Seeing the road better

One side foggy. One side done.

Have you ever thought the lights on your car were too dim? Perhaps its not the bulbs at all, but the scratches on the plexiglass and the yellow foggy UV damage. Last year John went to Jiffy Lube to have them polish up the glass on the headlights and for $40 they did a crappy job. John knew it could be done much better, and proved so today.

So here's what you can do. For only $25 dollars you can do it yourself and do it better than the sloppy Jiffy Lube of Tooele. (The kit lasts a long time). Before/After

Before/After

First clean off dirt w buffer. Use sanding grit to take out scratches.

Wipe off wax and grit. Buffer off the wax. Viola. Shiny!

Both sides done!

Haniwa

In ancient Japan, haniwas were clay figures found on graves and represented the culture and the deceased. The clothing and animals represented in the haniwas reveal details of Japan during the Kofun period (3rd to 6th century AD). The assignment was to use the red terracotta clay and make a representation of myself living in Utah. I chose to represent the jewelry store I worked in for a while (neckbands) the stain glass shop I worked in (cut out and lamp), the frustration of living in Utah while single (the flames that come out of both arms--not shown). The blue represents the blue of lapiz which I love and the wrap represents the cortes of Guatemala where I served a mission. The choice to make this piece appear southwestern/mesoamerican also comes from studying mesoamerica while in Utah. I chose to make the figure fat initially because I find the girth charming, but I also shaped her to represent the lovely 30-60 lbs I gained in Utah (at different times). Her head is small for stylization and acts as a stopper for the kerosene lamp. The light bulb in the center also represents the new burning in the belly I have here in Utah after marrying John and starting art school.

Last Year in my 3D class we were challenged to come up with a unique shape. Design it in Adobe illustrator and then cut it out on a glossy paper in at least three different sizes. (We were allowed to use the shop's laser cutter thingy). Then I assembled my shapes with rubber cement afterwhich I came up with an arrangement and added electrical tape for black contrast. I like the movement in this piece and all the different sides that are interesting so much that next time I'd like to do this shape larger and sculpt it out of a smooth white plastic. I would add at least one other sister to create a series.