T is for Tilnar Art

Something completely different now, chunky 'arty' aluminium, but we don't get many chances to get the Aluminium Tag dusted off, so it's overdue! I saw these Tilnar Art products, at the Spring Fair in Birmingham, back in early February, and loved the fact that they had the same deep, metallic lustre as those Jada figures I like, so here they are!

 

Various products, including dinosaurs and penguins.

 

Longhorn Cattle, or not so shaggy Highlanders!

 

Deer.

 

Also drilled for keychains.

 

Love these, deep, almost glassy-red Elephants, in various sizes!

 

Art Deco'esque Elephants!

A blue family of the other design, just visible in the background. 

 

Puffins.

 

relief-flat Angels.

 

I had a chat with the chap behind Tilnar, and it seems to be pretty-much a one-man band, although there were staff, so a growing enterprise, and by using recycled aluminium, helping to try and save the planet!

Obviously aimed at the gift and tourist markets, expect to find them in little bijou boutiques about the place, or gift-shops, while on your travels.

RTM is for Rack Toy Moment

Because Rack Toy Month is over! It's bloody September already? How did that happen . . . I blame the movement of the planetary bodies in the heavens, paying absolutely no heed to my needs!

 

I've actually taken the last apple off the tree, six to eight weeks earlier than any previous year? And the blackberries/brambles are going over a few weeks early too, while the raspberries did nothing . . . we haven't got long, these are signs of severe stress which has the plants desperate to seed because they think/know they are going to die.

 

To which end all the azaleas, except the big yellow one, have gone, the bay went and all but one of the mini Japanese acers. Next door have a brown chunk in their hedge, two doors up have lost their roadside leylandii (despite all the rain this summer) and I've given up trying to save the box from the invasive Box Moth - three attacks since March!

In the meantime, Brian Berke found this in his home city of New York, and it's a fine curtain-closer, for Rack Toy Month!

In his own words, as I can't add anything;

 

"In the last hours of Rack Toy Month I came across this set: SANITATION

Now in NYC there are Sanitation Department Police who give tickets for health violations so that vehicle is OK.

The header card says: ACCOMPANY YOUR CHILDREN TO GROW UP TOGETHER! which is fine but look at the top two figures, Rambo who no doubt is part of NYC's war on rats and then a soldier with a shoulder mounted bazooka! A little excessive even for NYC rats, I hope they never get that big!

I like the recycling bins."

And those figures look similar to other 'Army men' we have looked at here, so it might be possible one day to tie them in with a branding, although it is carrying one; Huan le D-somthing? Many thanks to Brian!

H is for Homemade Home-casts

Following on from the less than common Krolyn aluminium comes these, common enough to traveller as they are sold primarily as tourist keepsake items, they are sand-cast in back alleys from melted down drinks cans!

A typical 'rural' pair of females collecting maize and bringing back...firewood? Sugar cane? A minimalist paint job in a pallet of muted, almost autumnal colours over a worn undercoat of black which is probably either ink or boot-polish based.

Also from Africa comes this necklace of tiger's eye lumps with clay, stone and other beads, featuring four home-cast animals. In this case they seem to be brass or bronze, presumably recycled from electrical or engine parts? The patina probably gained with a urine bath (yes, pee!), lemon juice or vinegar?

They may - of course - be hideously commercial and just made to look vernacular?

Studies of the animals, the two big cats (a cheetah and a male lion) are a nice 1:76'ish, while the buffalo and rhino are smaller.

B is for Bowl...But is it art?

For only three or four hundred dollars you too can be the proud owner of a bowl full of holes...

'Mosleymeetswilcox' War Bowl...$399.00 and more some more I think this is theirs too and still more here

or you can go with the budget alternative;

'Raw Design'...Less than $35.00!

or...you could get a wok, turn the oven up and...

Hey! Woah-there!...I will not be held responsible for any damage done to your better-halves's utensils, you're all grown-ups, I'm just planting the seed!