They're here! My very own set of steel punches! I've only tried them on leather so far but they can also be used for wood, plastic and metal. What a great way to personalize your belongings. Or your friend's! I thought I might engrave something on my dog's collar and a few leather strap bracelets next. 

I didn't want to invest a significant amount of money on these so I went for the cheapest ones. They work just fine! I'm sure these will last a lifetime. They're made of hardened chrome vanadium steel and they have a corrosion-resistant oxide finish to keep them in good shape. 

Ron Moret (on the right) with Klaus K hotel manager Marc Skvorc

I met Ron Moret's work before I had a chance to meet the artist himself. His work was previously on display in the lobby of design hotel Klaus K in Helsinki. I was blown away by his creations and the idea of using all kinds of industrial waste metal materials.

Moret likes to work with waste metal like oil barrels:"When I find a piece of trash on the ground, no one wants to have it. I take it home, work with it and transform it into something else, a piece of art. Suddenly everyone wants it! I like to make animals, fish especially are interesting."

I met Moret at a press event in Klaus K hotel's night club Ahjo where his latest art piece is on display until next summer: two real size sharks circling around a diver. 

"Ron didn't have any tools to measure the space in Ahjo, where he designed the sharks, yet it fit perfectly - like a glove", says Klaus K hotel manager Marc Skvorc. It took three hours and three men to hang the massive piece. The artist has his feet on the ground and he seems like a down to earth kind of a guy:"I like the idea of the sharks traveling around Europe, so that many people can see them. I don't care that much about my work selling. It's much more satisfying to know that people come to watch my work." At the press event Klaus K's director of operations, Mia Cederberg-Skvorc grinned: "Ron said he wanted to make a real size whale next, he just hasn't figured out where to hang it".

Ron teaches carpentry in Holland for local kids. He started to collect art at the age of 20. He now owns over 100 pieces of art:" I was 20 when I fell in love with art, but 45 when I had figured out how to make art of my own."

Please be sure to watch the video documentary of Ron by Berry van Gardingen, in order to get an even better picture of the artist.

photo by R.Moret

photo by: R.Moret

photo by: R.Moret

photo by: R.Moret

photo by: R.Moret

photo by: R.Moret

photo by: R.Moret

video by: Berry van Gardingen

New Yorkin matkalta tarttui mukaan muutama taulu. Kaikki kolme ovat ostettu katukauppiaalta. Kannattaa hieman vertailla hintoja, sillä niissä on eroja. Sama taulu voi maksaa 4-40 dollaria riippuen myyjästä. Times Squaren tuntumassa on useita turistikauppoja, joissa on myös sen mukaiset hinnat.

Koska en löytänyt Superman -Converseja, päädyin ostamaan tämän peltisen Superman -taulun:

Olisi tehnyt mieli ostaa useampikin peltinen supersankari taulu! Tarjolla oli ainakin Hulk, Batman, Spider-man, Wonder woman ja Thor.

Nyt on vaikein edessä: miettiä näille kaikille paikka asunnossamme.