Olin Roth 5/11/18 Olin Roth 5/11/18

Barrel Chairs

I recently worked for a great company in LA called IDF. I was there, unfortunately, for a short time but in that time was privileged to work of some pretty amazing things. I started as a shop guy with them but quickly moved onto project managing and design things. I have never ever, to this day, been more challenged than on the "barrel chair" project. I was involved in not only designing and drafting this project on the computer but involved in trying to figure out how to make it a reality on the shop floor. There was lot of experimenting and lots of minds and hands involved.

You know that feeling at the end of the day when your mind just wants to quit? Like it's trying to slide out of your ear unnoticed? This project was that for me. For months. But I can honestly say I have zero regrets or disappoints and can not wait for the next opportunity for another amazing challenge like this.

the project was a large one involving many designers and different fabrication shops around LA. One of the the pieces of the "Jager Haus" that I was involved in was the Barrel Chair. Jager Haus was a lounge at the EDM festival. I was involved in designing and drafting the plans and the working in the shop to figure out if our Ideas were going to work. There were a lot of trail and error involved. It was a lot of fun.

My family relocated back up north before I was able to see the project through to completion but I was able to see some of the finished pictures. Now that it is no longer a secret I feel pretty comfortable that it is okay for me to share a few of the pictures with y'all.

Here is one of the two chairs in progress.

This is a photo of them set up all decorated and looking pretty.

Olin Roth 8/24/16 Olin Roth 8/24/16

Technical difficulties

I was recently informed that the wood working section of the site was having some issues. The image quality was very poor. After looking at it i decided the images had to be taken down until i could figure out the problem.

it is looking as though i am going to have to go through all my old files and images to see about uploading all of those pictures again. I have my fingers crossed that i'll be able to turn up all of them in high res form but i am not holding out hope that all will resurface. Some of them are pretty old.

On a positive side it will give me a much needed make-over for that portfolio which has been something on my list for a while now.

Stay tuned! Good things coming soon.

Olin Roth 8/24/16 Olin Roth 8/24/16

Technical difficulties

On a positive side it will give me a much needed make-over for that portfolio which has been something on my list for a while now.

Stay tuned! Good things coming soon.

Olin Roth 6/2/16 Olin Roth 6/2/16

30 Drawings

A few yeara back I made a sketch book with only 30 pages in it. The paper was very nice heavy weight stock and I spent a good deal of time on it. The concept for the that book was 30 drawing in thirty days (or one month). I'm going to revisit this idea this month (June 2016) which oddly was the same month I made the first endeavour.

About a year after my first experiment with this idea I began a project entitled 365 Drawings. Probably doesn't need more of a description, I started that one on January 1st. But, sad to say that 365 Drawings really only lasted for about 104 days (give or take a few).

But since this dry spell with my art has been going on far longer then I would like to admit to myself let alone to the public at large, I've decided to take on the task of 30 Days of Drawing one more time. My hope is that it wil inspire new and bigger creations. My hope is that is will aslo begin a new ritual that will hopefully grow. Maybe it becomes soething I do every few months or maybe I will finally reach my 365 Drawings goal.

whatever the outcome of this "new" project, here is day one.

"June 1, 2016"

Olin Roth 1/13/16 Olin Roth 1/13/16

Sean Solow

I recently had the privalage of becoming the "featured artist" on the web site of the talented Sean Kohler. Over these past holidays we were writing back and forth a bit. Sean was in the process of revamping his site. I had a few ideas for arpcollective.com as well so we bounced some things off eachother. Something Sean had wanted to do was to feature different art friend friends and different people he found interesting or inspiring. I think he was having a hard time deciding if a mixture of visual art with his own music (Sean is a talented and prolific musician) would be strange. I'm sure he already made his decision to go through with his idea when he talked to me and I was not going to disagree. I feel it is always important to support our friends different artistic endeavors.

So here we are, I am officially the first of the artists to be featured on the web site www.seansolow.com. I am honored to once again share the same creative space with Mr. Kohler.

I have always been impressed with Sean's passion for misic. We played together in Walken when we were still teenagers. I left the band to persure my own art but the band kept on going and is still going today. Sean started exploring other musical pathways which has led him to his personal work (Sean SoLow) as well as his work with No Eager Men. I recomend you listen to it all.

