le stuff

commissioned copper bunny necklace

2012-01-30T12:13:00.003-05:00

I was commissioned to make a copper necklace for a friends girlfriend recently, based on a drawing that she does.

The piece before etching and finishing.

Here is the original drawing and finished piece, as compiled and sent to me by the client.

Bravo's Andy Cohen show features my class at 3rd Ward

2012-01-22T22:06:00.006-05:00

The Video.

metallic rabbit mask - made in collaboration with daniel olshansky

city of my mind

2012-01-19T15:18:00.002-05:00

a drawing i started while on vacation - i plan to take some of these elements and turn them into various pieces in wood and metal.

le la lady

2012-01-10T11:13:00.001-05:00

from my notebook

2011-12-22T13:03:00.001-05:00

started new chair

2011-12-14T00:32:00.003-05:00

well, i woke up in kind of a bad mood, and with a cold. i thought maybe i should stay home and hide out, but instead i went to the metal shop and cut metal and welded for 7 hours. now i have a new chair.

i mostly started creating this for a tufted velvet green cushion i made... but then i accidentally burnt the cushion in the metal shop while fitting it today. this kind of bothered me for like 5 minutes, and then i got over it and continued with the chair. the back of the chair will be etched copper flashing, behind the steel, fastened with rivets. i may run some copper in the linear lines on the bottom as well.

occupy space girls

2011-12-11T19:36:00.002-05:00

my mask made it to the moon! this is big time.

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2011-12-02T15:30:00.001-05:00

i think this is a good look for me

New Paper Mache pieces, Bravo Shoot

2011-12-01T00:58:00.012-05:00

Photos of new work and set photos from the Bravo shoot. Photography by Liz Tormes

A new rabbit mask/head - painted by Daniel Olshansky.

the cat mask was made by one of my amazing students - Erina Hattori. the owl was painted by Daniel Olshansky. the lightning bolt is fun to carry around and attack people with.

a nice photo of attack mountain.

BRAVO SHOOT

2011-11-20T11:16:00.007-05:00

Yesterday, BRAVO filmed me teaching my 3rd Ward class 'Extreme Paper Mache Sculpture' with Andy Cohen. I've been tasked with making a bizarre paper mache wig for one of the housewives of Beverly Hills. I'm gonna make it super weird and fun.

The creature was repainted 'Blood Orange' for the shoot, and is currently living in the 3rd Ward display window at the entrance. But this home is temporary... i need to find another home for this guy soon.

photo by liz clayman

chasing and repousse

2011-11-12T21:42:00.002-05:00

i made this tonight

thunderstorm!

2011-11-10T00:00:00.004-05:00

a few days ago i carved this from a cuttlefish bone and cast it in pewter. i cleaned up the edges but decided to leave the rough texture

upholstering and tufting

2011-11-09T23:23:00.005-05:00

This seat is not finished but so far its been upholstered, covered in green velvet, tufted, and i've given it a sexy tack border around the bottom edge. I'll be making legs for it... but have not decided on a design.

trying out wood carving

2011-11-09T07:55:00.005-05:00

Recently I took a hand joinery class and started playing with chisels.... this is a scrap piece of redwood from a cabinet i'm building that looks like an old theater stage. I've never carved from wood before... but i'm liking this and feeling comfortable with the chisel, and i'm thinking to integrate this kind of relief carving into the cabinet i'm building.

Double Unicorn Mask - clay model

2011-11-01T17:55:00.002-04:00

my Interview with 22 Magazine

2011-09-14T00:27:00.000-04:00

http://the22magazine.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/an-interview-with-launa-eddy/

AN INTERVIEW WITH LAUNA EDDY.
September 1, 2011, 3:39 pm

Launa Eddy is a sculptor and jewelry maker living in Brooklyn. We were introduced to her via 3rd Ward and inspired by her collabs with Daniel Olshansky, Dinosaur Feathers, and most of all her interesting background. We asked her to elaborate on her timber wolf/lobster-catching youth and tell about some of her current work.

The 22 Magazine: Can you tell me a little about where you are from in Rhode Island, working on a lobster boat and about raising timber wolves ?

Launa Eddy: We lived in Richmond until I was ten, when the state of Rhode Island told us we couldn’t have wolves and gave us an ultimatum – get rid of them, or move out. So we moved to New Hampshire, the Live Free or Die state – my dad continued to run [his] lobster boat between Rhode Island and New Hampshire. While in Rhode Island I spent most of my time off of Point Judith in Narraganset, where most of my family worked as commercial fishermen/women. I spent a lot of time on the boats and the docks growing up – and I actually started working on my father’s boat when I was around eight or nine years old. I would go out with them on fishing trips in the summer and I was their ‘bander’ – I put the rubber bands on the lobster claws and prepped them to be put in the storage tanks on the boat. It was a hard job and being out at sea for three days in all sorts of weather was intense, and eventually when I was sixteen I decided I wasn’t up for the job anymore… mostly because I was prone to sea sickness.When I wasn’t working on the boat, I was often trying to catch fish on the docks, and occasionally I got together with the other fisherman’s kids and we did silly things like arrange lobster and crab races. We’d gamble for curiosities we found on our families boats. Starfish, shells, weird creatures. Everyone would bring a box of things they found and put it in the pot for whoever won the race. As you can imagine, lobsters don’t race very well, and crabs are insane and run all over the place, so it was all very silly. The wolves were pure bred Alaskan timber wolves – my father went to Alaska for a trip to meet a painter who also ran a wolf rescue, and came back with two wolf pups. We named them Sinbad and Sheba, and built them an eight foot tall cage twice the size of our house (it was pretty much a caged off section of forest) and a sweet little dog house inside of it with two stories and Plexiglas windows and a ramp so they could chill on the roof. They had it good.

