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About Ideas On Legs
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Bill Hess is the Owner and Founder of Ideas On Legs. He is a product designer, artist, teacher, and engineer with a studio near Charlottesville, Virginia. Through his business Ideas On
Legs, he creates original products and sculpture in glass and metal, consults in design and engineering, and facilitates lectures and workshops. He has extensive experience as a
glass artist and designer showing in galleries and creating commissioned work. He has expertise in many areas of product development using plastics, metals, and glass from
research and prototyping through full-scale manufacturing.
Bill has a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College with a double major in engineering sciences and studio art,
a Bachelor of Engineering with a concentration in mechanics from Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering, and a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University.
He has published and presented papers in medical research, received design awards, grants and patents.
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Prior to opening his own studio as a design consultant and artist, Bill worked in
Chicago as a mechanical engineer at the nationally recognized product development consulting firm Herbst, Lazar, Bell (HLB, Inc.) and at Baxter Healthcare Corporation.
He then spent several years in Seattle working as a designer, sculptor, and teacher before moving to central Virginia. Bill is married to Wendy, a nutritionist
(see www.vigdorhess.com); they have two children, Solomon and Althea, and a dog, Maude.
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For more information contact Bill at billh@ideasonlegs.com
Download Bill’s Art Bio (adobe .pdf)
Download Bill’s Research and Consulting Bio (adobe .pdf)
The Origin of “Ideas On Legs”:
Founded in 1998, the business focuses on the interconnectedness of nature, technology, and health in Products,
Sculpture, Research and Design Consulting, and Lectures and Workshops. His art and products use recycled glass in new ways to emphasize sustainable and ecological design. The logo is derived from an abstract anatomical drawing created while Bill was studying biomechanical engineering in graduate school. The name and logo portray the essence of the business: to create concepts that emerge with intelligence, fun, mindfulness, dynamics to become grounded in reality.
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Ecology in art and design: Bill's thoughts on using discarded materials in his sculpture and products.
Almost 20 years ago, I began my adult life as a designer/ artist by drawing, soldering, welding and casting small electronic pieces and machine parts to create figurative images. I have always enjoyed using discarded materials in creating. I find it magical to work with and transform an object’s prior history and energy. Admittedly, I feel frugal, but more so, I feel ecological. I strive for efficiency and intelligence in utilizing objects and materials that are beautiful and readily available. I get thrills in the adventures of combing junkyards, recycling centers, and dumpsters. Over the past 10 years, this re-use philosophy has meshed well with my interest in conveying a message to connect more deeply to the earth spiritually, physically, and emotionally.
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A few years ago while living in Seattle, I became curious about using glass to add more color and light to my metal sculpture. After my first class in glass casting, I became mesmorized with this material. Much exploration ensued in casting glass to incorporate natural and industrial objects, however, I longed for a way to add a deeper ecological footprint to this method of making glass sculpture. I began researching methods of melting and molding discarded glass bottles to create patterns and images. To learn more, I visited one of the largest factories in the United States that uses discarded glass in making tiles and a variety of other products. Just as I enjoyed about using discarded metal from local junkyards, I became infatuated with the idea of creating sculpture and new products using bottles which are so abundantly available in local recycling centers. As timing can be, a friend rescued a discarded kiln and gave it to me as an appropriate beginning to my exploits in kiln-formed recycled glass.
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To anyone who knows anything about working with glass, the process for melting any glass and reshaping it, is sensitive. Added to that challenge is the irregularity and inconsistency of the different types of glass found in the wastestream. A completed design may crack due to the mixing together of these different kinds of glass. Cracking can either destroy the piece or be isolated and add a wonderfully beautiful light catching detail. I experience a good bit of frustration when a piece cracks, however, even cracked or broken glass creations, while having a seemingly failed sense to them, often display an unexpected kind of magic.
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I feel like an alchemist in transforming the materials I use. I receive much satisfaction seeing a discarded bottle or a rusty steel rod assume a new life. I carry this magic and excitement about ecology in design and art in my work as teacher, design consultant and researcher.
Intersections between Art, Science, Nature, Spirituality and Energy:
More about this later… Thanks for your interest!
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This is a brand new gallery with no photos.
For more information, to schedule a studio visit, place an order, or discuss a new application,
contact: Bill Hess, Designer/ Sculptor
5994 Taylor Creek Road
Afton, Virginia 22920
434-996-6850
billh@ideasonlegs.com
Copyright © 2008 Ideas on Legs. All Rights Reserved. Web Site Designed by SleepingBean.
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