Introducing, James's

07 My Friend by James's

 I began my solo music project at the end of my senior year of high school.  Eight years of piano lessons, a class in 'Computers and Music' offered in high school, and an internship with a guy named Justin Paul producing video tutorials on recording programs were what dipped my foot in the water.   Soon afterward I decided to inflate some water wings and jump in. At first it was all instrumental.  Only within the past two years have I been comfortable to write lyrics and add vocals.  I am constantly assessing my writing, composing and recording abilities in order to achieve what I deem to be some decent tunes. 

This song is something a wrote at the beginning of last summer and addressed the idea of the friends I was loosing to graduation.  To me, the song encapsulates the feelings of the sadness of their leaving, the celebration of their friendship, and the confusion at the clashing of these emotions. 

Just another way that I create, and I hope you like it. 

-James
 
P.S.  the artwork is an original image

Listen to your Father (he knows stuff)

At the end of last week I began to cut up my material.  I used a saw from my garage in collaboration with a plastic saw guide and a measuring tape.   The sawing itself was not difficult.  However, the saw was stripping the top layers of bamboo as I was cutting through it.

This became distressing for me.  There was a time that craftsmanship was not my major concern.  However, since entering the industrial design program at Virginia Tech, this has changed.  I needed a tool that would give me a better cut.  SUDDENLY, there was a bolt of lightning as my father reached towards the heavens and grabbed such a tool.  

And so it was the Peter Connors bestowed upon his son a Pipe Cutter, which cut beautifully through the bamboo. There was much rejoicing.   Stay tuned!

-James

Let there be light!

 Thanks for all the great feedback peoples!  
Decisions made since last time:

1 this piece of furniture will be a bedside table (24" tall (to the table top) x 24" in diameter)

2 it's style will be somewhere between #8 and #9 of the last post, due to the peoples choice (Paul makes the most convincing argument for the style) and the extra storage space it creates (as pointed out by Oscar).

3 the table top will be roughly the same diameter as the bamboo supports. 

4 the table will be also have a built in lamp feature!

Table/lamp of course!

I had been trying to figure out how to take advantage of the natural hollowness to bamboo.  Feeding electrics through a stalk seemed very interesting.  After these decisions where made, some orthographic drawings of the "final" were conceived as well as some possible strap color combination. 

Final v1.0

 

So above are some color options.  I tried to take cues from modern furniture trends.  There is a current styling trend done that combines natural materials with the bright coloring of joinery, cushioning, or support.  I also wanted to use colors intelligently in relation to their "meanings", their relation to light, or their relation to the earth.  

Let me know which number intrigues you the most!

-James