Copper Blog

Vancouver Olympic medals are one of a kind

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Olympic medals as unique as athletes

– Have you looked closely at the medals being awarded to the Olympic athletes? If you think they look different, you’re right.

Unlike most medals in other Olympics, they are not flat, but have a wavy design that from some angles makes them look not perfectly round. This design represents the mountains of western Canada around Vancouver. The design on each medal is unique, part of a larger work of art created by a native Canadian artist. Winners get a scarf showing the entire work, so they can find where their medal — or medals — appears. The medals weigh between 17 and 20 ounces — a little more than a pound — and are just under four inches across. The gold medal is mostly silver but is covered in gold. The silver medal is all silver. And the bronze medal? It’s made of copper.

via http://www.washingtonpost.com/

Found Art: San Francisco Drain Pipe

via Colin Blogs

Another Attempt at the Boardwalk Art Show

Doug and I recently submitted our third Boardwalk Art Show application. Below you will find the images we submitted for our application. The funny thing about this application (and many others like it) is the fact that the artist gets only 300 characters, yes characters not words, to describe the materials and techniques used in creating the art. Regardless of the limitations to explain one’s work, we thought our description was concise and accurate not only with materials and technique but also in describing the intent of our work:

Copper sheet metal is cut into various shapes, colored with patina via oxidation, and displayed in hand crafted wood frames. This work explores how humans visually and conceptually reconcile the dichotomy of discrete and continuous data as it relates to nature and time.

I’ll try and post some explanations of the pieces soon. See ya’ll soon.

JSuar

↓ 365 Days – Etsy Listing

↓ Blue Alchemy – Sold

↓ 12 Month – Etsy listing

↓ Animal Line Work – All sold

A Copper Christmas

Today we were included in another Etsy Treasury. A Copper Christmas (Treasuries only last for a few days. Head over to our Etsy Store to see our newest artwork.) was put together by WestCoastGlass and features some of their favorite copper work.

Thanks WestCoastGlass! Definitely check out their very cool glass work and jewelry.

JS

52 Weeks and Its New Home

Our prize winning 52 Weeks has finally made its way to its new home. A lovely couple and their children strolled up to our booth in the final hour as the Neptune Fest was drawing to a close. They simply fell in love with the art work displayed in front of them. After some debate as to what piece or pieces would complement their home the best Diane and Jason decided to go with 52 Weeks. There were a few alterations that needed to be done to the work in order for it to be hung at their home so unfortunately they were not able to take it with them that day. A few weeks later it was ready to go and Diane and Jason payed us a visit at our studio and once again gazed at the gallery walls with a sense of amazement as they pondered how it would look inside their home.

We recently received photos of it perched over their front door and it looks amazing. We are so happy we could bring the joy of the arts into yet another house hold.

Since the creation of 52 weeks we have expanded the idea and it has slowly turned into a three piece series reflecting the cyclic seasonal change of a year here on planet earth. 365 Days and 12 Months are the book ends that round out the series. The titles are self explanatory and we couldn’t be happier with the way they have turned out.

Keep checking in
-Douglas

California Custom Copper

In the middle of October we were once again presented with the challenge of creating a custom order. Time was of the essence this go around as we needed to produce 65 bookmarks for the Marketing Concepts Group based out of Long Beach, California, and we had just about a weeks time to do it in. The Marketing Concepts Group is an experiential marketing agency that functions as a boutique, minority run, agency with clients such as Verizon Wireless, Hyundai, and Coke as well as an assortment of amazing events that happen all over the country. Needless to say, we wanted the bookmarks to be stunning since they would not only be reflecting our company but members of the Marketing Concepts Group as well.

With some quick thinking and swift designing we spent a handful of days exchanging information with Allison Thomas, a marketing director for the Marketing Concepts Group. She was in charge of making sure the gifts given at this event were of the highest quality. As we let her know she was one of our best clients yet helping to make the project come alive on such short notice. Just recently she filled us in on how the event went and exactly what the gifts were used for.

Little did we know the bookmarks were going to serve as a gift from Tami Erwin: West Area President of Verizon Wireless for selected guests attending the event. In an email from Allison she told us…

Tami Erwin held the intimate dinner at the Hotel Maya for about 65 guests on 10/26/09 which is where the bookmarks were passed out along with a book from Maria Shriver (she is the one responsible for making the Women’s Conference happen). Overall the event was a smashing hit and all guests had an amazing time….I’ve never been thanked so much in my life.

Well, let us thank you one more time Allison for your seeking Copper Art Designs out to help in creating a most memorable evening for your agency and all of your wonderful guests. We hope to hear from you again in the future.

If you have a project or an event that you would like us to help collaborate on please feel free to contact us, we are always up for the challenge!

-Douglas

Revisiting Portfolio v1 – Magnets, Celtic Heart, and Initials

Antique Copper Magnets

Celtic Heart

Initials: OMS

Ida: Our New Fossil Friend

Although it has been over two decades since the discovery and excavation of Ida, the basal primate specimen found in the Messel area of Germany, its emergence into the public was just recently realized.

At the time its discovery was announced in the scientific and the popular press, the fossil was characterized as the “most complete fossil primate ever discovered”; Sir David Attenborough has described it as “extraordinary”. Google commemorated the unveiling with a themed logo on May 20, 2009. During a ceremony at the American Museum of Natural History Hurum said that “This specimen is like finding the Lost Ark for archeologists” and “It is the scientific equivalent of the Holy Grail. This fossil will probably be the one that will be pictured in all textbooks for the next 100 years.”

The genus Darwinius was named to celebrate Charles Darwin on his bicentenary and the species name masillae honors Messel where the specimen was found.[1]

After hearing about the fossil and watching specials that chronicled the implications of coming across such a great find we felt compelled to put the wonderful Ida into copper. Ida our new fossil friend was reborn as the next addition to our mini book mark collection. We hope that this marks not only the pages in the books you read but also a prominent step in science that will lead to new and more fascinating discoveries.

Douglas

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwinius

Wordpress iPhone app test

Summer weeks…testing out the wordpress app.

JS

A Beautifully and Brilliant Buffalo Bracelet

It was only a short time after we finalized our bracelets and put them on display that we had an awesome opportunity to start working on a custom design. While at the Town Center First Friday Art Walk we had a women by the name of Pam come to our tent that was ecstatic about the finding of our bracelets. Just short of jumping up and down she smiled as she fired question after question our way. Her boyfriend had previously purchased a copper bracelet while they were at Yellow Stone National Park and it had begun to crack. For Pam this was her chance to not only replace her boyfriend’s bracelet but to give him the best anniversary gift that she could think of.

In a hasty effort to bring us the broken bracelet she ran off down the city street yelling in the distance that she would be back. Not but a few minutes later she returned and presented us with the broken buffalo bracelet and asked if we could possibly help her by recreating it. We gladly took on the project and much to her delight we had it completed in just a few days in time for her to wrap it and give it to her boyfriend on their anniversary.

We soon after received word that the gift was well received:

“Derrick loves the bracelet! He is wearing it – everyday. Just like the last one. You guys did a great job. I’m really happy with the piece and he loves it too. Thanks again for the quick service and even the delivery. It was a just one of those days, and you really helped me out.”

Thank you Pam for letting us be part of something so special.

Douglas