All the news from Hackertown

Inspired by the variety of shapes, colors & materials found in outdated technology, Melissa Glick combines e-waste with imagery to make one of a kind home decor, jewelry & accessories called Hacker Creations. Working out of the Artisan’s Asylum since 2013.

www.hackercreations      www.etsy.com/shop/hackercreations

SAVE THE DATE: Artisans Asylum Winter Market & Open House Sat & Sun Dec. 8 & 9 – 11 am – 5 pm. Tours, demos, hands on activities and Battle Bots on Saturday!

SomerStreets Oct. 17 Somerville, MA

Its not even Halloween yet and I have already carved a 100 lb pumpkin. Mine is the farthest on the left. First time partaking in this Artisan’s Asylum tradition. Those gourds are really thick but I think I’d take a different tact next time and leave more of the skin and draw detail into the surface. Like this awesome one from years past……

I love this Pumpkin! Who did this one?

In the Studio

I’ve started working larger! Since I’ve been getting inquiries for Office Decor from Tech Companies and now The Cambridge Arts Council is looking for large work to hang in WeWork co-working space. CAC exhibits art in many of the buildings in Kendal Square, Cambridge, as part of their Creative  Marketplace program. Perfect timing since I have finished the first in a series of three tall ones. Agam Totem is 5′ x 1′ made on wood with a white painted frame.

Agam Totem

Blue Construction is 2′ x 2′ and is my first experiment building on a new material. Pink insulation board is extruded Polystyrene and is much lighter than wood. I am discovering a whole new way to attach the parts because the material has very different qualities.

Both are part of a series done over the bright colors of Yacov Agam. Agam is a kinetic artist who is 100 years old and living in Israel. This is the link to his incredible Museum which I would love to visit. I use a portion of the original work, often altering the color and multiply it in Photoshop. I use color photocopies and Mod Podge to “decoupage” a surface for the construction to be built over.

Blue Construction

I have long intended to make work echoing Russian Constructivism. This early abstract movement plays with abstract shapes in compelling compositions. Some notable artists of this era include: Kazimir Malevich,, El Lissitzky & Alexander Rodchenko. Check them out!

I hope you will visit my website to see the latest additions to my Feminism and Technology (formally known as Victorian Ladies) series. The current stable includes: Ada Lovelace, Mermaid, Alice Contemplates the Galaxy, German Engineering and VL, Victorian on Wallpaper. See All my new work at the Winter Market & Open House Dec. 8 &  9.

Holiday Events

Boston Hassle Halloween Market, Cambridge Community Center – Sunday October 28th, from 12pm-6pm – 5 Callender Street, Cambridge.

Google Cambridge Office Holiday Market – Friday December 7, 2018 from 3-5pm

Artisan’s Asylum Winter Market & Open House & Battle Bots – Sat & Sun. Dec 8 & 9 -11 am – 5 pm, 10 Tyler St, Somerville.

MassArt Made Holiday Sale* will be December 2-8, 2018 – 10:00am to 7:00pm in the Lobby of the Tower Building at MassArt,  621 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA.

Institute of Affordable Art*, Dorchester Art Project 1486 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester MA.

I am happy to announce that we have a new member to our family her name is Dee Dee #1806221344. Thank you Skunadelia 

*inclusion to be confirmed.

 

Somerville Open Studios 2018

Disappointing, I didn’t sell any of my actual art. I sold enough earrings, necklaces to cover the fee, plus some. This is when the negative thoughts start. No one likes my work, it’s no good. I’m wasting my time……  Please feel free to disagree!

There were some enthusiastic viewers and some positive reactions, for example a woman was looking at the series I did for Valentines day made with a red circuit board behind laser cut hearts in wildly colored collaged wood. She said “Oh these are great, I work in Pulmonary Medicine.”  “Would look great in your office” said I, to no avail. I offered the small piece for a discount of $20 and she still didn’t take it.

Turns out pulmonary is lungs not hearts (cardiac) … but she brought it up!

Melissa Glick makes 3D collage out of old computer parts. Her studio is at The Artisan’s Asylum, a 40K sq. foot “Maker Space” in Somerville, MA. Her work has been described as being “structural poetry”. Visit her website and Etsy shop to see more of her work.

www.hackercreations.com

www.etsy.com/shop/hackercreations

Getting Work Out There

It’s only October but I am getting into the spirit of giving.   I’m giving my work to people who will hang them in public spaces. A while back, I heard about an acquaintance who offered her work for free to anyone who wanted it. The following week, she received good fortune including a commission!

Whenever I walked past Monster Mikes Guitars at 869A Mass Ave. up the street from where I live in Central Sq, Cambridge MA., I noticed an empty space in the window. So I just went in, introduced myself and asked if could put my piece there and he said sure. So if you’re in the area check out Tango in Mustard. I also encourage you to patronize this fine establishment.

Tango in Mustard, 2015

This Hacker Creation is a 3D collage of recycled paper, wood, and computer parts – a collection of abstract shapes and patterns unified by the “pea soup” color of the old circuit boards on the top. Press the button and the “muffin fans” spin.    The composition combines intricate details from a collection of traditional decorative patterns and an image of dancers painted by John Grillo (from a brochure I picked up at a gallery in Welfleet years ago) with disassembled and surplus parts from old technology. The appropriated image is mounted on a metal hard drive cover and framed by a grid from the plastic flexi-sheet (from under the keyboard keys.) Batteries and wiring are sandwiched between two boards, clipped together with improvised metal parts.

Mario of CLM Mechanics 366 Webster St Cambridge, MA 

My mechanic is a great guy, I’ve known him for years and consider him a friend. Today I had to get new brakes on my car and when I picked it up, I gave Mario, Metal Weave to hang in his newly refurbished office/waiting room. I think he liked it. The piece has a lot of silver metal, black plastic and features an old vacuum tube and fits in amidst the car parts, tools and lifts. I’m not going to plug Mario’s garage because it is always too crowded and I like to think it’s my little secret. I doubt they have a website.

My goal is to increase my audience by getting my work out into the world.  When people stumble upon it, I hope they will have time to take in the variety of shapes and materials. Get a sense of the balance, composition and patterns. Its a non-verbal thing, if it brings you pleasure then, you get it!

I take pictures of everyone who buys one of my pieces. My audience may be limited and perhaps a collection of odd ducks, but when they say, ” I love it”, I know they are telling me the truth. It is such a thrill when people “get it”, confirming that we share a way of seeing beauty in unusual places.

Working in my studio
Photo by: Anna Muench

The recycle loop has three steps: 1. I keep materials out out of the waste system. 2. They are transformed, given new life as art. 3. When you hang it on your wall at home/office to enjoy.  Be a part of the Recycle loop! Visit my Shop at: www.etsy.com/shop/hackercreations

www.hackercreations.com   

Instagram

sign up for my mailing list.

Melissa Glick  • Hacker Creations    •  glick.melissa@gmail.com  •   Working from The Artisan’s Asylum, Somerville, MA since 2013.