The workshop is hot today.  Not only are we hitting weather highs in the nineties , I have found myself under a welding mask creating fireworks welding.  I have to be careful I might just slip on my own puddles of sweat.

I'm welding together framework for a faux bois table.   You often see faux bois in historic gardens as benches and archways and in theme parks as railing and fake trees.  

While I've sculpted many things in my life, this is my first attempt at cement furniture.  Hey, I just dive in with both feet.   I've worked with cement before.  I sculpt trees from other materials all the time.  Why not combine the two? 

This table is destined for a retail boutique.  It will be merchandised on as a fixture.  I'm personally handling the store design for the owners.   I want a variety of textures, finishes and hand wrought signature pieces throughout.  I'll journal about the store soon, as we are just beginning construction.

Here's my finished armature.  I will be wrapping it in metal mesh to provide stability and a surface for the cement to adhere to. 

As a feature in the garden, faux bois was very popular in the 1940's. If you own a vintage piece you are very lucky.  Given most pieces were exposed to the elements, many have degraded and sadly disappeared.

I'll pop back in and update this journal entry with progress pictures.   I'd love to hear from you if you own a piece.  I'd be curious how you came to own it.

I neglected to take a picture of the piece wrapped in metal lathe.  I was just so excited to get into it.  The first coat of cement was to cover the rebar and the lathe.  I also shaped the first coat to start creating some of the twists, turns and scars one would see on an old branch.  In the photo above you can see the rough first coat in the back (the darker horizontal branch)  The two foreground branches are after the second coat which is a finer mortar mix.  Once that mortar sets up a little I started carving, brushing and stamping details.  I'm excited how much they look like old driftwood with the natural cement color.  Once the finished piece is stained they will look more like a wood in tone.  More updates soon...

The legs have dried thoroughly so it was safe to finally flip it right side up.  Now I will start applying mortar to the top and sculpting it.

You know him, the beer drinking, pool playing country boy.  Here I've created him the man cave that will make him the envy of his band of bad desperadoes.  My Outlaw from Tombstone art was inspired by those campy old 40's - 50's pulp western movie posters.  And look, the curled up mustache is making a comeback.  

I've been know to crank up the Cash while I'm painting.  His rugged voice and story telling lyrics are the epitome of a bad boy.  While prison cells, gun fights and thievery inspired his music, it's nice to know that his love, June Carter changed him for the better.  Yes, bad boys can be changed.  Good luck with that!  The whole dark black rockabilly honky tonk vibe is evident in my Diamond brand Silver Tipped Boots art.  I could so see it as a mural on the side of some ghost town mercantile or on the back of a leather jacket.  Am I right?  

There's that guy, that one that could smooth talk his way into your life, heart and maybe  your sheets (Bad Girls need love too).  Well this guy is the perpetual bachelor, his 50 shades of desert gray inspired him to go industrial with a bit of slick, potion peddling art.  My Snake Oil piece was inspired by a combination of modern day tattooed carnies and the twisted mustache barkers of days gone by.  I like that it has an edge to it.  There's something bad about wanting to believe in snake oil.  This slick guy has fantastic grooming habits and loves a bit of luxurious living.  What else is he going to spend your four easy payments of 99.95 on?  Act now!

This guy doesn't have your Mom worried because she dated his clone back in high school.  This guy has your Dad all freaked out.  That tattoo wearing, motorcycle driving would-be rockstar is up to no good.   He swept you off your feet and wants to show you his ultra cool urban loft.  Did he mention it's actually in the basement of a brewery?  My Vixen Strings and Straps painting speaks to that character.  It's part tattoo, music poster with a bit of Betty Page.  I hope you can get a cell phone signal in his under dwelling man cave.  You'll need your best friend to talk you out of being the Bad Girl.

I'm an equal opportunity rebel finder.  I thought I'd toss in the Bad Girl.  I know her, you went to high school with her and every man from 16-60 watches her walk by.  Of course they're looking at her tattoos...maybe.  She's a bit more colorful than the brooding Joan Jett rocker.  She knows what she likes when she sees him... I mean it, ya, it!  I'd love to see her tattooed #&@#?^!}+%  that bears the likeness of my Rebel Records piece.

Whew, now go wash your hands, it's been dirty on the blog today!   If these inspire you to do some Bad Boy redecorating don't blame it on me.  You knew when you met me that I'm a bad influence!  Ha!

I'm excited to have been contacted by a TV show producer who's interested in me as a host for a collaborative design show.  While nothing is ever a sure thing, I'm always stoked to have the opportunity to pitch the idea.

The OSAA Dance and Drill Championships have come to a finish for 2015.  In a previous blog post I shared the Architects of Light from Parkrose High School.  Now I'd like to share with you Blue Ocean as performed by the Clackamas Cavalettes. 

