BENT OBJECTS

On the Road.

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Mon, 13 May 2013 02:56:00 +0000

Last year I made a book (but it's not a book, it's just a story), somewhat awkwardly, about the life of a young peanut. The above image is from that book (story), which still just exists in my computer. What will ever happen to it, I don't know, but the experience helped me write the book that I have a contract from Philomel (an imprint of Penguin) to begin making real this week.

I'm excited, and a little bit nervous because I wrote the story. All I've ever really done are single images-- stories distilled into one single frame. I seem to have so far fooled the publisher into thinking this one is good enough to make happen. So wish me luck. Like the character above,

I'm about to start on a journey, and although I think I know what I'm doing,

we'll have to see if I really do!

My local public tv station made a segment about Bent Objects

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Fri, 03 May 2013 17:07:00 +0000

The producer and segment host, Aric Hartvig also enjoys brain sandwiches (love the credits).

Remember to support your local public radio and television stations!

One Show Only

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:38:00 +0000

... and then she was gone.

I made this one for the European Network RTL who dropped in today to talk and watch me make it. I'll let you know more about when it will air when I hear.

I also hope to post the video here and on my site.

Cheers.

Late for Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 02:39:00 +0000

I made this one for a tv segment for the local PBS station to show how I go about making these.

It airs locally (Indy) next week, and may air on your local station sometime in the future.

New website. whoopee!

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:32:00 +0000

I'm shocked that I've been able to get this thing to work, but here it is, my new website-

TerryBorder.com

Plenty of work still to do, but I'm happy so far. Lots of images on there which are much easier to see than here.

Roger Ebert 1942-2013

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 04:50:00 +0000

Like a lot of people, I first became aware of Roger Ebert through his movie review show on public television with the late Gene Siskel in the 1980's. Much later, I became a follower of his reviews and his blog on the internet. The fella could really write, and write about anything as near as I can tell. I trusted his reviews, but more than that it was just fun reading whatever he had to say.

Roger discovered my work when it was posted on the Huffington Post website, and tweeted a link. When he became aware of my blog, from which the images originally came from he posted this nice tweet, and sent me a short message telling me that

he enjoyed what I do.

I was so thrilled that I drove down to the coffee shop, ordered one of the expensive drinks, and sat out in the sun laughing about it with my daughter. What can I say, I thought a lot of the guy.

After that, nearly every week my wife would smile and ask "Have you heard from your good friend, Roger, lately?"

A year or so later, I was feeling full of myself after finishing my first animated video so I sent him a link. To my astonishment he wrote a short post at his journal, and his Facebook page, which still makes me happy. Luckily I saved our email exchanges, and I read them when I get down on myself. His "reviews" of my work will always mean a lot.

Anyway, that's what he meant to me. I'm sure going to miss his writing. Reading his work never ever felt like a waste of time.

Good work, Roger. R.I.P.

Quick Wire/Cork Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 01:14:00 +0000

People have asked me over the years for a tutorial on how I do my thing for the Bent Objects project. Here it is. This is a very simple character, but it is the basis, more or less, for every character I make. For a more detailed, more sturdy tutorial, take a look at the end of my first book. Or just mess around with it. Wire is cheap.

I've always been a great fan of Alexander Calder, who was one of the most non-pretentious geniuses of the last century. Inventor of the mobile, and the creator of Calder's Circus, which attracted most every writer and artist in 1920's and 30's Paris. If the Bent Objects project stands anywhere, it stands on the shoulders of this giant.

His circus characters were all a mixture of wires and ordinary objects, and here he is bringing it to life.

Where Pasta Shells Come From

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 02:54:00 +0000

Shell, macaroni, stelline.

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Writer Ralph Jones wrote this about my Bent Objects project for a competition

but the judges were obviously drunk, because he wasn't given an award.

Nevertheless I'm flattered that he chose my work to write about.

He captures things nicely I think.

Thank you Ralph. His website is here.

What Butter Dishes Remind Me of.

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 03:08:00 +0000

Now maybe you will be the same?

I bought this butter dish at least 4 years ago with this idea in mind but never
really had a clear vision for it. This weekend I decided to just make it happen.

It's What He Does.

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 11:14:00 +0000

My apologies to non-english speakers. This may not translate.

-----------------------------
This one is for you Dale.

Nice.

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:37:00 +0000

This silly GIF has been in my mind for years and I finally got around to making it. I worked in a bakery as a baker for several years and I've looked at more of these than I can count.

Big Blue Chevy '72 video

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:28:00 +0000

This is the video I made for Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band. Hope you enjoy it!