The 22 Magazine: How do you feel your immersion in lobster catching and wolf raising has effected your work?

Launa Eddy: The ocean is a creepy place. On my fathers lobster boat I’d often feel like I was floating on top of some terrifying alien world – I felt like we were sea astronauts, exploring the darkness below us and kind of like we were operating one of those stuffed animal toy claw machines where you put in your dollar and hope you get the teddy bear you’re aiming for. Except this machine had some bizarre stuff and it was my job to make sure the animals were restrained so they didn’t destroy each other. Growing up floating on top of this environment part-time, then raising wolves in the woods the rest of the time, certainly effected my life and my work. There are these bizarre creatures and this kind of darkness that I like to mingle with, but then also bring it to a place that is kind of cute and amusing because the more extreme something is, I think the funnier it becomes.

The 22 Magazine: Did you study anywhere or are you self-taught?

Launa Eddy: I studied Anthropology and Archaeology at Franklin Pierce College in Ridge, New Hampshire and also graduated with a minor in creative writing, and studied glass blowing. I had been emancipated and living on my own since the age of sixteen, so I was putting myself through college and surviving off of grants and scholarships mostly, and being that I only had myself to rely on, I thought I didn’t have much of a chance at supporting myself as a visual artist. At the time I thought I might want to be a writer or ethnographer or humanitarian of sorts – and I thought studying people, culture, history and politics would help me understand the world better, and would make me a better writer. When I graduated I didn’t really have anywhere to go, so I moved to NYC to apprentice for an inventor and glass engraver in Long Island, and from there on out I started teaching myself to make things. It has been an epic journey to say the least.

The 22 Magazine: When did you first get interested in papier-mache and what about it appeals to you as a medium?

Launa Eddy: My friends and I established a group called The Compound Eye and together we started working with papier-mache - we shot short films and sketches and worked on projects together. We started making props and costumes to use in our shorts and sketches – and then from there other people asked us to make them things, and it just kept going. Papier-mache is amazing – it’s a versatile medium that is relatively light weight, as well as environmentally and economically friendly. Honestly I started making things from papier-mache because I wanted to bring to life my ideas, and I didn’t have any money to throw around. I was barely getting by and I wanted to create. It can also be a great social medium, I like working together with other people or arranging crafting nights where we put on some good music and have some wine and make amazing things.

The 22 Magazine: You’ve recently branched out to metal sculpture, which is an off-shoot of your jewelry making as well. Any future plans for projects or are you just playing it by ear?

Launa Eddy: I will certainly keep working in metal – I love the permanence of it, and making things that people can interact with. I plan to shift some of my focus onto creating furniture pieces that are more sculptural and surrealist, but at the same time, I don’t want to make this my only art form because quite frankly I’m afraid of losing my fingers. For now, I’m just playing it by ear, taking projects that I like that come my way, and do what I want. I plan to do more jewelry and hopefully some more stop motion animation in the near future as well.

The 22 Magazine: A lot of your work seems really based in humor and is really fun. What would you say to those that suggest art is not a humorous medium, but in fact should be taken very seriously?

Launa Eddy: People who say that art should exclusively be taken seriously and isn’t a lighthearted medium are interesting, and works of art themselves; they are amusing… so in a sense they kind of become what they reject as hilarious and interesting characters in this bizarre world.

My artist profile from 3rd Ward !

2011-08-01T12:52:00.006-04:00

3rd Ward created this artist profile for me :) it was shot, produced, and edited by Christian Schneider. I put together the Stop Animation

July...

2011-07-28T23:12:00.004-04:00

This summer has been pretty intense. I haven't really had the time or focus to sit down and document anything in the last month or so. But in between all the insanity of work and art and life i've done a few doodles =

this is a design for a small side table to go along with my chair - i started building it but its looking like i wont have time to really get into it until september or october.

chair dentata completed

2011-06-12T02:10:00.005-04:00

the chair monster lives and has been set loose in brooklyn. i have many more crazy chair sketches in my notebook and i think this is the start of a beautiful romance with sheet metal and angle grinders.

snails = never again

2011-05-16T02:08:00.007-04:00

I found this snail crossing a sidewalk in florida, and filmed it. I'd say this is slow and short on surprises but kind of beautiful and intoxicating at the same time. I'm also compelled to mention that I had eaten escargot earlier that day and when i found this guy crossing the street i felt like some kind of terrible monster all of a sudden, and also i felt a little gross.

Cubist / LSD Jagger

2011-05-13T14:28:00.001-04:00

I had fun making this one. I think I will make it a pin.

A Foxy Raccoon

2011-05-10T14:30:00.002-04:00

The fox-oon lives! I sculpted the head from wax and then cut out and soldered in tiny tiny leetle teeth.

these eyes and that lady

2011-05-05T16:05:00.006-04:00

These were sculpted from soft wax and cast in bronze.

I sculpted the eyeballs with sculpty and hand painted them, then I applied two patinas on the bronze - liver of sulfer and a green patina.

This was my first ever attempt at figure sculpting, believe it or not. I thought I'd try something a little more classic.

Teaching Sculpture at 3rd Ward - Sign up!

