DbPGnMDhSY/UbYanwtawTI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/G1EYhnY3tUI/s1600/il_570xN.225136147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0DbPGnMDhSY/UbYanwtawTI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/G1EYhnY3tUI/s320/il_570xN.225136147.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
I'm giving away and Edgar Allen Poe artist card called "Tell Tale Heart" this week on the RNEST blog. <a href="http://rochesternystreetteam.blogspot.com/2013/06/june-first-friday-freebie.html" target="_blank">You can enter to win it here.</a><br />
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I have made several editions of this design. It always seems to be popular. There are so many Poe fans out there! I always use the hearts suit of the poker cards to give that extra "love."<br />
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If you don't win and you really want one, you can pick one up from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/jackbear" target="_blank">my etsy shop.</a>jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-45175337661744848092013-05-09T22:20:00.000-04:002013-05-09T22:20:25.925-04:00Guitar Effect Pedals and Rubber Stamps?<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aLm5-pF4tkg/UYwTtstUskI/AAAAAAAAAXc/DCytLAzmg9c/s1600/sputnik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aLm5-pF4tkg/UYwTtstUskI/AAAAAAAAAXc/DCytLAzmg9c/s200/sputnik.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">OK, I'll admit, I am not a musician. I quit trombone in the sixth grade. So when Terry T. at Push + Pull Pedals contacted me about getting a stamp of the Sputnik space probe I didn't know what he was doing with it. Afterwards I saw a picture of it on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pushpullpedals?fref=ts" target="_blank"> his facebook</a>, and BLAM! there is was. With kickass LEDs and everything.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So I began to appreciate what it looked like (and man did it look sharp), but what did it do? So if you are like me and don't know jack about guitars, you would google guitar effect pedals to find out that they are electronic devices that modify the tone, pitch, or sound of an electric guitar. If you want to hear what they do, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWUdsbsg4po&feature=share">here is a video of one of Terry's pedals in action</a>, as posted by Youtube user Brett Kingman.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">OK, so they look sharp and SOUND awesome!</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DZpJxUQZ-4/UYwTse1AUpI/AAAAAAAAAXM/Eud02MWqmm0/s1600/luchastamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DZpJxUQZ-4/UYwTse1AUpI/AAAAAAAAAXM/Eud02MWqmm0/s200/luchastamp.jpg" width="149" /></span></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OfKRlMOLX_E/UYwTsWul__I/AAAAAAAAAXI/P0XbNpg2eZQ/s1600/luchapedals.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OfKRlMOLX_E/UYwTsWul__I/AAAAAAAAAXI/P0XbNpg2eZQ/s320/luchapedals.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I was very happy that Terry wanted a lucha mask stamp done for him. I dig wrestling, and have done some lucha masks for other custom orders in the past. He shot me a design and the dimensions and again was stoked to see it with LED eyes! He also picked up a fortune teller looking stamp from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/jackbear?ref=si_shop">my etsy shop</a> and put that on his Mindbender pedal. HA! Love it. You can check in what he has in stock at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/pushandpullpedals">his etsy shop</a> or check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pushpullpedals?ref=ts&fref=ts">his Facebook page</a> for new pedals he is making by hand.</span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O7R4F1ZGMhw/UYwTss5YzbI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/BtH11P9WsZo/s1600/mindbender.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O7R4F1ZGMhw/UYwTss5YzbI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/BtH11P9WsZo/s200/mindbender.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So that was rad, but what happened next kind of shocked me. A LOT of people follow Terry at Push + Pull Pedals, and I started getting some really nice feedback on the stamps. Before I know it, other people who like Terry are masters at the craft of handmade effect pedal production, are contacting me about getting stamps for their handmade pedals.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RIwUHOikAcw/UYwTsJ-3pXI/AAAAAAAAAXE/2VcpuStWYoI/s1600/lee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RIwUHOikAcw/UYwTsJ-3pXI/AAAAAAAAAXE/2VcpuStWYoI/s200/lee.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Enter Jason at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PedalMonsters?fref=ts" target="_blank">Pedal Monsters</a>. He ordered three stamps from me with some really challenging designs. Some images work better for stamps than others, and while those three stamps came out </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">OK, I think the finest of the three was the Bruce Lee stamp. Jason says Lee was a childhood hero of his. He put Bruce Lee's likeness on one of his Klone pedals as you can see in the picture. </span></span><br />
