BIRTHDAY HAT FOR ROLO CASTILLO, JOSHUA TREE, THE ULTIMATE PARTY ANIMAL 2016
THE WAY THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING RECENTLY FOR MYSELF AND WORLD, ONE HAS TO BE THANKFUL FOR THE NEXT PARTY,
THE GREAT EQUALIZER. SOME PEOPLE DEVOTE THEIR LIVES TO HAVING A CONTINUOUS PARTY. AMUSEMENT THE AIM. LAS VEGAS THE MECCA.
COSTUME PARTIES MY THING. IN WESTWOOD GRAMMAR SCHOOL IN 1948 I GOT HOOKED DESIGNING COSTUMES WHEN I TIED A BUNCH OF CANS AND TIN PLATES TOGETHER WITH SOME TORN UP RAGS AND CLOTHES WITH A STICK OVER MY SHOULDER AS A BUM. IN CONTRAST THE CO-WINNER OF THE COSTUME CONTEST WAS A BEAUTY AS “SNOW WHITE” TOGETHER WE LED THE PARADE AROUND THE SCHOOL GROUNDS. A COMMON THEME IN MY LIFE. A BUM AND A PRINCESS.
MY SKILLS TOOK OFF WHEN DESIGNING COSTUMES FOR MY FIVE KIDS AT HALLOWEEN. I THINK MY HIGH POINT WAS AN ALLIGATOR SNOT AND TAIL FOR MY SON ERIK. ANOTHER A HALO FOR A DAUGHTER THAT LIT UP USING BATTERY TECHNOLOGY SHE COULD HOLD IN HER HAND. NOW THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF NEAT THINGS THAT LIGHT UP.
I AM A GREAT BELIEVER IN DESIGNING FOR FUN AND NOT ALL THAT SURE WHERE IT WILL LEAD. I DISCOVER TONS WHILE BUILDING WITH MY HANDS, THE DESIGNS BEING TURNED UPSIDE DOWN OR TORN APART AND ADJUSTED.
THE LOW TEMPERATURE GLUE GUN BEING THE ULTIMATE TOOL FOR ME FOR A FAST ROUGH DESIGN.
I AM AMAZED THAT OTHERS DO NOT FOLLOW MY LEAD. THE STORES ARE FILLED WITH PREDICTABLE COSTUMES. I THINK IT IS ABOUT BEING JUDGED. PEOPLE ARE SO SCARED THAT THEY WILL BE MADE FUN OF ETC. THE NEXT CLASS I TEACH I WILL DEMAND ARCHITECTURAL COSTUMES TO COME TO CLASS.
THE HATS ON TOP OF THE HEAD ALLOW MOVEMENT FOR ONE TO DANCE, WITHOUT A BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF TO HINDER ONE’S FLOW.
EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT ECONOMICS, WELL IT DOES NOT GET MUCH CHEAPER THAN BUILDING HATS FROM SCRAP AND USING DOLLAR STORE MATERIALS.
YOU CAN EVEN CALL IT GREEN, IF YOU USE JUNK TO BUILD. I AM KNOWN FOR WRAPPING GIFTS WITH NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE PAGES. EVERYBODY WRENCHING AT SEEING MY PACKAGES IN CONTRAST THEIR WORLD OF PROPER TASTE. BUT RELUCTANTLY HAVING TO ADMIT HOW CREATIVE MINE ARE.
I WOULD MAKE A GREAT SET DESIGNER, ALL SO FRIVOLOUS INSTANT PROPS. MY BIG LOVE IS OLD MOVIES WHERE SETS WERE A MAJOR PART TO EXPRESS AN ART DECO ERA ETC. . BUT NOW THE DIGITAL AGE HAS ARRIVED AND THE CREATIVE TALENT IS MAKING FANTASY MOVIE SETS.
WIND CELEBRATION AT ARCOSANTI AROUND 1981 THE WIND SPINNING THE PIN WHEEL.
THE FULL OUTFIT, SCI-ARC CO PROFESSOR AHDE LAHDI IN THE REAR WITH HIS PORTABLE WINDMILL ON A WORLD WAR II BOMB TRAILER.
I WAS RELIEVED FROM COLLECTING TICKETS WHEN I LET CHILDREN IN FREE . MAYBE THE BEER IN MY HAND DID NOT SET THE PROPER IMAGE.
ROLO CASTILLO
WIFE CHRISTINE LUGO DE SMALL 2011
BOBBY FURST SCULPTOR, WITH MY HAT HE LOVED 2016
HALLOWEEN 2016
ARTIST WIFE CHRISTIAN LUGO DE SMALL ON PATIO SHE DESIGNED 2016
CONQUISTADOR GRINGO HAT
HATS OFF to the hats. Michelangelo did the uniforms for the Vatican guard., there is a famous photo of a 19thC Belgium architect Henry van der Velde designed robe (and dinner plate set, part of his total design philosophy ; and the BAUHAUS students created costumes for parties and theater events. why not design everything. from lampshades to furniture to bridges to biospheres.
right on eric,
i agree the world i can relate to is all aspects of visual design and i would love to surround myself with that which i design. it is a powerful positive thrust for me,
i have devoted blogs to items i have designed like pots, furniture, and lights. i continue to design and build at a small scale so more will come.
but as i pointed out, very few architects and students i know follow my lead. as you pointed out history praises movements and people that embraced the whole package.
I remember the 1969-70 Cal Poly Beau Arts Ball. Held in the fabulous Bradbury Building in downtown LA.
You were dancing most of the night wearing a party hat decorated with spring-loaded champagne glasses…clearly the most out-there prof in the school.
Glad to learn that the Biomorphic Biosphere is happenning.
You are the one Architect I know who lives and breathes architecture and architecture forms part of your very being.
One of the few architects who has not sold out – like the rest of us.
HATS OFF TO YOU for that!
Wish you a Merry Christmas and may your dreams come true in 2017!