Heartworms

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 01:55:00 +0000

Would be a good album cover, er... cd cover, er... never mind.

Squeezing Out the Competition

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 01:57:00 +0000

Poor Phil

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 03:17:00 +0000

Phil will be standing on a pedestal at Clowes Memorial Hall for the month. He'll be kept company by around 20 Bent Objects Prints and several actual little pieces on other pedestals. Details here.

Sandwich Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 05:16:00 +0000

What keeps us together?

and yes, I'm still alive.

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 19:26:00 +0000

A photo from a few years back while I work on a new one.

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:38:00 +0000

It just happens to be in the Bent Objects 2013 calendar- HERE.

Prizes Prizes Prizes

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Write a limerick and win a prize! The theme must be New Year's Resolutions. No extra points for mentioning me or this blog. In fact, that is very likely to lose points for you. Limericks can be left here or on my Facebook page, or Google+ page.

I'll be giving away a these three items. First prize gets first choice. Deadline is Thursday at midnight, Eastern Standard Time, Winning limericks chosen and posted Friday. Good luck!

Fine print- Only for people in the U.S., unless an International entrant would like to pay for shipping, then go ahead and enter. I'm not made of money you know!

Of course, you could also buy them if you felt like it. Hint hint.

WINNERS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN---

First place and first choice of prize goes to Angie-

This new years I think that I've landed
On diets and leaving carbs stranded.
But after some time
I'll probably find
That my husband has caught me bread-handed.

Second prize has been awarded to Linda from the Bent Objects Facebook page-

There's not much I can pledge for next year
Since I don't know if we'll all be here
If I think like a Mayan
I'll only be tryin'
to stifle my December fear

And third prize goes to One Faller-

Resolutions: they come and they go
In winter, they're easy to sow
In spring it's much harder
When filling the larder
To remember things said in the snow

Contact me at BentObjects at G mail with your addresses and choices (we'll work it out).

Surfers Are Braver Than I Am.

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 22:16:00 +0000

(The lighting here reminds me of Annie Leibovitz of the 1980's.)

While I'm on the subject, a shark came within 10 feet of us as we swam in the Gulf of Mexico this summer, and I might have lost a few years of my life.

Also, please take a look at my books ( this one, and this one ) and calendar. Thanks!

Mirror Mirror

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 02:32:00 +0000

I'm not always trying to be funny here. I was asked to make an image to pair with a poem for a poetry magazine, and this was one of my ideas. I decided to go with something else, but I think it's still a good image, so I decided to share it here with you.

As I was trying to decide what to call it, I went on Google and searched for "mirror poem". What came up was a really good poem by the well known author Sylvia Plath.

It really doesn't have much to do with my photo, but I decided to share that with you also.

Mirror

I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.

What ever you see I swallow immediately

Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike.

I am not cruel, only truthful---

The eye of a little god, four-cornered.

Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall.

It is pink, with speckles. I have looked at it so long

I think it is a part of my heart. But it flickers.

Faces and darkness separate us over and over.

Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me,

Searching my reaches for what she really is.

Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon.

I see her back, and reflect it faithfully.

She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands.

I am important to her. She comes and goes.

Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness.

In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman

Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.

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Sylvia Plath, by the way, just happens to be who I was thinking of when I made the following image a while back-

Sylvia Muffin Put Her Head in the Oven

I asked myself if I should repost this image when the mirror photo and the posting of the Sylvia Plath poem would probably make me look sensitive and intelligent. I killed the whole poetry vibe, didn't I?

Oh well.

Speaking of dumb ways to die, here's a good video about that.

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Now please please please go and buy the Bent Objects calendar.

Or my books. People have told me they like them.

Until next time,

Finished the latest animated short.

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:12:00 +0000

Part 1 of my new, super-scary, sci-fi film!!

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 19:23:00 +0000

Been busy learning, but here's something-

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 02:40:00 +0000

A GIF I made about a goofy guy.

PressPausePlay (the entire film about today's creative culture)

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Border) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 03:54:00 +0000

PressPausePlay from House of Radon on Vimeo.

This film is about the present state of music, art, books, film making, etc. Well, it blew my mind a little. I've been thinking of this same stuff- the democratization of creativity and the advantages and disadvantages of it... and yet it tells where we are right now much better than I could ever hope to. I was so excited to share it with you, it was hard at times to concentrate on watching it.

Yes, these are scary times for people in the arts, but these are pivotal times, groundbreaking times, and wonderful times also.

Brilliant.