2011-05-04T17:28:00.003-04:00

photo by Adam Courtney

I'm teaching Paper Mache Sculpture at 3rd ward in July - follow this link to sign up!

http://www.3rdward.com/3rdwardclasses/extreme-paper-mache-sculpture.html

Paper Mache is an extremely versatile art-form that is also Eco-friendly and affordable. Masks, puppets, sculptures, lighting fixtures, tables... If you can think of it, you can build it from paper mache. From the ancient Egyptians to the Victorians and beyond, artists and craftsmen through history have mastered this art form to create fantastic pieces that are ornamental, original and even functional.

In this class we will work one on one to build the paper project of your dreams - unique sculptures, armatures, masks, small pieces of furniture, etc. We will consider the desired strength and texture of your piece and learn about the many different structural options, recipes and compositing methods of creating a paper mache sculpture - from using conventional paper strips and glue mixtures, to mixing our own paper pulp and working with the super strong celluclay, we will explore the many mixtures and methods available to create your fantastic pieces.

Students will complete at least one paper mache project piece before the end of the class (2x3 ft maximum), and will leave the class with the knowledge of how to create their magnificent works of art from home with accessible and recyclable materials. Materials fee includes all paper materials, glues, materials for structural bases such as wire, cardboard and wood, plus finishing materials including paint and varnish.

Instructor
Launa Eddy is a multi-diciplinary artist living in Bushwick, Brooklyn. She has a BA in anthropology and spent two years learning glass-blowing in NH before moving to NYC to work in sculpting, stop animation and video production. She works primarily with paper mache, metal, and clay and has made many unique pieces for parades, store displays, music videos, photo shoots, private collections and beyond.

Enroll online here, or call 718-715-4961

simple surrealist-let

2011-05-04T01:00:00.006-04:00

i sculpted this from wax and decided to cast this into brass because it a softer metal and can flex. silver would be ideal but its so expensive right now.....

Craft Night at NYC RESISTOR

2011-04-29T12:31:00.007-04:00

I recently found myself owning this 50's quack medical machine, The Relaxicizor. A fantastic NYC find. Not only does it look like it came from a spaceship, but it worked when I plugged it in....and yes its whole purpose is to shock you into eventual weight loss. Not only that, but you're supposed to wet the shocky bits before you place them on your body for a jolt. Awesomely terrifying. I brought it to hacker space NYC Resistor on thrusday night hoping that someone would find this interesting and want to open it up and play with it. Resistor member Ari Lacenski joined me in the excitement of opening this up - which was a task in itself. The people who built the relaxicizor didn't want anyone opening this thing up - it was encased in a metal box and rivited shut. We used a dremel tool and a tiny (adorable) cutting wheel and made lots of noise and sparks and eventually we opened the casing without causing much aesthetic damage.

We were somewhat terrified of this thing, even being unplugged. I learned last night that even if something like this is unplugged, it can still shock you. If you touch capacitors that have recently been charged, you can be shocked/electrocuted. But there were no capacitors in this machine.

We wanted to determine how many volts it was outputting. When we turned it on and I touched the diodes, I felt a pretty powerful shock. It was enough for me to recoil and think twice about doing it again. We tested it with the multimeter, and got some varying results. Another member - Phookie, brough his Oscilliscope over. The oscilliscope measures the voltage output in more detail than a multimeter and creates a visual graph showing energy spikes. We determined that while the machine was turned to its lowest setting, it was putting out over 40 volts for about a millisecond, and then dropping down to 5 volts in 2 second intervals. It was enough power for Phookie to say 'OK, I want to get my oscilliscope away from this monster'.

In the end we discovered that people in the 50's were insane and that the casing of this machine is awesome, but maybe its best not to plug in the actual insides of it. But it sure was fascinating to see the machine in action. I plan to gut the insides but keep the vintage potentiometers in tact and try to turn this into some kind of musical device.

The lovely Lara got a lesson in de-soldering. We're going to be having fun with circuit bending musical instruments and children's toys in the coming days. (!!!!)

Its thrusday!

2011-04-28T00:24:00.011-04:00

Today I brought my latest wax creations to the casters. I brought in all of the items in this photo, and more! How exciting! The people looked at me like I was insane. I had to give bizarre instructions, like 'dont let the tongue triangles slump over and fuse to the tongue' and 'if the raccoon teeth aren't going to survive, please remove them and i will put in raccoon dentures later'

Lara took this photo of me while we were on an epic brooklyn walk. I think I will dress like a super hero from now on. It makes scaling walls more fun.

A retired animation armature in my studio. He's lookin rough but still kickin.

lost wax, projects in progress

2011-04-24T03:24:00.011-04:00

Since discovering this softer, sculptable wax this month, I've been pretty much unstoppable in the jewelry studio. i sculpted both of these in the last two days, plus a couple other pieces.

this is the first time i've attempted sculpting the female form.

i wanted to create an angry raccon pendant. this could look like it if i painted it but it's looking rather foxy at the moment.

inspiration

internal stripes

2011-04-21T18:53:00.003-04:00

Last week I carved and cast a couple of these silver rings with an empty space in the center, thinking i could have fun with filling that space. Here is the first ring which i have filled with a hand drawn inlay with a clear resin coat over top. I'm pretty please with it, except the resin i used is super bubbly. I think I'll need to use a different resin or try a new technique for setting it.

Cubist Jagger

2011-04-20T18:43:00.005-04:00

Pendant. Sculpted today from soft wax, to be cast in bronze.

POP HEART

2011-04-19T04:23:00.007-04:00

strange overtones

2011-04-17T04:37:00.003-04:00

I've been working on this on the side for a couple weeks.

flying claw pendant

2011-04-16T12:53:00.005-04:00

Sculpted from soft wax and cast in bronze, finished with a liver of sulfer patina.