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</span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oeKk0ZhiD0Y/UYwTtIR40gI/AAAAAAAAAXU/D608lNNPfDo/s1600/pmbag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oeKk0ZhiD0Y/UYwTtIR40gI/AAAAAAAAAXU/D608lNNPfDo/s200/pmbag.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">After that order Jason needed a stamp of his company's name and logo. He was stamping it on some bags he was using to protect the pedals in. A very nice compliment to a fine piece of metal and circuitry. And just this past week I finished up a couple of other little logos that I think we will be seeing on some of his future pedals. You can check out his work or buy some hardware <a href="http://ilovepedalmonsters.com/" target="_blank">at his website.</a></span></span><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oulhOnd67hU/UYwTtWbLwcI/AAAAAAAAAXY/3hYMMd7xlug/s1600/pmpedals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oulhOnd67hU/UYwTtWbLwcI/AAAAAAAAAXY/3hYMMd7xlug/s200/pmpedals.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Needless to say, the folks out there that are in the market for effect pedals have some incredible technicians AND artists to shop from. What a cool way to enjoy your craft of music. I am really honored to have my stamps on this artform. Terry and Jason have been great to work with, so if you play electronic guitar, or know someone who does, consider watching what these guys are doing, because it doesn't get more personal than this.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">So what's next? Well, keep your eyes open. You could see more stamps on these pedals in the near future. Oh, was that a teaser? Yes, stay tuned to my facebook page to see what comes out next, I'm talking to a few other pedal producers too! </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Photos by: John Ballou, Terry T., and Jason Chong</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></span>jackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752984009012020412.post-51113786881195433582013-05-06T10:47:00.000-04:002013-05-06T13:32:51.199-04:00Jackbear Makes History<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vFQ5hc3aEP8/UYfB-1b-ScI/AAAAAAAAAWg/q6rC11LgXzY/s1600/photo+(11).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vFQ5hc3aEP8/UYfB-1b-ScI/AAAAAAAAAWg/q6rC11LgXzY/s320/photo+(11).JPG" width="239" /></a>Last week I had two really exciting stamp projects come to finality.<br />
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First I delivered an order of five hand hand carved stamps, ten buttons, and ten magnets (all adorned with a portrait of Susan B. Anthony) to the <a href="http://susanbanthonyhouse.org/index.php" target="_blank">Susan B. Anthony House</a> here in Rochester, NY. The citizens of Rochester know the legends of Susan B. well. Her work along with her sister suffragettes were pivotal in getting the vote for women in the US. One of her homes is here in Rochester, along with her grave. Many sites in Rochester honor her with her name. Household name in Rochester? Absolutely.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ju7YTYWfs4U/UYfB_3HPc4I/AAAAAAAAAWw/jkycmvZ4j3I/s1600/photo+(12).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ju7YTYWfs4U/UYfB_3HPc4I/AAAAAAAAAWw/jkycmvZ4j3I/s320/photo+(12).JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
So when I was contacted by Joann at the Susan B. Anthony House <a href="https://www.susanbanthonyhouseshop.org/" target="_blank">gift shop</a>, it took me all of 3 seconds to know I wanted to do something to help them promote the name of Susan B. Anthony. We agreed to an initial order as listed above. She said that others she knew had purchased my pins at other art shows I had done, and told her about my work. Can't beat word of mouth! So if you want one of these buttons/pins, magnets, or stamps, drop by the Susan B. Anthony gift shop at <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=19+Madison+Street,+Rochester,+NY&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=45.467317,79.013672&ie=UTF8&z=14&iwloc=A&ll=43.162681,-77.623558" target="_blank">19 Madison Street</a> and help support the SBA mission.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VEHghaj11dk/UYfB-oT8hRI/AAAAAAAAAWc/9f8xIlZMpWA/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-05-06+at+9.55.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VEHghaj11dk/UYfB-oT8hRI/AAAAAAAAAWc/9f8xIlZMpWA/s320/Screen+shot+2013-05-06+at+9.55.54+AM.png" width="320" /></a>The second historic order I got to do was for Jim with the <a href="http://www.welkinbbc.com/" target="_blank">Welkins Base Ball Club</a> of Port Huron, MI. Jim was looking for a way to mark some of the vintage baseballs for this team. The Welkins play vintage base ball (yes two words) with other similar clubs in Michigan an Ohio. They are in their <a href="http://www.welkinbbc.com/Schedule/" target="_blank">seventh season</a> in 2013, and play other teams like the <a href="http://wahoobaseball.com/" target="_blank">Royal Oak Wahoos</a> and the <a href="http://www.midlandbaseball.org/" target="_blank">Midland Might River Hogs</a>. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ytcUa9shrM/UYfB_NgBQHI/AAAAAAAAAWk/nJRuElabFsI/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-05-06+at+9.56.13+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ytcUa9shrM/UYfB_NgBQHI/AAAAAAAAAWk/nJRuElabFsI/s320/Screen+shot+2013-05-06+at+9.56.13+AM.png" width="318" /></a>Jim sent me the "shield" they use on their uniforms, and I carved that for the ball logo. The carving was straight forward but stamping on a sphere is not trivial. Taking something that is flat and trying to roll it onto a ball is an exercise in patience. From the pictures that Jim took, looks like he has the knack for it! I did the stamp in the softer "pink stuff" carving material to allow for some more "squishiness" to take into account the leather and the curve of the material being stamped.<br />
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It is exciting to think these little logos might get cracked into the air. I'm glad this stamp turned out to be a home run. (Sorry, couldn't resist the horrible pun).<br />
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Susan B. photos by John Ballou<br />
Baseball photos by James Fisherjackbearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14803016974413923454noreply@blogger.com2