WE COASTIN' WITH BEVERAGE PROBLEMS

This project is purely inspired by personal problems, purpose & play. Ready? Because, here we goooooo! 

Inspiration

This story’s song is Rollercoaster by Bleachers. Get it? RollerCOASTER? 

Rollercoasters (the ride) to me feels a lot like life. A series of ups, downs, highs, lows, twists, turns & funny tummy feelings. A start, a finish and a wild ride in between. As a modified noun, the definition of roller-coaster is: “a thing that contains or goes through wild and unpredictable changes.” It appears to me that life does in fact equal roller-coaster. I fucking love rollercoasters, therefore, I love life. Or maybe it’s the other way around? Either way. I’m here for it. 

Ok so now the illustration. A collection of beverages is a pretty standard thing for me. I was stoked to find out there’s actually a neurodivergent reason for this. The beverages all serve a different purpose. There’s uppers, downers and the in-betweeners. Heh. Weeners. 

Anyway…

I am a very proud supporter of my beverage problems. Stim freely ya’ll. 

Purpose

Function. It’s really that simple. I have an issue with drinkin’ outta cups where it doesn’t all make it in my mouth and some ends up running down the side (add that to the list of reasons I can’t have nice things.) That being said, the most important box a coaster can check in my opinion is: don’t fuck up the table, collect the wet. 

Process

It’s play time. Enter the Lazer Zone.

Cork was most excitedly my obvious choice in material and a short survey said circles were the logical shape. It turns out thicker cork is a pain in the ass to cut, but it does engrave  beautifully. By adding some extra depth, I was able to inlay a little wood piece— sized with a variety of vessels in mind because stability is also important. Finished appropriately, the wood is clear coated leaving the cork to do its job.

Final materials:

Precut cork circles

1/16” white pine, ash and Douglas fir reclaimed and plained by my Dad

Side note: The scrap middle bits were made inTWO pins. (Accidental word play! Alright!) The real inspiration here though is that I personally resonate with angel number 222 as symbol  of balance, harmony and spiritual alignment. The peace sign is a drawing of my own hand originally made for my baby bestie’s second birthday card. Duces has a whole long story of  it's own, and I’m not going there right now. Finally, just a pretty number two in the typeface Ohno Blazeface. 

This was an overall a fun project. Inspiration is every where, creating connection through layers as well as making this long story…long.