A quick bit of background information.  I've been friends with the show designer Kurt Jull since the early 90's.   We've worked on some fun projects together.  Some have been very experimental allowing us both to explore new boundaries.  I'll include a little retro Jull/Christensen project at the end of this post.

This year, Kurt brought his vision for Blue Ocean to the table and I was happy to help execute his ideas.  To bring it to life, we needed two shoreline floor/mat paintings for the dancers to dance on and a plan to create budget friendly, portable giant coral and other props.

The two floors were designed to be part of a secret effect that would be revealed at the state championship competition.  It was quite a risk to wait until the final moment to implement the effect but it payed off and was quite the crowd pleaser.

Here's the entire routine care of Cavalette parent Jodi.  Thank you.

Here is a close up of the effect.  For you non-dance team folks know that the floors are hand painted on a heavy weight vinyl, much like an awning or banner fabric.  Each floor once you add in the weight of dried paint is in the ball park of three to four hundred pounds each as dead weight.  The effect created is only achieved by capturing air underneath the tarp as it is pulled back.  It's quite spectacular.

After painting the floor I decided to take a stroll along the beach.  I know...nice socks.  Black hides all the paint splatters they endure.

Close to twenty years ago, Kurt thought I might enjoy a simple challenge.  He wanted me to recreate the scene from Michelangelo's sistine chapel "Creation".   Did I say simple challenge?  Not only was I to recreate one of the worlds finest example of religious art I had to do so while painting it in a Longview Washington Bingo Hall during closed hours. It wasn't quite the Sistine chapel environment with the whirling cash machine tucked in the corner and the lingering smell of corn dogs and cigarette butts.  Had there been social media back then, we would have had a fun time posting videos.

I had visions of Michelangelo face palming himself and screaming NO, blasphemy!  Sorry Mick, relax your 16th century self....this is for the kids!

This is a high school team with members that are freshman up to senior in year.  The dancers are expected to maintain good grades, be good citizens are practice together from late summer until now.   This sport requires huge dedication on behalf of the students and their coaches, whom I adore.

The video is the first of two performances.  Here are some close up photos by Patrick Smith Photography (used with permission), copyright 2015.

This week has been a lot of fun.  It's been filled with late night projects, installations and fun stuff on social media.

Congratulations to Angela Matthey, she's the winner of one of my 8 x 8 reclaimed wood mounted art pieces.  She's a big football fan and chose my vintage football piece.  I've been hosting random happenings to celebrate my new site's launch.

Right now on the site we're having a flash sale on those 8 x 8's.  They are not available through my site regularly and usually exclusive to some of my brick and mortar boutique customers.  

It's been a crazy week for my dance team clients.  Not only did they perform in a regional qualifier for their state competition, they've been running at full steam finalizing their routines, sets and props.  I've been on hand to help with the madness.

Meanwhile, the Clackamas Cavalettes are prepping to reveal their final version of their routine which includes a little magic behind the scenes with their floor I painted.  As this is my private beach, I couldn't help but usher everyone off of it...ha!

Over the next week I'll post some additional dance group videos, a little walk down memory lane if you will....

Last night at midnight, standing outside their store I realized I've designed three stores for Willows over a span of 18 years.  Holy Toledo...18 years!   Over on my Instagram, my friend Stacey said it eloquently "Aaron Christensen and Willows, a match made in retail heaven".  I like to think so Stacey...

I've had the pleasure of working with the owners Sandy and Janna through the many styles of Willows as well.  There was the furniture vending Shabby Chic period, the overstuffed bedding and bath phase, the modern steel and glass era and now our rustic deconstructed glam clothing and accessories boutique. 

This latest trim is constructed of recycled glass objects, plastic utensil handles and a bit of Embellishments distressification.  What was once a black wrought iron, atypical 90's chandelier was stripped of it's functioning parts and turned into a living sculpture.  Its vintage blue mason jars contain plant cuttings that will grow with the season.

I'll have to stop in and check on the cuttings, as sadly despite all their style and grace neither Sandy or Janna have a green thumb.  They've quickly killed every poinsettia over our 17 holidays together...ha!  

For my style loving female friends out there, know that Willows will soon be opening up a web-shop.  I'll share the link when it's ready to go. 

If you're a customer of Willows you can look forward to a pre-summer give-a-way featuring the spring decor pieces...ooooh!  

Nothing like a stroll along the beach... until you bump into a wall that's behind you while you're filming. Today, my pseudo beach scene floor painting will debut in its first performance. Good luck Clack!  FYI, yes this is a gymnasium sized painting.  Can you believe it is painted with paint rollers?  Just another day at the office! :)