3rd Ward Photo Etching Workshop

2011-04-13T23:59:00.003-04:00

I learned to photo etch onto copper and silver today! Hell yeah. Thank you Max Goodman for teaching me yet another method for conquering metal. These designs were hand drawn in class and a liver of sulfer patina was applied as a finish.

mad wax

2011-04-13T05:22:00.010-04:00

This ring will be cast in silver and i'll end up putting something interesting in the space i've carved out. Maybe a drawing or something, I don't know yet.

This is being cast in bronze but i kind of wish i could keep it as it is, this colorful fragile wax oddity.

inspired by florida (aka gods waiting room)

2011-04-05T22:09:00.004-04:00

Inflatable Sculpture - Final Piece, Opening

2011-03-28T01:09:00.006-04:00

Apocalyptic Nun with Laser Eyes by Lara

Space Kitties!!!!

this photo by Liz Claymen

tue/wed

2011-03-24T03:17:00.005-04:00

Inflatable Frames! Yeah!

2011-03-23T09:11:00.001-04:00

Oh but wait, now how do i flip them back from being inside out? doh.

today

2011-03-21T00:50:00.002-04:00

Air and Space Magazine

2011-03-20T21:49:00.005-04:00

I took a class at 3rd Ward called Flying Sculpture, which was taught by Breck Baldwin at The Brooklyn Aerodrome. A journalist from Air and Space Mag came by and interviewed us all - I said some silly stuff about wanting to create a flying zombie cat, which is what i plan on saying in every interview with anyone from now on.

Inflatables (!) SHOW

2011-03-20T00:07:00.017-04:00

On Saturday, March 26th I'm showing at the inflatable sculpture show at 3rd Ward - i'm making a gigantic pair of 50's cat eye glasses - - - 22ft wide, 15ft long at the arms, and 6ft tall. This is the model I used. I wanted to also project video into the lenses, make it look like the lenses are reflecting life or even better, make it look as though something is trapped inside the lenses.

So far I've made patterns, cut them out of plastic and am in the process of pinning and sewing them together.

Lara leaps before the projected patterns of her inflatable sculpture - a giant nun with laser beam eyes!

Rivers of Plastic

break for a self portrait with the nice light - -

arteries

2011-03-18T03:22:00.004-04:00

Oooook

2011-03-17T04:26:00.007-04:00

I made these this week. More black and white winged creatures.
Feel a bit like I went a little out of control with this one but I really like the little characters in the bottom right-ish area

hoot hoot

2011-03-11T19:29:00.007-05:00

i found a parliament of owls in my pen today. they got out on the 6 train.

Metal Wings

2011-03-09T18:34:00.007-05:00

I made these for the Crumpler display, but they didn't make it in. They're made of copper and steel - the base of the wing is 16 inches long and is cut from 26 gauge copper sheeting - it was covered in a green patina and the edges were hand sanded. The black lining is galvanized steel, which was sandblasted and coated with an antique black patina. I drilled holes in the both and sewed them together with copper wire.

This is the brush I used to paint the green patina. Im in love.

The Crumpler Display, Opening Night

2011-03-06T10:16:00.004-05:00

Our paper mache wonderland is set free on the streets of new york. The main creature has a jaw that opens and closes when people walk by, and eyes that light up. UV lights on servo motors are triggered when people walk in and out of the store. Flying blue squirrels, winged bags, and the terrifyingly cute quatra-bird populate this scene and come to life at night with UV lights.

Earlier in the day, Joel Murphy (super hero robotics and physical computing professor at Parsons/3rd Ward) writes code and works out bugs for the tech elements of the display.

crumpler, rat a tat tat

2011-03-04T17:57:00.007-05:00

glow in the dark, flying blue squirrels. i want an army of them. someday this dream will be realized.

sand-blast action!

ohhhhhhh... ahhhhhh

das creatures

on another note....

2011-02-28T01:02:00.004-05:00

I really like this rock/mineral.

a few images from this wk

2011-02-28T00:51:00.006-05:00

testing out an audrino circuit for our motion sensor ! success!

the first IR sensor we tested, which did not work through glass, but we found one that did. i just like this one because it looks like an R2D2

Ahhhh! wtf?

Crumpler Creature jaw automation - 1st Test

2011-02-19T18:42:00.003-05:00

Our dream of creating a giant leaping creature with a robotic jaw and spinning eyes is coming to life - - - using a slow speed AC motor and some simple engineering we now have motion in the jaw. How exciting. Super special thanks to Joel Murphy and Jamie Partington for making this happen, and to Daniel Olshansky for insisting that it should.

The next step is to connect the motor to an Audrino and some motion sensors so that the Jaw will move whenever someone walks by it.

the QUATRE-BIRD

2011-02-17T14:13:00.008-05:00

the quatre bird lives, and all four of its twisted faces will fly deep into you eyes and nest in your soul...

so here is this bizarre celluclay sculpture i'm working on, parallel to the crumpler display, but i think its too creepy to be included in the display. what do you think?

where is my mind

2011-02-14T00:20:00.003-05:00

Video test of Ferrofluid

2011-02-09T17:09:00.006-05:00

I'm taking a class at 3rd Ward in Kinetic and Interactive sculpture - - - - for months I've had this bottle of ferrofluid in my studio and haven't opened it. Finally I ordered a couple stacks of rare earth magnets and experimented with them today. This was the result of my experimentation today - I shot this on my camera, the Canon Rebel T2i. It was messy but the results were pretty amazing. Even with just the simplicity of putting the two elements together it is amazing - - - imagine what can be done with a little sculpting, technology, and a lot more ferrofluid. For this project I expect I will be building some kind of steel sculpture and incorporating electromagnets that can be controlled with a potentiometer. I'm very interested in seeing how this stuff can move, and want to experiment with casting a matrix that is more figurative than abstract.

