Found Object Art
I’ve always loved taking things apart (especially older technology) to try and figure out how they work. For these art pieces, I put various parts back together to create new objects that are functional and beautiful.
Letter Stamp Box
This was a gift for my sister and her family.
It’s made from an old box frame and rubber stamps I’ve had forever (and honestly can’t remember where they’re from). It spells their last name, Korish, from right to left, top to bottom in a fun, funky font that totally reminds me of them.
I almost cleaned the rubber stamp faces completely, but ended up just cleaning the letters themselves a bit. The years of accumulated ink residue give this piece a cool sense of unknown history. How many times (and by how many people) were these stamps used before ending up in the bottom of one of my random tool drawers?
Overall, it’s a reminder that when things seem confusing and backward, family is still a beautiful thing.
70 Sign
Upcycled assemblage art for my Mom’s 70th Birthday. It was interesting creating that 7, but I’m happy with how this came out. The second image is the original sign I used.
Beam Clamp Can Opener
I love creating art I can actually use. The wood handle is from an old hand plane plus a few other odds and ends.
Flip-Clock and File Box Lamp
The first image below is a retro flip-clock supported by a bicycle seat mount bar attached to a wooden lid from a glass jar. Various nuts, bolts, and connectors were also used to hold it all together.
The second image is a lamp I built from an old metal file box – the type people used to keep 3×5 index cards in. I added a simple light socket, and 4 brass plumb bobs for feet. Metal conduit and an oversized wall plug complete the industrial look.
Below you can see the connection of the conduit/cord on the bottom of the lamp. With the cover removed, you can see the light fixture and bicycle reflector above it.
Kickstand Clock
The Kickstand Clock combines the sturdy, steel case of an old alarm clock (they don’t make them like that anymore) with a side-pull caliper brake and kickstand from an equally vintage bicycle, giving it a 3-legged (or 2 legs and a tail), almost animal-like stance. I can imagine it ringing and dragging itself away as I try to turn it off in the morning – probably trying to escape since I’ve obviously neglected it – look at all that rust!
Monocular
The Monocular is a study in interpersonal (face-to-face) communication. Two sides. One side is open, honest, sincere. The other is obscured, mistrusting, devious. Turn your head slightly to present the side you want to direct the conversation with.
Ewok Village Lamp
As a kid, I had hours of fun swooshing star fighters and defending forest moons with my Star Wars toys. Along with the Millennium Falcon (of course), the Ewok Village Playset was always one of my favorites. When my son was done playing with it and my hopes of funding his college education by selling it to a discerning collector were dashed (seriously, check eBay’s prices for “not in box” 80s toys – they’re depressing) I figured giving it new life as a desk lamp was a way to keep on enjoying it.
Learn more about how I put the Ewok Village Lamp together by clicking here.
Laptop Stand
I’ve needed a stand that lets my laptop breathe for a long time. It felt right to make one from scavenged parts. I played with the wooden blocks as a kid and now my son does (well, minus the 2 I stole for this haha). The images below show the progression of figuring out connections to finished product.
Socket Case
The plastic bag I kept my sockets in (I know, I know) broke, so I put together a new case. 100% reclaimed stuff here. The box is from an old travel chess set (most of the pieces are long gone). The adjustable pads holding the sockets in are from an old piano I deconstructed a while ago.
The brass piece is from another old box and the foam … not sure where I got that but it holds everything in nice. Oh, the #dieselpunk “knob” on the outside is my way of hiding, yet expressing the hole I had to make in the cover so the box closes around my ratchet handle. Fun little project … and way cooler than a plastic bag!
TV/Monitor Mount
90% of the parts are scavenged from an under-desk keyboard mount. The remaining parts are the back plate from a 90’s monitor stand and a few other odds and ends (can you spot the bike brake pads?). It sure is hefty!
The TV in my office is above eye-level so the mount is tilted down a bit. Yes, the front of the screen is touching the shelf, but most of the weight is carried by the mount which stops it from falling over.