Olin Roth 10/23/15 Olin Roth 10/23/15

The Dad Renovations.

During the beginning months of 2015 my family and I relocated to northern California to the small town I grew up. The purpose was based on a transition as well as a way to lend a hand to my father who has been in the midst of a massive home renovation project for some time. We were there for about 8 months. I had hoped to accomplish more for him (my father) but I am happy with what we were able to get done.

The biggest victory comes in the form of a new kitchen island. I can remember a time when I was very young, having a kitchen island. An old green washer and dryer set under crappy counter with some cheap sides. When the washer and dryer went out the replacements did not fit in there place. So my father, being the handy man that he is, decided to tare the old island out and build the perfect replacement. The problem with this was not that my dad was unable to accomplish such a feat. the problem was that it became another project on the ongoing list of things to do.

My dad was an single parent and did his best raising me. But having a full time job and an 8 year old boy, it's a wonder anything got finished in that house. So when i got the oportunity to offer my expertise and give my family a new life in an amazing state, it was a dream come true.

The new island is a simple 2x4 frame with panels made from waistcott and 1x4's. The top is douglas fir 2x planks that we planed down and joined together. The base is painted a dark brown to match the general color palate of the house (my Dad takes tonality to a whole new level) and the top we kept natural with a clear wood sealer.

My dad loved the finish of the top so much he decided to protect it he would get a large piece of oil cloth to cover it and defend it from normal everyday use. Me, i would have left it uncovered to enjoy it's beauty, but hey, it isn't my house and he should be able to do what ever he wants with it.

This was a project we worked on together. It has been a really long time since we've gotten to do something like this together. Two years ago i was out for a week helping him replace a retaining wall but doing this kind of work together was much more rewarding. It was great to be able to share my passion for woodworking with him and help him make an original piece of furniture for his home.

Olin Roth 10/10/15 Olin Roth 10/10/15

Moving/sale.

It's been a little bit of time in between my posts and I really feel like i'm failing a little bit because of it. But there is a good reason. It's not for lack of work, although it's been coming slower these days.

I have recently picked up anchor and set sail for the beautiful state of California. The family and I have been talking about the trip for a while and an opportunity to make the dream come true and help my father at the same time came up so we jumped on it.

I have spent the past nine months in a small town in northern California called Half Moon Bay. I grew up there. My father still owns his house there. The house has been in need of some fixing up for some time now so i moved my family in to lend a hand. We got some biig things crossed off the list but the second leg of our voyage has now arrived.

We are calling the south our home now and have found a nice little spot in Glendale. This is a very fresh move. Less then a month now. Still ironing out a few creases, doing lots of unpacking. While we were in Half Moon Bay we opted to put the makority of our things in storage. So now i am experiencing this overwhelming feeling of being reunited with so many of my belongings that i have not seen since we left Austin. I missed my books and my records more then words can discribe and i never want to ne apart from them for that long ever again. But there are some things i am wondering about. How long do i really need to hand onto and edition of 25 linoleum prints that i've never shown and only sold a few of?

I have an idea i am going to but some thought into. I want to do a massive print sale. Like bundles of 5 to 10 for very little money. Kind of like mystery bundles. I'm not sure if any one would be interested in this (please let me know if you are). I've even considered selling them for shipping and handlig costs, literally giving them away for free. I just can't bare to throw them away or put them on the street. And there are just way too many to send to people.

Who knows, it could be something fun to have up on the shop.

Olin Roth 6/12/15 Olin Roth 6/12/15

My Friend Max

I think it might be time to pay a visit to my good friend Max Beckmann again. It's been a little too long since we've spent some time together. My painting and drawing seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle of life as of late. And with it the fire to create has dwindled to mear embers.

My good friend Max always new the words to say to inspire me. My good friend Max always had a story or some pictures that would arouse that fire. Through out my life he has come to me at different stages, always with new ideas; fresh thoughts and perspectives. Now i think maybe in my time of blindness it is time to call upon my long time friend Max Beckmann to bring me some light.

