Many Parts

Raygun Gothic Rocketship Media Roundup

As the year winds down, I’m reflecting on what an amazing one it has been. With workshops across Europe, a group show in a museum, and the honor to have been involved with the Raygun Gothic Rocketship, it was a summer that will be hard to top.

There has been a lot of media coverage of the rocketship and I wanted to see a few of my favorite things in one place. Starting with photos, here are some doozies. Stay tuned for excellent video later in the post.

by Garbero Photography

image by loupiote.com

Image by Tory Fink

Image by Nick Winterhalter

by Nick Winterhalter

By Gary Cohen

Hats off to Sean Donnelly for producing this amazing documentary on the creation of the rocket. It truly does justice to an amazing crew and project. Part of the film ran in Donnelly’s two part series for the Oakland Tribune.

Blast Off! from Sean Donnelly on Vimeo.

Here is a video that appeared on Time.com

Here is a Flickr slideshow combining the photos of many photographers:

At last, raw launch footage. The first is a bit higher quality but shorter. For full ragged glory, see the last, by Barbara Fried.

November 24th, 2009 | Tags: photos, Raygun Gothic Rocket, Sculpture, video | Category: collaborative projects | Leave a comment

I’m on Flickr!

I’ve long been frustrated with managing photos for this blog and website. I’d held off on using a service like Flickr because I was afraid I was dividing my information sharing efforts. I see now how Flickr can connect my imagery to more people who want to see it. All the while supporting my blog by giving me quality management and display tools. It’s been nice to connect to community there already too.

My photo sets are here. Here’s a slideshow from my photostream:

November 24th, 2009 | Category: photos | Leave a comment

Contact Page is Now Working!

Wow–how long was that broken? It could be some time folks. Apologies if you have tried and failed. You can always contact me at mail at diffendaffer.com if you have any trouble. For now though, I seem to have the kinks worked out of my Contact page.

November 19th, 2009 | Tags: Grant Diffendaffer | Category: News and Information | Leave a comment

Textured Tube Beads on Etsy

Any time I’ve been away for a while from the practice of making beads, I find I need an easy re-entry to get things moving again in the studio. These beads are perfect. I roll out a batch of core beads to start with. It’s a straightforward task with zero creative demands. It’s quick and (with practice) easy. At the end, I have a pile of blank beads, canvases awaiting my attention.

Part of the beauty of the process is the way that the textures are created and imparted to the beads. First, I make plates, which I treat both raw and cured. When raw, I imprint the clay with simple implements in a repetitive fashion. After curing, I carve the plate. With a library of these tools, I need only properly layer colored clay over my core beads, and I am able to pull a whole galaxy of differing beads off a single plate.

Some detail treatment, sanding, and polishing, and I have a little box full of joy to remind me why I love this process so much, and propel me into the next challenge.

I’ve posted five pairs on Etsy, and there are more to come.

Available from GrantDiffendaffer on Etsy

It’s a great way to get the wheels turning again. Starting with a process that resembles nothing so much as doodling, I end up with refined and elegant beads. If this interests you, check out my book, Polymer Clay Beads. Or take a workshop.

November 19th, 2009 | Tags: etsy, Grant Diffendaffer, polymer clay beads | Category: etsy | Comments (1)

Workshops Scheduled for Cabin Fever

I’m happy to announce that I will be teaching two half day workshops at the Cabin Fever Clay Festival, which runs Feb 19th-24th, 2010 (right before the Synergy conference). Both workshops are full, but hurry to sign up and and you can still take classes with numerous polymer luminaries.

November 3rd, 2009 | Tags: Classes and Workshops | Category: Classes and Workshops | Leave a comment

Raygun Gothic Rocketship Orbits Black Rock System–Returns to Oakland

After a successful tour of the nether reaches of the Black Rock System, the Raygun Gothic Rocketship has landed in west Oakland. I feel great after bio-decontamination and a walk in the woods, but I still have a hankering for space food. Yum.

Many thanks to the brave and dedicated crew! They said it couldn’t be done. They said it would end in fiery disaster. It did. Fantastic!

Here are a few shots I snapped of the rocket installation at Black Rock City, in which I was fortunate enough to include two of my rayguns and two bronze pennants. I can’t say what an honor it was to be a small part of such a huge handmade project, and what a privilege it is to count among it’s makers many close friends. This is what happens when diverse talents are allowed to cooperate to the mutual good.