Portfolio of Amanda McCusker Colour Enthusiast, Designer, & Maker of Things

colr32
various sizes, approx. 15cmx15cm when together, acrylic, cotton cheesecloth, fibre reactive dye, hand sanded and polished, 500+ hours

the experience of colour, 2012

Colour is not something that you see, it is something that you experience. It is subjective and personal, with each colour having at least as many meanings as there are people in this world. colr32 is a selection of thirty two of the multitude of colours perceivable by the human eye, with each colour first dyed into cotton cheesecloth and then frozen within cast acrylic. The colours become their own moments in time, each piece its own entity that is also a part of a larger puzzle. When the puzzle is undone, each piece is to be held, engaged with, and considered by the user. colr32 is an object of inspiration, intended for creative professionals but approachable for any curious individual. It is a seductive object that taunts with its impossibilities and fulfills with its sensuality. It is a piece about possibility, interaction, craft, colour, fun, and experience. It is an inspiration and colour selection toy/tool.

colr32, 2012

HOW TO MAKE colr32

1. Buy some HDU 2. Cut 3 equal blocks.

ite wh ue gl

3. Glue blocks together. 4. Let cube dry.

5. Sand sides smooth and cut equal sized pyramids from all corners.

7. Cut middle layer in half and cut one half into pieces. 6. Cut apart top layer. 8. Vacuum form pieces with LDPE to create moulds. 9. Cast acrylic and embed cheesecloth into the moulds.

BLANGEDY
130cmx60cm fabric, screen printing, findings

2011

How To Use BLANGeDY

1. Lay your BLANGEDY out on the floor. Place toys in the middle. 2. Fold bottom of BLANGEDY up and snap into place, creating a pouch.

3. Fold top of BLANGEDY down and snap into place, creating a cover.

4. Fold remaining arms to front and snap into place, creating straps.

5. Take your BLANGEDY with you wherever you go!

BLANGEDY is the perfect toy for children on the go. It can be used as a playmat, blanket, cape, tent, or anything else that can be imagined. The best part? When youre ready to go play somewhere else you can fold and clip BLANGEDY into a backpack, and carry the fun with you! BLANGEDY is a fabric based toy and comes in a variety of patterns and colours. Each BLANGEDY also has a place for its user to write their name, making the BLANGEDY an object of attachment and engagement for the user.

Where is Colour?
10cmx10cm cotton muslin, fibre reactive dye, magnet

2011

Where is colour? is a response to the dull landscape of Torontos downtown core. Pieces of graffiti that you can move, these objects are meant to brighten days and bring smiles to those who interact with them. The objects are small and durable, held together in the middle around magnets that allow the pieces to hang from metal objects found on city streets. They are meant to be taken by the viewer/user, and have tags that read This is colour. I hope it made you smile. If you took colour with you today, please let me know. whereiscolour@gmail.com

Spectrum

2011

240cmx12cm silk, rayon, cotton, linen, hemp, fibre reactive dye, hand dyed fibres, 30 hours

Spectrum is a colour toy meant for inspiration and colour selection. Comprised of over 100 different colours of hand dyed cellulose fabrics, it is a floppy, soft, playful alternative to the common paint chip method of selecting and combining multiple colours.

No Bird
80cmx50cmx10cm polyester, findings, Arduino

2011

No Bird is a conceptual toy for parents to give to children that will not stop crying or making noise. Using an Arduino micro processor, No Bird reacts to noise by making some of his own. When sound is detected through the input a response of no is sent through the output. The no response only stops when the sensor detects silence in the atmosphere.

Mockingbird
20cmx12cmx2.5cm wool, silk, paper

2011

Mockingbird is a conceptual toy from an imagined line of affection based fine gifts for children whose parents are too busy to give them love and attention. Based on the nursery rhyme Hush Little Baby, the toy offers more to the parent than it does to the intended recipient.

My ECCO Shoe
leather, rubber

2010

This collection of shoes is designed with the wearer in mind. The shoes are meant to entice the wearer who is looking to make a connection to their footwear. I designed each shoe to change over time both naturally as well as at the users whims.

My ECCO Shoe collection, 2010

top row from left: Petal Flat, Petal Heel, Growth Loafer, Bud Flat, bottom row from left: Photo Loafer, Open-Up Boot

ARKA

polyester, dye, laser cutting A collaboration with Riin Kiv

2010

ARKA is a raincoat influenced by palm leaves and the Danish lifestyle. The jacket is made of 100% polyester for the purpose of being recycled once the user is finished with the product. The jacket also encourages reuse and creates its own vintage style through use of a laser cut brand on the hood.

Ants

wool, polyester, digital knitting

2010

This pattern is based off of ants and their complex colonies. The tessalation creates a disconnect between the image and the pattern, causing the viewer to look closer to see the drawn ants, just as they would to see real ants.

Oh My

2010

cotton, pigment, screen printing

This hand printed pattern is based on the idea that a city is a concrete jungle. Each lion, tiger, and bear is wearing a suit, connoting that they are each professionals in their own way. A textile meant for children, the colour ways are intended to be bright, fun, and playful.

Interruption
100cmx60cm wool, hand woven on floor loom, 18 hours

2010

This hand woven cloth is meant to cover any projects that the user is working on, but needs to step away from for a moment. It is to signal an interruption in the process of making, and to hide that which is not being made. It is a comment on the habit of procrastination and the feelings of guilt that are often left out of a described creative process. The warp threads change from red to green to blue in sequence so as to create the illusion of an RGB monitor.

Portrait of a Cow
18cmx9cm wool, polyester, hand woven on a tapestry loom, 20 hours

2010

This hand woven tapestry explores how North Americans perceive cows. The portrait consists of a cut of steak, and a pattern that resembles the spots on a hide. The orange nylon warp is purposefully left out to see, to attract the viewer to the piece obnoxiously like one would be attracted to meat in a grocery store. From the back of the tapestry, weft threads dangle like strings of ground beef.

My ABCs
found objects, mixed media

2009

This altered book is meant to critique the inaccessibility of education. The book is alluring with its texture, colour, and materials, but the information found inside is hard to read, scattered, and in some instances unable to be opened. Although the user wants to access the extent of the book, they must be qualified to do so with prior knowledge, experience, and skills.

Vessels
various materials, hand made by coiling, 30 hours

2009

Vessels for the intangible. They hold all the things Ive never said to people that have been important to me in my life. They were created using contemporary approaches to traditional basketry techniques.

Old McDonalds
fabric, notions, stuffing, hand drafted patterns, 30 hours

2008

Old McDonalds is a concept toy that teaches children the relationship of meat to animals. It is meant to be a playful object that encourages engagement. The toy spells LIVESTOCK and consists of fabric letters that are also zippered pouches containing cuts of meat that correspond to the animal exterior.

Old McDonalds, 2008 T

Old McDonalds, 2008 E

Old McDonalds, 2008 S

Old McDonalds, 2008 V