Olin Roth 6/4/15 Olin Roth 6/4/15

Collect Call From the Mojave Desert

I have recently been searching for new artistic inspiration. Sometimes instead of looking forwards we should look back, to the past. There was a time when comics and zines were a regular form of expression for me. I think it was art school that tricked me into thinking that they were a lesser form of art. But as an artist I should know that what ever I choose to create becomes my art and I need to stand by it.

I heard a story about a phone booth in the middle of the desert. The story inspired some drawings and those drawing gave me the idea to cary the story further. Maybe share it with more people in a different way. This decision to get back into comics has opened up a whole new world of inspiration to me. I'm looking forward to the next one (currently in the rough stages of creation).

It is not my intention to create a high quality comic book here. I wanted to make a completely DIY style "mini comic" like I have done in the past. Simple photocopied books. All the drawings are originals. All the words are based on my own research. It's been more phone then I can really explain and I am so proud to see it done in it's tiny physical form. I can only dream of a future where there is maybe a third or fourth edition of Collect Call F rom the Mojave Desert. But the first edition is good enough for me.

Olin Roth 4/29/15 Olin Roth 4/29/15

An Untitled Manifesto

We must forget what we know.

We must lose ourselves in the stains and scratches and earaser marks and the ink and the blood.

We must learn to see spaces around the lines.

We must learn to read the future from the spilling of the ink.

We must learn to embrace the imperfections in the paper's grain.

Our blood will fill the grooves and scratches and we will tare the soft paper into unrecognizable pieces.

We must learn to use the blood soaked pulp as our new medium.

Once we have forgotten,

Once we are lost,

Once we have learned from our lines,

Once learned our future and destroyed what we know of our past,

Once we have turned the blood and pulp into life,

Then and only then will we have reached our end.

Tomorrow we will start again.

Olin Roth 1/21/15 Olin Roth 1/21/15

Finished T-Shirt

I got an email a little while ago. Colleen printed her shirt! Looks like it turned out really great. She added some text underneath that says Califriscomoon Bay. Don't ask what it means I have no idea but I like what it adds to the image.

It makes me happy to see this collaboration come together successfully. I hope to some day see it in person. I hope "Sir Ko" like his one of a kind shirt.

Olin Roth 1/21/15 Olin Roth 1/21/15

The Neil Desk.

This desk was the last project I did before relocating to California. I worked with my client, who had very specific ideas and space restrictions, to design his perfect music desk. A large open table top with cubbies for storage as well as stands to lift his speakers up.

The keyboard sits on a roll out shelf. the cabinet on the side was specifically designed to hold all his hardware and equipment as well as laptop. Under the keyboard tray you can see a pair of headphones hanging on a little hook I made from a few pieces of scrap maple.

This was a super fun project to work on. Having the freedom I did is always a great blessing. Being the last project I took on before relocating my family to another state definitely added hustle and stress to this one but I've always felt that our best work sometimes comes from having a serious fire lit under your ass. There were several very late nights but I am so happy with how it turned out. And so was the Client. Thanks Neil for the great opportunity.

Olin Roth 11/9/14 Olin Roth 11/9/14

T-Shirt Design

I was recently asked to design an image for a t-shirt. I was given a list of images and ideas and the freedom to design whatever I wanted. The design was meant to be a personal printed once and given as a gift. The above image is what I came up with. Hope the person it's going to likes it. I have to say I'm pretty happy with it.

I'm not asked to do this kind of thing often but I do enjoy it when it comes around. I would love to do more work like this. It's been years since I have silkscreened anything myself. But this project has inspired me to pull my old silk screen stuff out from storage and work on a few ideas.

I have always wanted a shirt with Ira Glass's face on it.

Olin Roth 10/27/14 Olin Roth 10/27/14

Welcome.

Welcome to the official Web site for ARP Collective and ARP Woodworking. It's been a long time coming for me and I am very happy to finally see this through. This is the start of a new stage for the Collective. I'm excited to share new ideas and creations by updating the images as frequently as the art is made. I'm also going to be using this blog as a way to share ideas through out the creative process. In addition there is a new shop that will have some great handmade pieces. Most of these will be one of a kinds so make sure to keep an eye on the shop.

I am so excited to get to share this work with you all. Thanks for the visit. Enjoy and keep me on regular rotation.