Let’s get acquainted
Thank you for taking the time to check out my campaign. I’m Steven J Read, a
Minnesotan sculptor transplanted to Pennsylvania. Currently I am working on my solo show, “Wooded Folk” opening March 2014. Wooded Folk is an exploration of new ways of
seeing and interacting with the natural world.
Wooded Folk uses a variety of materials and means to show that we still
can have meaningful connections to nature in our tech world without having
to cast away the “new” and become luddites. The objects that I create start their growth
in the small stories from my history and combine the worlds of tech and
traditional to show that both can have a new, holistic way of
interacting. Some of the techniques that
I employ are 3D modeling software, 3D printers, laser cutters, hand tools,
traditional wood carving techniques, and carpentry. The end goal of Wooded Folk is an entire gallery installed with these objects, creating a space for the viewer to
explore how they are connected and new ways to connect to the natural world.
What compels me?
I have been lucky enough to live
and grow up with a direct interaction with nature. Being raised on a farm and spending time in
the woods of Minnesota has allowed me to have a very personal connection to
nature. I want to help people see that
there are ways to connect to nature without having to build their own version of Thoreau’s
cabin. With your help, I will be able to obtain the materials needed to give each piece of Wooded Folk
the best capability to express these emotions and ideas without compromising on materials or methods.
Where your help goes.
Your funding
will allow me to get the materials that I will need to bring my ideas to
life. Within the world of Wooded Folk, I
have being working on a series of pieces about the process of making firewood and the impacts that they have throughout the different webs of
life in the world. One of the works that
I am planning to make with your support is a geometric splitting
log made out of acrylic mirror and a stack of split logs made of the same
acrylic mirror and corrugated white plastic.
The second piece that your funding will unlock is a large installation
comprised of a sound element of a recording of the woods augmented with
birdcalls and a set of 6-12 different 3D printed bird models. The birds will be printed with the different
collared filaments that represent their natural color schemes. This array of colored printer filament will
be made possible by your donations.
There are many other works that are stuck on the drawing board, but with
your help, their paths will be unblocked.
What I have to offer
you.
Because you are helping me, I
want to be able to provide you with an object of my gratitude. I have created all of these works, and I hope that they will bring you as much joy as they bring me.
$5.00 – A handwritten thank you note on a card printed with
an image of one of my “Binary Bird” drawings.
$10.00 – A vinyl decal of one of my digital whales from the sculpture,
“Self-Referential Pod”. The decals are
around 8" tall and 18" long and can be black or medium
grey: your pick.
$20.00 – A print from my “Super-vast” series. Each print is 8" tall and 22"
long unframed. Each of five images is an edition
of ten.
$30.00 – An edition of my piece, “Interconnected Stones,” comprised of four individually hung, thread lake stone drawings set on a base
of clear-coated birch plywood. Each piece in the set of four is 6" by
6" and around 3" deep, edition of fifty.
$50.00 – A large vinyl decal of my geometric buck mount
design. No deer were harmed in the making of this piece. This large piece comes
in black and is 36" tall and 21" wide.
$60.00 - Will get you your own, "My Little Friend". "My Little Friend", is a 3D printed, abstracted Chickadee on a custom made, wall mounted branch. He is more than happy to hang out and keep watch over your place.
$100.00 – A unique, original “Binary Bird”
drawing. Most of the birds in the series
are songbirds native to Minnesota; it will be a surprise to see what bird you
will get. The colored drawings are
18" wide and 24" tall.
All drawings are unframed. (Image below is a preparatory sketch)
$200.00 – The sculpture “Split Decision”. This sculpture is composed of three parts: a set of geometrically abstracted log vinyl
decals, one mirror log, and one handmade and hand carved hatchet. The hatchet
and log together are approximately 20" tall, 12" deep and
6" wide. Your
sculpture will be one from an edition of ten; each installation of this piece
will be unique.
$500.00- The sculpture “Three Times
Infinity” and two “Binary Bird” drawings.
The sculpture is composed of a full sized double bit axe with a hand
carved design on the handle and a set of geometrically abstracted log
vinyl decals to install on your wall.
The axe is full sized, and the size of the decals on the wall can change
to the space available on your wall. Although the axe handle is real, I do not
advise using it for the felling of trees, just allow it to wow your guests as
it hangs onto the wall. Your sculpture will be one from an edition of ten; each
installation of this piece will be unique.
$1000.00- For this
level, you will receive everything! That’s a thank you note, whale decal, one "Super-vast" print, buck mount decal, three "Binary Birds," "Split Decision," and "Three Times Infinity."
$2000.00 – At this level you will get the whole set from the
$1000.00 level plus a piece of your pick from the show Wooded Folk.
Other ways you can
help
I fully
realize that not everyone can help in the same way. But there is one way that everyone can help! That’s to help spread the word. Please help by passing my campaign on to as
many people as you can. This can be done
by spreading the word, passing on a link to this campaign, or by using the
Indiegogo share tools.
Thanks for
taking the time to look over my campaign Without community support, I
couldn’t be doing this.
-Steven J Read