[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]I can relate to the fundamental urge that stirred people to build Stonehenge. Also, I read somewhere that tiling has spiritual meaning in Islamic art because it allows the artist and the viewer to peer into infinity from a simple set of shapes and rules. As for me, these days, I am into designing stackable cement succulent pots. Putting things together, creating form, transforming space, exploring patterns and discovering shapes… The kind of play this website advocates is a sacred activity. No doubt in my mind…

Anyway, check out my latest project:[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

The Concept

It all starts with a unit.

And then, there were two.

Any builder worth his salt will need stacking pieces.

And so now, we start composing shapes.

Going up.

Playing with possibilities.

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The Application

Since they have holes, you can put stuff in them.

You can make many combinations with just a few pieces.

Playtime!!!
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The Buy Some

Why should I be the only one able to have fun around here? I know you can wait to get your paws on a few of these bad boys.

Well, lucky for you, a couple of local stores have agreed to spread the joy of succulent care and cool home made cement pots to our eager community and are making them available for purchase.

In Los Feliz:
http://www.pottedstore.com

On Abbott Kinney:
http://www.thejuicyleaf.com/

On the web at Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/RelentlessPlay

Act now! Supplies are limited! Since they’re a pain in the ass to make and I’ll be working super long weeks all summer at my other job, I won’t be cranking out many of these. It actually gives you the opportunity to be the only one on your block with one. Think of how envious your friends and neighbors will be when they find out there are no more left to buy!!![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

The Making Of

I built the main pot shapes out of 1×3 oak lumber cut and glued together to make the shape.

Next, I built a box around the master shape

and made a mold out of rubber.

Here is the original shape and the mold.

All that is left to do is put the empty mold back into the box it was poured in, put some cement in and wait a couple of days…

There it is. It’s that simple…

Or is it? In fact, I learned quite a few things through the many mistakes I made along the way. First, the mold I document here actually has a major flaw in that it creates a visible seam along the main face of the pot. I ended up having to take a new approach and pour a new mold that had its seam located just around the bottom edge of the pot. Figuring out how to build the box and the process to take to get the two rubber pieces to come out the way they did involved a lot of visualizing 3 dimensional positive and negative shapes. Also, I made the box out of melamine which was yet another mistake because it has sucked up moisture and gotten warped. I think I will make a mother mold out of plaster for these at some point. Also, it can be pretty hard to get the cast out of the mold, specially the big rubber squares that end up shaping the holes. I need to find a way to make it easier, and while I’m at it, to make it so I can pour 10 pots at once rather than just one.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Epilog

Here it is, at home.
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