I have always used green technologies and enviornmentally responsible art practices.  Finding better ways for creating art was a natural step for me.  My latest work taught me so much more.  I did a sculpture of a local plant that is threatened due to habitation loss and poaching.  It is a Ghost Orchid found in the swamps by me.  It changed my art path.  I want to bring awareness of these plants and am going to do a series of threatened and endangered plants to bring awareness of their beauty and plight.

What do you think?

Steve

Recently I was in an article for the local newspaper.  The news reporter chose to explore my occupation as a firefighter and artist, linking the two into a story.  This approach may help other artists find new ways of getting their word out about them by putting two things together to make something more interesting.

Good luck and cheerio  btw I am not this fat

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200805140110/NEWS0115/805140345

Just a quick hello and thank you to all those that came to Byron's and myself opening.  It was a great success, and we learned alot about what to do prior for a show and all the experience that comes from getting our feet wet.

Thanks for the support, kind words, and friendship!

Cheers

Steve

I recently read the last Art Calendar.  I always get excited about learning new things and in this bad economy, let other magazines lapse but kept up on yours. 

Something to me was missing.  I have always enjoyed and learned so much from Carolyn Blakeslee, I looked for her writings.  Where did she go?  Is she going to be in further issues?  Her humanistic touch was important to me.  I always felt like she was digging in the trenches with the rest of us and offering as much help as she could.  If she is on holiday she deserves it, but if she is not, I am saddened and dissapointed.

Steve

The Koi and Krane Art Gallery is showcasing “Heavy Metal Art Night”.  Byron Wood and Steven Kalb will be exhibiting their metal art that evening. The gallery will be raffling off a new piece of metal art by both Steven Kalb and Byron Wood.  100% of the raffle proceeds will be given to a local charity, Our Mothers Home.  Our Mothers Home has had a two-thirds budget cut by Lee County!   The art show will hopefully draw some awareness to the community of this worth while organization. 

The art show is at the Koi and Krane Gallery April 04, 6-8 pm.  It is located at 6338 Presidential Court Suite 203 Fort Myers FL 33919   (239) 415-2787

www.koiandkranegallery.com

www.Kalbironworks.com

www.ourmothershome.com

www.metalsmithdesigns.com

We hope you can attend, it will be a fun and charitable evening!

Steven Kalb 

I started this adventure with Scuttlebutt because I respected the mag so much.  I did not put a picture of myself up because I did not want it to to be like a MYspace and have that type of atmosphere.  I just wanted people interested in my art and talk with people that I could share ideas and get and hopefully also give good suggestions.  Well it has been about 4 months and I am very happy.  I have met and connected with alot of artists with varying views and backgrounds.  I put myself out there and asked for opinions on how to improve and read and listened to comments of contacts and applied the lessons from the mag.

Results are a show of Byron Wood and myself at the gallery that represents us in Fort Myers, in April.  I have longer and more substantial hits on the web.  I am going to teach smithing locally and at a national school.  I am working on grants for a state park to secure and teach more artists and spread the wealth.

Bottom line, is there is no one single magic bullet.  The point I wanted to make is to listen to those that have made it take their suggestions and modify it to make it work for you.  I am very glad to have found this site and the fine people in my contacts.

Cheers to you!

Steve

A trick I used to save money when I was in the printing buisness was to mix old inks into black.  I was able to stretch out my black that way and not have to worry about sending it out as hazardous waste.  A little bit here and a little bit there makes a big difference in the large picture. Recycling is simple but you have to take a few moments and think, 'There must be a better way.'  I would love to hear some stories on this!

Cheers

Steve

One common theme I see often is the use of extension cords as permanent power supplies.  Most of us have been guilty of this at one time or another, but it is just something I want to bring up.  Where the fires have started that I have seen, are from people walking on the extension cords eventually breaking down the wire and causing a short.  Another way is having a cord go under carpet or a piece of furniture that is heavy doing the same thing shorting out and causing a fire.  I like to use the roll up holder that you can get at a home improvement store.  You don't have to mess with the cord around your arm and it is done quick and easy.  For outlets that get taxed (say the computer) like a squid, there is an outlet that has a fusible link and trips it off safely so you don't pull to much power from the receptacle.  Again go to the home improvement store.  Don't be cheap some can also take a minor lightning hit where it will fry and not your expensive equipment.  Just a few more ideas to keep you safe!

Cheers,

Steve

I looked at the art forum, and noticed literally thousands of views on the issue of hazardous materials in the artist workplace.  Some ranged from ventilation questions to in depth chemicals.  I have been dealing with these issues for over 20 years in various ways.  I have been involved in a printing company with the responsibility of hazardous materials, Osha, Right to know practices for ten years.  I became a firefighter with that interest and have been doing that for 15 years professionally.  I also have been an artist blacksmith for about 18 years.  Though I do not claim to have all the answers, I do have an insight into both sides of the fence when working with items that can harm you or the envionment, or both.  Probably the first thing I would do if I were to want to know about the safety of my work enviornment is get all the MSDS sheets for all the items I use.  That includes all paint, solvents cleaning materials etc.  These Material Safety Data Sheets will tell you what hazards are in each thing you use.  They will tell you Health, Fire, and Enviornmental dangers and specific ways you can use them safely, and help you determine if the chemicals in it are safe to use in your enviornment.  By law these have to be made available to you if you ask for them.  The store owners should be familiar with these sheets as it is law and if they are not contact the maker of the product.  I know this is alot to do, but sacrificing for your art is one thing.  Getting sick or dying from it eventually should not happen.  If there is enough interest I will continue this thread.  I just want everyone to work safe and make art for many years to come.  Here are a few links you might find helpful.  I tend to go right to the source instead of fiddling around so here goes!

 http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/resources.html  Good materials, remember states have the right to make higher standards for pollution than Federal ones!http 

http://www.labsafety.com/?CID=7PG650KWLABSAFETYHP  this is a private supplier I have used.  They are expensive, but have techs on line that can handle any problem you have.

http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/oshasoft/index.html  I really like the OSHA site.  The only problem is it is so huge it is hard to digest.  Like an elephant you can eat it only one bite at a time.

Cheers,

Steve www.kalbironworks.com