astro turf skirt

I was interested in using a material which had many of the flexible qualities of fabric but was more rigid in structure, astroturf seemed like a fun solution, I also tried out different carpet foams and padding. I was also interested in the modularity of components, having the whole thing made of one repeated element, interlocking the fabric without making it seem like 'tabs' or 'buttons,' and letting the body be the thing which gives form to the to the piece. perhaps it looks like a lawn with dew resting on it? maybe it looks more like flower petal. Penguins, someone mentioned too, its that flipper thing I think. Its also reversible and gives a whole different look, more severe.

bike basket

Using sheetmetal as a structural component, combined with astroturf (which is weatherproof), I was hoping this would offer more rigidity than a floppy fabric bag but more flexibitity than a common wireframe basket. I'm dissatisfied with how the weaving compenent turned out, I'd like to intigrate it more fluidly with the exterior pattern. I was hoping to make it look like grass was sprouting out of the metal. The whole thing needs to be bigger too, to offer more inside space.

rastering images

Just a few weeks ago I returned from travelling in indonesia, where I spent time delving into the local arts and crafts. As in so many other developing countries, I was struck by the fact that although everything is 'hand-crafted' all of the artisans seems to create the same designs. Where do these particular designs come from? Why are these the ones that become popular and replicated? How does it relate to their economy, is this motivated more by tourism or their own culture? I have been thinking alot about the arts and crafts in developing countries as I was supposed to spend this summer teaching multi-media at a new design school in Zimbabwe Africa (couldn't go due to their political situation). Given new technology tools, I was curious to find out what sort of work students with a distinctly unwestern aesthetic background would create. To what extent do the tools determine the aesthetic? This seems particularly interesting in the case of the CBA labs. Will these change or affect the hand-crafted aesthetic? These are of course age old questions about industryl and craft but they seem to be coming to light once again with new technologies spending into developing nations. Nothing about me rasterizing images a few images answers any of these questions, but it was a way to start thinking about them. I was interested in how the lasercutter could rasterize a duotoned image much like that of a sculpted relief. Could using such technologies actually increase the flexibility of design and pattern, allowing it to be more customizable?