Red Rocks, Parking Blocks, and Dead Crows...

 

As many times I have been downtown, it never ceases to amaze me to find something different.

We split up into groups, grab our cameras, and head out.  With no destination in mind, we set off to follow wherever our feet will take us.  Along the journey, I am constantly snapping photos, capturing any little thing that catches my interest.  Not too far from the campus, my group suddenly slows down; they have stumbled across a dead crow.  We are not too sure how or why he ended up on the sidewalk, but there he is - reposed and complete with a platoon of ants marching away with his remains.  Carrying on, we come to a crossroads,"...rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" Straight ahead it is, and onward we trek.

Amongst the various pieces of trash and metal structures with character, there are moments where the landscape opens up and indulges us with an interesting vista.  Storm drains, alleyways, and abandoned buildings are all unanimously surveyed with our cameras.  We also linger on instances of graffiti, odd street signs, and moments of flora overtaking man-made objects.

After traversing several blocks, the fates (and our stomachs) decide that it is time for lunch.  With a fresh round of Bill Miller's on our plates, we relax in the reverie of our journey.


(more pice here!)

Scotch Mist

Rhythm Automaton

9.2" Diameter

Pencil on Paper

As I create this mandala, I am definitely feeling more improvisational than on my previous one.  Part of it is most likely due to the fact that we have music playing at this time, and Radiohead at that.  There is something meditative and ritualistic about creating these mandalas (at least, that is the approach I take).  I enjoy it a lot, actually - slowly tracing and redrawing, while at other times quickly bouncing across the page, but always in some sort of rhythm.  It had all started with a circle, and as I go around on the paper, I feel an urge to move my hand just the slightest bit, and at different times.  After seeing the results of that, I decide to play with it even more.  Further into the process of drawing the mandala, something suggests that I should trace over a certain series of lines, creating the darker, amoeba-like shapes seen in the image above.  Made completely of circles, curves, and figure-eights, this image is smooth, continuous, and organic - which is similar to my state of mind at the time.  

Look Inside...

Look Inside

9" Diameter

Pencil on Paper

This round drawing is made of varied linework, including geometric as well as curvilinear shapes.  Several circles can be found in this image, creating the border of, at several points within, and some even masked by the piece.  Towards the center of the drawing, there is a circular line of characters resembling text.

Several elements of this piece give it a ritualistic theme - the geometric lines along with the central inscription are similar to circles found in some shamanistic and pagan ceremonies.  The simple shapes used (triangles, circles, and the like) are used to represent the methodical process of creating a circle such as this one.  With no previous plan in mind beforehand, the artist relied on instinct and inspiration to create this drawing.

A Still Life is Not Worth Living...

A Still Life Is Not Worth Living is a performance piece about moving on from past events.  In this performance, the artist walks around a container of water with various objects, recites a few letters, and drops these items into the water.  They are mementos of a past relationship, and tossing these trinkets into the container intends to destroy and cleanse them of any memories attached to them.  As the artist walks around the container, a short note is read aloud, giving insight to the ideas and conversations held by the subjects of the piece.

After kneeling beside the container, items are  dropped one by one into the container - each given a moment of contemplation, recalling the past and imbuing these objects with the memories and emotions once held by the performer.

Finally, the artist closes the lid of the container, and covers it with a jacket, which has its own set of memories attached to it.  The ending of the piece is inspired by ideas of Joseph Beuys and his felt suit symbology - where the cloth used represents a "spiritual warmth" allowing for evolution and rebirth.





"My knuckles have turned to white, 
there's no turning back this time,
kiss me one last time..."
It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door by Underoath.