On the Road.

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

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

... 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

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!

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

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

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

Shell, macaroni, stelline. 

----------------------------------------------------

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.