Part V - Steamy

And another very closely related piece to the footprints & especially water drawings...

Steam drawings – closely related to the water drawings. This is more involved in terms of set-up/construction. It is almost contrived in its set-up/materials. A window from my parents’ house is steamed and folks are invited to draw in the steam with their fingers – remember when it rained on the school bus and the windows got all steamy and you drew on them? This piece is about playing and about the marks we leave behind. Again the drawings are non-permanent & difficult to document. Again, they are wiped away by the steam or by the artist themselves. The difference in these pieces is that the ghost trails of each participant are left on the window (the oil from your hands leaves marks that do not entirely disappear after the window is steamed). This piece has presented a bit of a challenge to me b/c of materials…so, the window is surrounded by flashing – intending to keep the steam in, the steam hose which has holes drilled into it is laid across the bottom and around the right side – steam rises. The steam hose gets HOT, so there is a wooden a shelf with caution tape on it attached to the bottom of the window. Even though somewhat contrived, it worked well enough for me to be satisfied with her debut performance. I was part of a cabaret-style show (music, art, performance) and have a few pictures from this show.

Part IV - Water Drawings...

So, to continue the conversation, related to the ideas of the Window on Broad & the Footprint Series, I will remind you I was pondering what marks do I leave behind that are singular to me. Also, and always in pushing the boundries of what makes "art" itself.

Water drawings – just what they sound like. This is a series of drawings that exist for a brief period of time. Literally, I draw with water on the wall and then I wipe it down. Only some are recorded, and frankly they are very difficult to photograph, so many are not recorded. I am interested in pursuing this in a participatory manner. Set up a can of paintbrushes and a container of water & invite folks to draw on the wall & then wipe it down. There is something about wiping away a piece that you just created that has no record anywhere and no one but those present will be part of that is appealing to me.

Other footprints...

across the carpet...

water marks that disappear...I really like this one b/c their is no evidence that you were ever there except for this photo. I purposefully took this photo so that you could not tell where it was that "there" is.

Window is up...

Well, the window is up, buddies...

Interestingly, I realized that I had no expectations of what it would look like. I did a very minimal amount of planning before the installation. I am pleased by the result, although not sure what my final reaction is to it.

One defining moment was at the very end of installation (some 10 hours or so) when I entered the window area after popping out to clean my hands. There by the window was a family of three - mom, dad (late 20s/early 30s) with a small girl (3?). He was squatted down next to the window with her sitting on his knees. She had her foot against the window where one of my footprints was measuring her foot to my print. Oh, but for a photo!

It is really great to see when the sun is golden and the shadows mix with the real against the back wall. Lots of layers and shades of grey.

Part III

My friends, let us journey to our next arduous task.
In what capacity does work need to be created? Is creating a piece that you call art enough for it to be so? Not important and yes, respectively. I can expound on this subject, but perhaps it is best answered in my current body of work. Below you will note a few choice examples of current exploratory and ongoing pieces. Head-splittingly, each of these pieces not only address the above questions (as these are forever imbedded in my genetic makeup), but also their own issues.

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I have also been interested in the marks that we leave behind. This is especially prominent in the diary series. What do I leave behind each day? What mark do I make on the world? Hell, don’t we all feel as if “all I do is work all day?” – our lives dictated down to when to get up, when to eat lunch, when to go home - told what to wear. The choices left are limited by salary paid for services – again my life is dictated as to what social class I will be/am part of. So, what are my choices? One could argue that your job is your choice, that you could work another job, but isn’t it all just shades of the same gray? And when do the constraints of birth factor in?

What marks do I leave behind that are singular to me? What choices do I make each day, and how do these affect the mark I leave? The marks I leave behind are directly related to these daily choices, and I have begun to record them. I lint roll my clothing to be sure I am clean and presentable. I save the linty tape. I have the choice as to what tea I will drink. I have kept the tea bags and marks those tea bags make from drying on the paper. I have the choice as to what sandwich I bring each day and how I cut it. I have the choice as to which black clothing I will wear each day. All is recorded.

These are the marks I am leaving behind now. What marks did we leave behind as a kid? What are desirable marks to leave behind? Isn’t it a universal experience to want to stay home from work, do your own thing, color outside of the lines? When are we taught this? Who is taught this? How do I do this? And so enters the next piece of footprints.

Footprints – this is simple in its execution. The piece comprises of me getting my feet very dirty and walking though public spaces – the mall (this would be great to have a lot of folks do as well – like a mass entry out of the ocean & walking up the beach – footprints left behind). What would happen? I hope to find out soon (with the mall). Other places include: in paint in my studio, on the “Window on Broad” – muddy feet on the window, painty/muddy feet on the wall – July/Aug 2008. This space will be good b/c people will be expecting the window to have a piece of art (as it is the window of a gallery). Hopefully, it will spark some questions. Also, it is an interesting space for the piece b/c there will be 2 surfaces about 3’ from another, so 2 layers of footprints overlapping each other. I am excited to also document the actual making of the piece – walking horizontally on the window and the wall. I’d also like to do this walking across the floor in Hamilton Hall with clay-dirty feet from the studio. A great space to do so! I will see about this soon. I have also been eyeing some local Gallery spaces…

Okay, enough for today, I will continue another time...

Part II

Three questions: “Who has to see the piece for it to be art?” and the follow ups, “how long does the work have to exist?” and more commonly, “what materials are acceptable for art?” My gut and partial subconscious response to this tri-query is found in the materials that exist in my work. These materials often attach themselves to my mind during sleep or attack me in Home Depot (these two situations providing much the same experience, only the latter leaving you less $100 on any given trip while the former just leaves you rested). Media in the Diary Series include tea/tea bags, lint rolls, sandwiches, everyday clothing, and trash. It is in these materials that I ask what materials are suitable for a great piece of art. The questions of who has to see art and how long does it exist are prominent in pieces where water, steam, lint, and even trash are used. Media in the Participatory Series includes water, steam, and dirty footprints. [Now, my compatriot, do not believe me to be adverse to using traditional materials! In this garrulous essay you will surely learn to believe otherwise, else I have not truly represented myself and my work.]

Relative to pondering on the nomination of artistry lies, “Who needs to see a piece for it to be art?” I guess I address this aspect by creating work that is only partially or not documented. I do this both to address this particular question, but also to grant myself the right and joy to retain work for my Being only. But here’s the kicker: an artist cannot live off of one’s art if no one sees it (and buys it), yet does art retain all honor if it is created soley or partially for monetary purposes? This paragraph also answers the question as to why I am not a full time artist.