Hanging Planters
These are a relatively new obsession. I make hanging planters out of recycled plastic bottles. I like the way they catch light and show off the dark soil underbelly of vibrant green plants. My only concern is that my housemates think I'm a hoarder for constantly rummaging through the recycling for good bottles and containers.
Regular Solids
Ever since working through the proofs in Euclid's Elements in college, I have been fascinated by the beauty of the 5 Regular Solids. During my spring break freshman year of college, I made an interlocking wire-frame model of the five regular solids with the same radius and center. The exciting part of the project was that I did not use a ruler or calculator: I drew the plans on large sheets of paper using nothing but a compass and a straight edge, working through all the necessary proofs to obtain the required values for each shape's sides and angles. A year later I made a copper icosahedron (20 equilateral triangles) and soldered the joints by myself (after instruction from my dad). As Christmas gifts that same year, I made regular solid lamps (lampshades) out of decorative paper with a wire frame (not the most fire-safe material for a lamp, but beautiful nonetheless).
Furniture
I've made several pieces of furniture. The first is a beautiful wooden bench that I made in high school woodworking class. I also made a wooden frame for a simple couch and used canvas pulled over it to make the seat and back. Recently I made HUGE lampshades for the Brooklyn Roasting Company out of jute coffee bags sewn around bike wheels.
Quilts & Such
I've made at least 6 quilts by hand. One of them was a standard, traditional quilt, made with a quilt kit, that I worked on with my dad and gramma. The others were alternative quilts that I designed. One depicts a field of sunflowers and is made with materials to match the textures of the grass, sky, clouds, sunflower petals, and fuzzy sunflower heads. Another is of a sun and clouds and was made entirely from recycled fabric (yellows of old men's shirts, a tie-dyed bedsheet for the cloudy sky). Two of the other quilts were made of bargain-bin fabric scraps and explored juxtaposing similar colors to create a gradient.
In addition to quilts, I've sewn three dresses (2 from patterns, 1 invented from two men's button-down shirts). I also borrowed my art mentor's student loom and wove a rug from tie-dyed scrap muslin. I've also made a few handbags and simple backpacks.
PAINT!
I love paint. I forget until I pick up a paintbrush: then I fall in love. I'm not a particularly proliferate painter, but I've made a few paintings that I like, and whether or not I'm pleased with the result, I'm always ecstatic with the process.
I'll lump in here some artworks that were not painted, but are similar enough in their media (colored pencils, pencil, charcoal, collage, ink).