Wikieup Watering Can #02

Wikieup Watering Can
One of one; signed by Curtis Bullock

Why I made this:
I love shopping at Ikea, and when I found this shape, I knew it was one that I wanted to work with. I started with a little run of four just to see if the idea had legs or not, and when I liked what I saw in that first group, I decided to make a larger edition. That first edition of 35 pieces launched in 2023, and this edition of 20 is a smaller reprise of that original idea.

Turns out, leaving such a long gap between the two editions allowed me to forget a few things - first and foremost just how hard these fellas are to produce! They're full of weird curves and angles and junctions that the mugs I work with do not have!

From a technical standpoint, these watering cans are a really great example of why artists call making artwork a 'practice'. I learn so much painting things like this because the curves and junctions that make the form so joyful are also the factors that make it so challenging. Getting paint and vinyl and clear coat to lay down evenly on such variable surfaces is hard. Throw in the smaller spaces behind the arms, and keeping things smooth and clean becomes super tricky. 

There are a lot of 'Ikea hacks' out there where someone paints something a single color. That can be cool, but you won't learn a lot by doing that - especially if you only do it once. If you like what I do and you want to learn a lot, give something like this a try. Find a challenging form, and paint it over and over and over. It's cheaper than art school, and I promise you, you'll come out a better painter on the other side. Plus, your friends will love being able to adopt your failed pieces.

Tremendous appreciation to Bruno Adrien Aguirre, the in-house designer at Ikea who created the original piece.

Living with this piece:
The smooth, matte clear coat feels really good under the fingers, but the texture of the paint still stands out just a little bit. If you've always wanted to touch the art in a museum, you're really going to love this feature of my work.

Technical details & care:
Stainless steel
Holds about 48 ounces (1.4L) of water 
Individually painted and sealed with a matte clear coat
As you use the watering can, any harder edges will soften slightly
Hand washing with simple hand or dish soap will provide the longest lasting finish