3rd Ward Blog - Crumpler Progress! - - -

2011-02-04T18:11:00.005-05:00

(Re-posted from 3rd Ward Blog http://www.3rdward.com/blog/2011/2/4/more-members-join-the-crumpler-window-display-team.html)

When we last left Launa and Daniel, they had just had a sketch. Now the Crumpler window display has taken on two more 3rd Ward collaborators, Jamie Partington (fabricator extraordinaire, Member since ‘09) and Joel Murphy (electronics instructor and robot builder). Launa says:

Jamie can build anything and has an amazing commitment to this project and a refreshingly positive disposition, except when he skips meals. I'm not sure what this project would look like without Jamie... not nearly as awesome as it's turning out. Joel teaches at 3rd Ward and when we asked him if we could make the eyes of our creature spin and the jaw open and close he said 'yes' without hesitation. Wow. What a great opportunity it is to work with people who make just about anything you can think of possible.

Stay tuned to the blog and follow the progression of the project...all the way to the store launch!

Crumpler RE-Design

2011-02-01T09:49:00.003-05:00

We had a second go at the Crumpler window design - keeping the original characters but making the scenes a bit more comprehensive and suiting to the store layout and product. Originally the cat was leaping through both windows, but there are two pillars in the windows that obstructed that design. Here we have integrated these poles and turned them into trees to make the most of the space, and give the scene a little bit more relevance with spring approaching.

The build of this project has been intense. So far we have the frame of the cat/lizard monster built out - it is nearly 6ft long without a tail. Photos and more info will be posted shortly.

should be sleeping

2011-01-25T01:54:00.004-05:00

this image of a really tall, bizarre looking chair has been in my head for a while.

Crumpler Window Sketch, 3rd Ward Interview / Blog

2011-01-21T13:11:00.006-05:00

From 3rd Wards Blog (http://www.3rdward.com/blog/2011/1/21/member-made-3rd-ward-members-say-holy-hellcat-to-the-streets.html)

What do you get when you combine a Jack & Jane of all trades, total creative freedom and an international bag designer? Here’s a sneak peek at what 3rd Ward Members Launa Eddy and Daniel Olshansky are up to -- bringing their quirky and totally unique styles to the streets of the West Village in the Crumpler main window.

Crumpler has a history of top-quality, far-out window dressing; one former Crumpler window dresser went off to design the windows for Bergdorf Goodman. Launa and Daniel’s fantastical window will clash paper mache creatures with messenger, laptop and travel bags for one head-turning, definition-defying window.

We checked in with Launa about how their concept came about. Stay tuned to the 3rd Ward blog as they build, install, and unveil this fantastical work sometime around Valentine’s Day.

3RD WARD: Tell us about the concept for this piece.

Launa: We wanted to create a scene with striking imagery and fantastic creatures, to build a bizarre world where beasts and bags interact. These surreal scenes will combine playfulness and raw wilderness, with a dash of insanity.

The main character is Hello Hellcat, who is part cat, part bird and part lizard. He is an amalgamation of sentient creatures jumping through life's fire. The flying Crumpler bags will protect the little squirrels from danger. It’s fun traveling via winged bag; we highly recommend it.

There will be an interactive aspect to this installation, inspired by taking Electronics and Circuitry classes at 3rd Ward. Suddenly anything is possible.

3W: How did this project begin?

L: Daniel and I have been working together on sculptural projects like this for years. Our processes are different but they compliment each other wonderfully. When developing a concept, I will start with one main character, and let my fingers decide the nature of the beast as the ink is hitting the page. The scenes don't always make sense. The less sense they make, the better. I like the viewer coming up with their own idea of what the story is.

We had talked about a variety of characters - gentlemen alligators in pink boas and squirrels with monocles and top hats, but this giant cat monster seemed to relentlessly crash our imaginations. Its hard not to go crazy with something like this when you have complete creative freedom, so we just go crazy.

3W: Have you done window installations before?

L: This is our first window installation, but we have been making sculptural pieces - masks, props and paper mache projects together for music videos and photo shoots. It started with an amazing Halloween costume for the Danger party a couple years back. We made a Zombie Fish that I wore on my head, and from that point on we have been offered and have created opportunities to make fantastic things. It’s really something that we enjoy doing and there are no limits to what can be created. The limits are that of your imagination.

To see more of Launa’s work, visit http://www.launaeddy.com/. Daniel’s can be seen at http://serpentongue.tumblr.com.

sir. treesel

2011-01-21T01:00:00.003-05:00

shhhhh

2011-01-18T00:48:00.007-05:00

The Art of Annihilation

2011-01-06T14:39:00.006-05:00

On a seemingly average November day, David Katz and I decided it would be fun to break stuff and film ourselves doing it in slow motion. Two days later we had a warehouse and over a dozen people in costumes with axes and sledghammers, ready to break the shit out of anything we put in front of them.

Here lies the evidence of this insane evening in Bushwick:

Edited by Daniel Olshansky
Shot by me and Brandon Robinson
Made possible by Kostume Kult and Bushwick Project for the Arts.

