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michael mellon works

ENVIRONMENTS FOR PLAY

Friday, January 2, 2009

PROCESS FOR JAN'S TABLE








Posted by michaemellonworks at 11:08 AM 2 comments:
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MYHERO@MELLONWORKS.NET

michaemellonworks
Oakland, CA, United States
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  • ▼  2009 (2)
    • ►  March (1)
    • ▼  January (1)
      • PROCESS FOR JAN'S TABLE
  • ►  2008 (3)
    • ►  December (3)
 
A merging of furniture with the ideas behind playgrounds produces the sculptural forms and installations I create: Environments based on the interactions of the viewer with the art. The works extends into the viewers once controlled boundaries and challenges an engagement. Earnesto Neto speaks of his work as multisensory environments, which break down the barriers between art and behavior. We can only look, starving our other senses from any satisfaction. My sculptural bodies are experienced fully when a relationship is born between the person or group of people and the crafted objects. Through the sensory discovery, one becomes more aware of their relationship to floor, weight and gravity, as well as to the surrounding people. My installations place viewers in situations recalling their morals and concerns for play in public space. Observers choose to interact and to what degree, revealing their attitude and desire for their play time and play space. They display whether or not they feel safe, socially inclined and accepting, or less secure and protective. Understanding the function of any particular playground facility is inherent in the design and form, I develop work based around systems controlled by their geometry and physical nature. As viewers “surrender to the experience,” they begin to investigate the “chair” or other reference to furniture. The understanding becomes more evident as participants explore the work that rolls, sways, swings, or tactilely elevates the individual’s time with each piece.

Let's Ride!!

Let's Ride!!
Public Installation at THe Marin French Cheese Factory

Let's Ride!!

Let's Ride!!
Public Installation at THe Marin French Cheese Factory

Let's Ride!!

Let's Ride!!
Public Installation at THe Marin French Cheese Factory

STUDIO LAMPS

STUDIO LAMPS
TWO CONICALLY SHAPED LAMPS WHICH THE USER ROLLS INTO POSITION. TWO HANDS MAY BE REQUIRED BECAUSE OF THEIR SIZE AND STATURE. INVESTIGATE THE RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE WITH THE LAMP AND ITS OWN SHADOWS AND WEIGHT.

TWIRL INSTALL

TWIRL INSTALL
I use 1/8" masking tape to draw instructional diagrams and illustrations on the walls of the installations

TWIRL CHAIRS

TWIRL CHAIRS
TWIRL CHIARS ARE A PLAYFUL WAY OF EXPLORING ONES RELATIONSHIP TO THAT OF CHAIR AND GROUND. UPON SITTING, ONE WILL FEEL THAT THE SHAPE OF THE CHAIR, LIKE A TOP, AND BEGIN TO “TWIRL” AROUND UNTIL RESTED IN POSITION. THEY CAN BE MADE TO CUSTOM SIZES AND DEPTHS.

Long Conversation

Long Conversation
An eight foot long bench in which communication between participants is created through a synchronized push and pull

Long Conversation Detail

Long Conversation Detail

Covered Callings

Covered Callings

Covered Callings

Covered Callings

coverred callings

coverred callings
STRIPS OF METAL, WELDED TOGETHER FORM THESE SKINS, LARGE SCALE SCULPTURAL OBJECTS, WHICH EVOKE GROWTH, MUSIC, AND RHYTHM. LIGHT ENOUGH TO BE MANUEVERED LIKE TOYS, THEY HAVE BECOME BENCHES, SLIDES, MUSICAL INSTURMENTS. THEY FACILITATE SOCIAL INTERACTION AND PLAY, COMMUNICATION AND DISCOVERY.

Covered Callings

Covered Callings

Live Edge Lounge

Live Edge Lounge

TRUMPET LAMPS

TRUMPET LAMPS
A STUDY ON FORM AND LIGHT, THESE LAMPS BECAME A BASIS FOR MAKING A PARTICULAR THREE DIMENSIONAL OBJECT.

MEETING CIRCLE

MEETING CIRCLE
A SYSTEM DEVELOPED TO BRING COMPANY WHO SHOW THEIR ATTATCHMENTS TO PERSONAL SPACE. A GROUP WOULD GATHER SEATS OR A SINGLE FELLOW MIGHT EITHER PUSH A SEAT TOWARDS A STRANGER OR AWAY TO READ. THE SCULPTURE STAYS ALIVE WITH ITS EVERCHANGING FORMATION AND ACTIVITY.

CIRCUMSCRIBE

CIRCUMSCRIBE
A SYSTEM DEVELOPED TO BRING COMPANY WHO SHOW THEIR ATTATCHMENTS TO PERSONAL SPACE. SIMILAR TO THE SYSTEM ABOVE, HOWEVER THREE SEATS ORBIT THEIR OWN CENTER. THIS CAN BE A VERY PRIVATE EXPERIENCE OR ONE THAT NEEDS THE COOPERATION OF OTHERS IN THE CHOREOGRAPHY OF MOVEMENT IN ORDER TO COMPLETE ONE’S TRAVEL.

CIRCUMSCRIBE

CIRCUMSCRIBE

CIRCUMSCRIBE

CIRCUMSCRIBE

Sentinel Bed

Sentinel Bed

Sentinel Bed

Sentinel Bed
This bed was commissioned as a wedding gift. The posts are turned 2,000 year old salvaged redwood beams and Eastern Walnut. The headboard and footboard are hand selected and sequenced Clare California Walnut. The posts themselves were used as an altar for the wedding ceremony.

Sentinel Bed Detail

Sentinel Bed Detail
The salvaged redwood beams used in the posts were reclaimed from a naval base in Alameda, Ca. The hardware connecting the headboard to these posts is a resemblance of the steel bolts used to construct the naval buildings.

Sentinel Bed

Sentinel Bed
Andi and Jason enjoy their first sight of their installed bed at their D.C. apartment

Acacia Dining Table

Acacia Dining Table
designed by Michael Mellon and Anthony Marschak

Reclaimed Walnut Table

Reclaimed Walnut Table
Reclaimed California Claro Walnut Slab . Steel base designed by Anthony Marschak

TABLE BASE CAPTURING WALNUT SLAB

TABLE BASE CAPTURING WALNUT SLAB

Alaskan Yellow Cedar Table

Alaskan Yellow Cedar Table
Cedar boards reclaimed from the old Benician dock

Alaskan Yellow Cedar Table

Alaskan Yellow Cedar Table

Black Acacia DIning Table

Black Acacia DIning Table

MellonWorks

MellonWorks
I silently signed the inside of the bedrail with illustrations of an M and W for MellonWorks. I used a wood burning tool to achieve the depth of line.

CONTACT ME FOR INQUIRIES AND CUSTOM ORDERS AT MYHERO@MELLONWORKS.NET