Want to build sand castles but don’t want to go outside in the hot, hot sun? Too bad! Just kidding, that’s totally possible thanks to Sand by Brookstone. It looks and feels like sand, but functions a bit like silly putty, letting you shape it into anything you can imagine. Surely this stuff is made of magic right? Nope, it’s actually 98% sand and 2% polymer. And unlike regular sand (which is actually 98% sand and 2% broken glass, trash, and stuff that makes you say, “Ew what is that?”) it won’t stick to you, dry out, or make a mess.
Musicians and things that can be smoked go together like people and vices. Overly realistic and thus useless analogy FTW! But if those things do have a space in your life, check out the Decktray. Made by artist Terry Griffiths, these functional artworks are ashtrays that look like turntables.
Aside from the Decktrays, Griffiths also made a companion container that looks like a mixer. In our modern age, you’d be forgiven if you think that Griffiths made the Decktrays and the mixers using a 3D scanner and printer. But Griffiths is proud to say that he makes each piece by hand. Plot twist: his hands are 3D printers. Just kidding.
Call your friend who knows a guy who knows a guy who knows a dog who knows a guy who can use a Web browser to order the Decktray from Griffith’s Etsy shop Sku Style. Or just get a doctor’s prescription that says you need one. The Deluxe Package sells for about $240 (USD) and includes two Decktrays and a mixer. You can also buy a single Decktray for about $120 and the mixer container for around $48. UK clubbers can also go to Griffith’s personal store.
Remember summer camp when you had to make stuff out of pipe cleaners and it always ended up looking like something that got stuck in the dryer lint trap and you questioned why anyone ever thought they were a good sculpting tool? Lauren Ryan doesn’t. California based artist Lauren Ryan creates sculptures using pipe cleaners that look incredible—and not with the caveat of “for pipe cleaner sculptures.” Ryan never uses glue, limiting herself to pipe cleaners and the occasional use of scissors. That’s noble and all, but I’m pretty sure glue would only make most of our sad attempts at stickman pipe cleaner figures worse anyway.
DeviantARTist justjake54 made these Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle sculptures using twisty ties. They look really good! Also looks good? That drawing of a pizza. I would totally eat that. Even after having Michelangelo’s grody sewage feet all up on it. Pizza is pizza, yo! Except pizza that is actually just a drawing of a pizza. Then that… is really sad. Plus making me hungry.
Artist Freya Jobbins creates these face sculptures made out of parts of plastic toys and dolls. They’re super impressive and it’s fun to see the different pieces she used to make up the 3D faces. Like, hands for hair, ears for nostrils, or eyeballs for eyeballs. Oh man, or that guy — that guy has a butt chin! LITERALLY. HIS CHIN IS MADE OUT OF A BUTT! A cute butt, too, now that I get a good look at it. *zooming in* Do you think it’s Ken’s? Ooh, yeah, you’re right: probably a G.I. Joe’s.
Vanessa Dualib loves photography AND food. So she’s combined the two in a photoseries called Playing With My Food. The images feature sculptures she’s put together from different pieces of food, mainly fruits and veggies. There’s a potato-walrus, snap pea praying mantis, a scorpion made of red peppercinis and more. The whole set of pics is super cute and almost makes me not violently-hate vegetables. Almost. If you think you’re gonna get me anywhere near an eggplant just because it looks a little like the killer whale from Free Willy, you’re DEAD WRONG.
The caddisfly is basically the insect equivalent of a Pinterest user because it loves to craft its little cocoon out of stuff like sand, twigs, small rocks, mason jars, etc. But French artist Hubert Duprat wanted to know if they’d switch from their usual supplies to items like gold flakes, precious stones, and pearls. He deprived the little guys of all of their preferred materials and instead supplied flashier ones. Of course since they had no other options, they made super blinged out shells. Duprat then took most of the credit and called the work a collaboration. Sure, it was a clever idea, but that’s basically the same as bringing all of the beads to the arts & crafts meeting, playing on your phone while everyone else makes bracelets, and then saying you deserve most of the profits from the craft fair. Oh and also you brought the wrong kind of beads.
This is a series of sculptures made from shards of glass. Each piece was crafted by Artist Marta Klonowska, who I assume does NOT share the same fear of broken glass as I do. How does she manage to put the pieces together without slicing her hands open and bleeding out, I’ll never know! Marta’s work is inspired by artists like Peter Paul Rubens and Francisco de Goya. Me? My work is inspired by Bozo the Clown and Miss Piggy. And by that I mean those two appear prettyyyy frequently in my drug-induced hullicinations. But ya know, same-diff!
So who do you think will win?