Face/Light Painting shoot 12/30/10

2011-01-02T17:49:00.009-05:00

two flashlights, a smoke machine, some face paint... this was an experimental shoot, for giggles with good friends who wanted to close off 2010 with something creative together. Galya Kovalyova, photographer extrordinaire. artists: daniel olshansky, katia, moi

model: dorothy tachler

model: madeleine clair

DOODLes

2010-12-30T03:20:00.008-05:00

i feel better when i'm drawing on a regular basis - i'm not such a skilled illustrator per se but creating something that didn't previously exist in a matter of seconds is just so satisfying. put pen to paper and at the end of the day, if nothing else worked out, there's this image or idea that now exists because i took a few minutes to drain the ink from my brain

...on the G train circa 1am.

Stills from Novembers SLOW MO destruction shoot

2010-12-27T05:29:00.005-05:00

Night Flying with Brooklyn Aerodrome

2010-12-26T22:46:00.008-05:00

Brooklyn Aerodrome posted this short clip of me night flying the RC airplane we built in their workshop. Notice that i did not crash the plane horribly. A good first flight all around.

Air and Space Magazine covered this class as well through 3rd Ward, and interviewed me for a piece they're doing for print and the web - in January i think. I think I told the journalist that I took the class because i wanted to create a terrifying zombie cat that i could fly over people in the city. So any kind of prestige initially assumed with getting into this magazine will probably be countered by whatever insane things I said.

Rabbit Ring

2010-12-12T11:29:00.002-05:00

lost wax carving, cast in silver. its supposed to be a rabbit....

see, rabbit ears.

steampunk bird sculpture

2010-12-11T21:34:00.005-05:00

i made the base of this bizarre character out of clock arms and gears, and the head was sculpted from celluclay..... i've started working on another sculpture similar to this one, except its more twisted and will be motorized so its head will spin at adjustable speeds :)

These gears were a great find on ebay, and the clock arm /legs were found at Metalliferous. It took many many tries to solder this together, and at one point one of the little spokes on a gear melted off and rolled down my sleeve.... which left me with a couple nasty burns and created a scene with me flailing my arms around . I had to heat the who thing up to be 1100 degrees in order for the solder to melt and travel, but couldn't let the heat focus on the little gear edges or they would melt.

The head was created one night after a mask making session - I hate to waste celluclay, so when i have extra at the end of the night I quickly mold the excess into random things.

4am

2010-12-10T04:49:00.004-05:00

what i'm doing instead of sleeping... dreaming at the tip of my fingers

new ring

2010-12-06T03:17:00.005-05:00

a rabbit with wrap around ears - will be cast in silver

OWL ring (s)

2010-11-30T00:18:00.002-05:00

Two rings united to make one owl :)

Top part is brass, and the bottom is cast in silver, then a liver of sulfer patina is added

Finished my first rings!

2010-11-24T01:20:00.007-05:00

Carved, molded, cast in silver, ground down and polished. I may apply a patina to one and turn it black. I think they're good stackables.

productivity / progress

2010-11-23T00:57:00.002-05:00

The Bird Mask. Its done.

and a new mask is born - this one is very light weight, and will soon be sanded/decorated. maybe tomorrow.

Bird Pendants - I had two made, one cast in Bronze and one in Brass - and decided not to do too much in the way of finishing. I kind of like the rough finish - although i may experiment with the brass one with a heat patina or maybe a liver of sulfer bath, but first have to re-discover what reacts best with bronze and brass.

The Squid Monster - I love this guy.

Friday and Saturday's projects

2010-11-21T02:07:00.001-05:00

This is two rings that fit together to make one owl! I'll have this cast in silver on Monday when i pick up the pieces I dropped of on Friday.

The beginnings of a bird masquerade mask - - - made with wireform, plaster of paris wrap and celluclay. I'm not sure how it will turn out. Its already too heavy for practical purposes. I should have nixed the plaster wrap. But whether it turns out being functional or not, it looks cool.

Another masquerade mask made with plaster wrap. This one is light weight and I'm pretty happy with the texture of the mask - its not too bumpy, and what is there i can smooth out with a coat of gesso. I hear that joint compound is good for a finishing layer on plaster/paper mache as well... i may try this out on Sunday.

plasma cutter + patinas

2010-11-11T05:38:00.000-05:00

I made this today for my patina's workshop at 3rd Ward - cut it out with the plasma cutter, ground it out as much as possible with the grinder i had, sand blasted it, buffed it, then applied three different patinas. It would look a lot better if it were cleaned up with a die grinder - i need to buy one.

The colors are actually pretty vibrant (greens/oranges)- will post better photo later.

my first ring carving - also, a squid monster

2010-11-08T02:51:00.000-05:00

continued Lost Wax Casting

2010-11-05T13:45:00.000-04:00

A pendant I carved yesterday. I was actually working on another, much more detailed carving, but it broke because the wax i bought is a little too soft for what I wanted to do. Simplify. There's another hole at the top of the pendant for a chain to be attached, that is not visible in the photo. This will be invested into plaster and then burned out to create a mold, then filled with metal to create the piece. I plan on making a dozen or so designs before christmas to sell at the Artist and Fleas market, and to give away as gifts. Not terribly impressed with this one, but it could be nice if I have it cast in bronze or copper and put a nice patina on it.

Co-Producing the Kostume Kult Halloween Parade Float

2010-11-01T15:28:00.000-04:00

I spent a good portion of October co-producing the KK parade float, and making crazy stuff for the after-party. I worked with a group of really excellent people. We made a giant voodoo head mask in the shape of the Kostume Kult logo, two 6ft plush voodoo dolls, illuminated skulls on stakes, flaming skulls, skull headdresses, skull necklaces, skulls skulls skulls. The experience as a whole was exhausting but amazing, and ended with millions of spectators and a lot of really amazing collaborators.

