Summer 2011 Projects

Photos from the opening and my new piece: Dancers (7 hoola...

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:06:56 -0400

Photos from the opening and my new piece: Dancers (7 hoola hoops, netting, pine needles .dimensions vary. 2011)

News Coverage

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 20:07:01 -0400

News Coverage :

It was a front page story of the features section!

Lift Off. 2011. Mt Jackson. Pine Needles, Bamboo, plastic...

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:19:05 -0400

Lift Off. 2011. Mt Jackson. Pine Needles, Bamboo, plastic bucket, netting, twist ties. 4’x4’x25’

Cleaning up

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 21:13:00 -0400

I mowed up the barn yard today and cleaned up some board. I am excited about the opening this Thursday. I think it should be fun and relaxing.

Walking History

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 16:10:04 -0400

I just finished reading the book: Wanderlust: A History of Walking. It is by Rebecca Solnit. She creates a narrative based on biology, class, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc and how walking evolved for these various identity groups. One example is the varying connotations between “street men” and “street women” and how gender restricts people’s use of the street.

I also liked how she meditated how to experience a walk and absorb the experience

Grand Opening Event

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:56:52 -0400

Grand Opening Event

It is finally complete. I will be putting up more news and...

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:35:05 -0400

It is finally complete. I will be putting up more news and pictures about the main silo next week.

I just finished watching the documentary about the artist...

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 16:30:06 -0400

I just finished watching the documentary about the artist Spencer Tunik. His art really touched base on the issues of body, politics, land, etc. He talkes about how as a nude photographer that he cant take photos of people in nature because it has already been done. His drive to be original is inspiring. His large scale installations are cool.

Stalactites. Mt. Jackson, VA. 10’x12’x9’....

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 17:54:45 -0400

Stalactites. Mt. Jackson, VA. 10’x12’x9’. Mixed Media. 2011.

I watched this documentary the other day. It provides a great...

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 16:32:06 -0400

I watched this documentary the other day. It provides a great understanding about how the process of making art becomes part of the final art piece. Christo was one of the first artists that I really liked and understood. I regret not visiting his The Gates showing. I would love to see Over the River and possible work on it, too.

Faberge Visit

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 12:40:21 -0400

Faberge Visit:

I forgot to mention that I visited the Faberge Exhibition at the VMFA. It was about two weeks ago. I found it to be very pretty and exquisite with all the gems and stones and jewelry. I connected with the tedious detail that was paid attention to each piece. I have really learned this summer about patience, detail and attention. This exhibition proved to be very rewarding and insightful.

The Universe of Keith Harring

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:54:43 -0400

I just finished watching a documentary about the artist Keith Harrying. I have always found his art work to be very approachable for all audiences. On the film, they talked about how he sold his art to really everyone and made it very affordable. I thought this was a nice ideas and something I can appreciate. As an aspiring artist, I am always wondering how I can make a living with it.

I got very frustrated today with the sculpture. It fell apart...

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 22:37:03 -0400

I got very frustrated today with the sculpture. It fell apart from the air. Ive decided to redesign it. Ive spent two months working on this project. Ive been learning about patience this summer. Ive also learned the limits of my materials and designs. I think my new design effort should work out better. Im lowering the size of the sphere from 10ft to 5ft. I am reinforcing it with chicken wire this time. This project has really taught me a lot about myself and my work. Ive learned some patience and determination.

Nature & Daily Walks

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:00:06 -0400

At least once everyday, I take a short walk up to my grandmothers house. My rental house is at the base of a knoll/hill and her house is atop it. I enjoy the walk because it allows me to decompress from the day. I also get in a nice work out before and after the meals. I find the walk as an example of the practicality of walking. It is to reach a goal, to find food, stay fit, etc. I find it also to be an activist activity because my family live across the street from my house. I sometime wonder why they dont walk up to the main house. I feel that my walking will set an example.

Along the road, there are some blue berry bushes that I always stop and pick. Across the fence, is an old pond. When I first moved into the place, the pond was filled up. This summer has been excruciating hot. I have rearranged my works schedules this week so that I miss the heat of the day. I make up at 5am work til until noon, then nap and errands, then go back to work in the evening. I find it the only way to stay productive and active. The heat is also sucking away motivation and creativity. I have been stuck on this sphere project and not able to branch out as I would like to make other sculptures. I have found this to be very frustrating. The goal is to finish the sphere this week and then spend the rest of the month doing some other activities. I do hope this comes through.

Photo of the pond:

In retrospect, I should have photographed this pond daily. I could then make a time-lapse video of how it all evaporated.

Blog & Lines. 2011. Dimensions Varies. Mt Jackson,...

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 15:18:00 -0400

Blog & Lines. 2011. Dimensions Varies. Mt Jackson, VA.

Picture Set #2.

Blog & Lines. 2011. Dimensions Varies. Mt Jackson, VA I like...

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 15:09:10 -0400

Blog & Lines. 2011. Dimensions Varies. Mt Jackson, VA

I like this sculture. It is based upon the location inside an old granary building, which is missing half of its roof. I arranged it around the space in different shapes. I enjoyed seeing how the object appeared to be alive as it moved around the room. I liked to imagine that the sculpture was the reason the space had lost its roof. I think this sculpture allows for a creative narrative to form in the space.

After a lot of work, energy, cuts, burns, collapses, and...

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:46:46 -0400

After a lot of work, energy, cuts, burns, collapses, and frustration, I finally have half of the sphere successfully hanging up. I am hoping it survives the night.

It proved to be a great test of my patience and energy. I learned a lot through the process.

After a lot of heart ache, set backs, burns, cuts, collapses and...

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:41:14 -0400

After a lot of heart ache, set backs, burns, cuts, collapses and general frustation, I have a half of the sphere finally suspended. It looks really pretty from underneath it. I cant wait for the other half to be completed. I think it will look very nice.

It has been a true test of patience and determination to get this half completed. I think I learned a lot about myself and the materials that I am using.

In the Company of Stone

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:24:00 -0400

In the Company of Stone:

I just finished a documentary about Dry Stone Wall laying. I will post a review later. In the meantime, look over this site. They made some beautiful walls and such with stone. Amazing.

The documentary was titled “Take this Hammer.” It followed a man’s pursuit at building a stone wall on his property. His discussion about the importance of the stone wall was very interesting. He was the wall as a “living thing” that adds to the land and acts as a spine. It was interesting how he called it a “statue of efforts.” I wonder about the gender implications of this statement? Men must build monuments that stretch across the land as a display of their power, strength and masculinity. Anyways, it was great to hear him talk about the relationship with nature, life, work and art form.

Silo Work

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 20:17:03 -0400

I started working inside the silo today. I am reconstructing the sphere inside the silo. I so hope this works. I am giving myself 3days to get it done. Today was a bit of bust in the 111 degree heat but I got some of the shape going. I also have the support cables hung from the roof so I will be able to life it all up. I am fairly excited about it all. I think the heat is bumming me out. I just worry I wont make my next Friday deadline of having the sphere hanging up and that installation completed. I have 1 week! Wish me luck.