I took this photo from Metromix - - photo by Gabi Porter

My main project - a voodoo mascot head in the shape of the KK logo - 3.5 ft tall, made from chicken wire and paper mache. I worked on this with Jim Glasier. This photo isn't so great but I'll swap it out with something better soon.

Daniel Olshansky and Anna Mercedes Cardinas made these from paper mache and wire.

My costume - I got this headdress on ebay, and decked it out a bit.... then painted myself in the early hallows eve morn. I didn't have a hell of a lot of time to prepare a costume so I'm pretty happy with what I was able to pull together. I was freaking out because I didn't have ANY time in october with all the projects I had commited myself to. I'm still recovering from the insanity. Note: buying liquid face paint from Rickys is a waste of money. I just use eyeliner and acrylic paint, over a white base (cream face paint). It washes off no problem.

photoshoot fun

2010-10-25T01:27:00.000-04:00

on saturday i was a sad sad clown. the shoot was put on by Coco Redfield, Jo Yu and Ga... the outfit and styling was fantastic, the people were great, and it was just the right temperature outside. i like that i somehow get the opportunity to do this kind of stuff.

Teaching Paper Mache

2010-10-22T17:27:00.001-04:00

I led a workshop in Paper Mache at 3rd Ward in BKLYN last night - it was a brilliant success. Everyone who came made some really amazing stuff. I will post pictures when they come in. I may do another before Halloween... Here's the ad from 3rd Ward:

Looking to craft your own completely unique Halloween costume? You don't have to be an expert to make it happen, with a little guidance, the right company and maybe a little glue.

3rd Ward member and talented paper mâché artist, Launa Eddy, will host a FREE Halloween Costume Workshop, tomorrow, Thursday October 21st 6pm to midnight. Launa's paper mache masks have been featured in music videos and photo shoots - and now, she is inviting you to make some creepy magic of your own.

Paper mache essentials, wire, glue guns, cardboard, tape and markers will be provided, but bring whatever you need to construct your ghoulish get up. Meet your fellow costumers and get a head start on that Halloween feeling.

The Halloween Costume Workshop will be held at 195 Morgan Ave. RSVP to dolicho.launa@gmail.com and check out more of Launa's work at http://www.launaeddy.com/.

October, so far...

2010-10-18T00:19:00.000-04:00

Zombie Con October 16th 2010

a last minute project for zombie con - the menacing unicorn snake, or, unisnake. made of paper mache and various other materials laying around my apt

A photo I took of Adam Courtney, who had just been to the Big Wheels event in Central Park. I met Adam at Adam Alexander's 'Les Salonerries" artist salon, and we worked together on an Alice and Wonderland photoshoot that I made masks and props for.

A drawing created in the spring, cut out and mounted onto a piece of wood - it didn't really pop until now when i put it below a blacklight.

amanda and ken turned my 'bah' fish into a set of coasters. this makes me feel somewhat successful.

patterns

2010-09-28T22:20:00.000-04:00

for my inflatable sculpture. also, a terrifying snake. i will be finishing this project in november.

trying out a new canvas

2010-09-13T23:22:00.000-04:00

interesting fact: magic marker - not so easy to remove from your skin.

stacey rizoli painted this awesome octo-eye. it stares into your soul, and hunts birds. octo-eye.

stacey wanted me to draw her an armband - here's what i was able to do before the liquid eyeliner decided to evaporate and turn to goo in the hot desert sun - plant monster!

hot

i worked on this until my neck protested exhaustively. plant monsters.

Burning Man 2010 - a magnificent dream

2010-09-13T21:42:00.000-04:00

Here are just a fraction of the amazing photos i took at Burning Man. I'm still too fresh off the boat to really put this whole trip into perspective. It was beyond amazing.

the Beehive burning - someone jump-roping fire

i found an urban stoop, in the middle of the desert.

one of my favorite art cars / mutant vehicles

this thing snuck up behind me in a sandstorm. It's mobile.

I got to ride the 6 ton spider machine. Yes.

Sand Monster of love

2010-07-30T01:01:00.000-04:00

I made this in the Hamptons while visiting some friends, and their family. I cant think of a better way to be introduced to the family of someone close to you than to give the gift of a giant daemon sand baby.

Its still July.

2010-07-28T14:16:00.001-04:00

Currently working on a project of enormous proportions.... a 25ft pair of inflatable 1950's sunglasses with motion reacting led-lights to twinkle as you walk by... hoping to have it done in time to bring to Burning Man. I'm camping with Kostume Kult, and doing some design work for them as well - - - wish I had more time to do crazy art stuff, but work has me computer-bound. But I'm not complaining. I'm pretty lucky to be able to do the stuff I do.

new armatures- this guy, and a duck with opposable thumbs

2010-07-19T13:36:00.000-04:00

I'm having fun playing with clay. No plans for these guys yet, but making them is relaxing and fun.

Is it July already?

2010-07-07T00:17:00.000-04:00

I made paper mache animal masks/heads for this music video, created by The Moonmen. I'm not a big fan of the song honestly, but they have some other cool songs and i've worked with the guys who made this video on many projects. They're awesome. The vid is cool.

Dinosaur Feathers - Teenage Whore from The Moonmen on Vimeo.

Metal Mania!

2010-06-09T11:42:00.001-04:00

My finished piece from the Lost Wax Casting class at 3rd Ward.

Progress of the Monster Armature i'm building in the metal shop - so far most of the materials i've used to build it have been found on the street: a lamp with flexible tubing, a flattened muffler, and some oil pumps for wings. Now I'm cutting feathers from stainless steel sheets and riveting them together. This wing is an older version that I attempted to weld but it didn't work out (stainless steel apparently doesn't like to be welded) The new wings will be much more detailed - they move and the necks move and the whole piece pivots at the hip.

The initial sketch of the monster - crazy how i found all the parts i needed on the street!

Hello, work.

2010-06-04T02:55:00.000-04:00

EXHAUSTED, I look back on the last week and a half, surprised to somehow make it through and make everyone happy. I designed a 4pg fold-out brochure for the mining company I work for, a 30pg powerpoint, imported and edited 4.5 hours of video footage for my doctors nutritional series, worked my personal assistant job daily, meetings, class, finished my sculpture and casted it to bronze, and deep-cleaned half my house. My birthday was on Memorial Day. I pulled at least two all-nighters and everyone's happy and this weekend i'm going to sleep like an f*ing dinasour.

Here's the cover of the 4pg-er. It might be a little 'evil corporation-esque'

The inside and back page

Here's the cover that got rejected, that super Daniel designed. Its seriously good - just too outside of the company aesthetic. I REALLY want to use this. Daniel kindly helped with the whole brochure - and he's just taught me a lot which is awesome.

The finished wax sculpture, which has already been cast to bronze. I'm hoping to finish sanding and polishing it by wednesday and I will unveil it then.

Easter Walk

2010-05-20T02:14:00.000-04:00

I put this on my photo blog, but thought maybe it belonged here with all the other cool kids.

Easter was a freakishly hot day, and i spent that day walking around brooklyn with a few friends. We went on an "Epic Walk". These walks are frequent and sought after and they always produce some fun photos. This time we ended up at some train tracks with a little walking bridge above them, which is one of my favorite walk destinations in this part of brooklyn, and which weeks later was the scene for The Lost Horizon Night Market. Dorothea Tachler took pictures and some video footage, then compiled it beautifully into this video. The music is Doro's as well - its really well done. Watch out for my special dance at the end.

May, so far.

2010-05-18T02:54:00.000-04:00

Work so far on a wax sculpture for my casting class - when its done, we will make a mold of it and turn it to bronze, or brass. This is my first time carving into anything - so its kind of exciting to discover that i can sculpt reductively. I love doing it... cant wait to do more! This process is called lost wax casting.

The joint I created in welding class for my armature. It may or may not work as I hope it to. We shall see.

I've always been a geology enthusiast.... recently, ebay has me turned into something of a collector... i just love these minerals (Gallery: http://picasaweb.google.com/dolicho.launa/MyMinerals#) .... My idea is to create a space in my apt that is just a jungle of plants and minerals and crazy art creatures. I want to create an environment. Here's a large piece of Santa Eulalia calcite - super amazing specimen. I'm waiting for it to arrive in the mail - feel like a kid waiting for christmas to come

Its amazing that these things exist.

drawing of a freaky metal skull from the evolution store in soho (2nd favorite store in nyc)

The Jesus Christ Hooka Bar deserves a mention because it was just insane and awesome, and because it was in the back of a U-Haul.

silversmithing

2010-04-29T14:07:00.001-04:00

some new pieces I created in my first metal/silversmithing class. the blue one is filled with copper sulfate crystals... poisonous but beautiful

APRIL! Beautiful amazing April.

2010-04-25T01:05:00.000-04:00

Here's some stuff I created/participated it from this last month, in no particular order.

Les Salonnaries. We were one of the presenting artists, showing our animations Zombie Kitchen and Creature Cave. Twas magical and we met many future (and now current) collaborators. Photo by Ventiko.

We created the masks and the mushroom chair for this shoot - and played the rabbits.
http://www.adamcourtney.net/pages/blog_database.html

Daniel created this for our art show at Phoebe's Cafe. Our stuff is decorating the walls. Trippy.
I put up some photos on my drawing blog http://launaart.blogspot.com/

My friend Stacey Rizoli is visiting and we did a little street chalking across the street from my apt.

stacey made this crazy tentacled street monster coming from under the gate... my favorite

my first soldering attempt in silversmithing class. loving this class. endless possibilites.

first stone setting - drusy stone set in copper and silver

i bought this mystery plant - do you know what this is? help!

Discoveries from top secret location in brooklyn. So sweet.

Photo's from class @ 3rd Ward! Welding techniques for sculpture and furniture. Awesome. Soon I will control all the elements. Mwha haha.

s n o w MAN-BIRD

2010-03-15T21:26:00.000-04:00

someone completely destroyed this hours after i made it, but, let the record show that it did rock this world/my street for a few hours

something a little different makes an impression

2010-02-25T15:00:00.001-05:00

hand painted/drawn business cards. i like to keep my hands busy.

Mad Masks

2010-02-05T23:49:00.000-05:00

here are some paper mache animal masks created by myself and Daniel Olshansky. an idea to do an event called zombie zoo around halloween started all this madness - i put out a call for people to come make zombie animal masks with me so we could have a crazy zombie animal march on the city, but no one came. instead i put a lot of heart and soul and creative resentment into this fish, the first of the crazy masks.

Stills from Creature Cave

2010-01-05T14:34:00.001-05:00

This was pretty much my first time playing with clay - for an experimental stop motion/claymation with a tight deadline.... its called Creature Cave. I'll be doing another, more awesome one in May. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QlVVSO2_x0

HI!

2010-01-05T12:06:00.000-05:00

Recent Paper Mache Projects

2009-09-18T16:20:00.000-04:00

A few masks that I made with The Compound Eye in September and October

a claymation character i'm working on

2009-08-21T03:28:00.000-04:00