Simply put, for my thesis project I am going to make several friends paddles, document the making and their use, and display them along with some of the documentation. There are a plethora of details I have not worked out.
Work for this week was talking to those friends and starting to plan paddles. I Also did some work on the paddle I am making for myself, and bought a planer. And tried to do the work for classes I am missing while in NY. With the new planerI did what I wanted in 1/4 of the time it would have taken to do something similar but much worse with the other planer.
Work for this week was talking to those friends and starting to plan paddles. I Also did some work on the paddle I am making for myself, and bought a planer. And tried to do the work for classes I am missing while in NY. With the new planerI did what I wanted in 1/4 of the time it would have taken to do something similar but much worse with the other planer.
Why I make Art/How I got here...
I started making art in highschool. I took a darkroom photo class sophomore year, for reasons I no longer remember. Sophomore year I was decent at it but have few vivid or passionate memories. I spent junior year elsewhere (a story for another time), and returned to find out that my friends and discovered/matured into/started drinking and smoking pot. I wanted nothing to do with it, and spent my extra hours in the darkroom or running. I found out I really liked both and was decent at them. I spent a lot of free time taking /making/printing photographs.
I took photo classes from Charly freshman year, for largely the same reasons as I toke them in highschool. I liked shooting pictures, and needed something to do on Friday and Saturday night, were I could be found in the darkroom.
Sophomore year I continued to make art, and in the spring produced obsessively. It helped me overcome a pretty lasting case of the blues. With the side effect that I produced a lot of art.
Junior year I was in studio and history classes required by my major. I was not strongly inspired to make art for me, but made art mostly for professors. In the sense that, for each piece I tried to find/choose/create some of it that was for me, but that bit of the piece was usually not the majority. I still felt compelled to make a small amount of art just for me, mostly digital photos. I shot them for the pleasure of taking them, but didn't have printing capabilities. (Although I did edit many of them).
Between the beginning of Junior year and now I have changed a lot. Part of that came from Katie, part from going back to camp, and I think a small part from taking intro to visual culture studies. I am not a good enough writer to fully articulate this change. I think I am more cognizant of the connotations of my words, and the unintended consequences of my actions. I also realize that I do occasionally, for what I would like to think are good personal reasons, seek an adrenaline rush. I am more aware of the prejudices inherent in our society.
For the moment I make art because I enjoy the making process. It is something were I get to learn by doing. I enjoy working with my hands and being outside. Things not guaranteed in math or physics. I also enjoy thinking visually, and think that much of art also relates to abstract mathematics. For this project I hope there is something to be said in objecting to the extreme useless and over value, of art objects that most people do not understand or like.
There is something dead about a photo (or other 2-D) image that sits on a wall, or 3-D something that sits on a pedestal. When I go to museums I want to touch, feel, rotate, and handle the art. (Look out NY). It seems silly that I could make several paddles and take photos of them, and no one would question there validity as art, but the paddles them selves? Those are just craft. (sarcasm).
Below are some photos of my notebook. I realized today an easier way to make a feathered blade, which is the subject of much of the space.
I started making art in highschool. I took a darkroom photo class sophomore year, for reasons I no longer remember. Sophomore year I was decent at it but have few vivid or passionate memories. I spent junior year elsewhere (a story for another time), and returned to find out that my friends and discovered/matured into/started drinking and smoking pot. I wanted nothing to do with it, and spent my extra hours in the darkroom or running. I found out I really liked both and was decent at them. I spent a lot of free time taking /making/printing photographs.
I took photo classes from Charly freshman year, for largely the same reasons as I toke them in highschool. I liked shooting pictures, and needed something to do on Friday and Saturday night, were I could be found in the darkroom.
Sophomore year I continued to make art, and in the spring produced obsessively. It helped me overcome a pretty lasting case of the blues. With the side effect that I produced a lot of art.
Junior year I was in studio and history classes required by my major. I was not strongly inspired to make art for me, but made art mostly for professors. In the sense that, for each piece I tried to find/choose/create some of it that was for me, but that bit of the piece was usually not the majority. I still felt compelled to make a small amount of art just for me, mostly digital photos. I shot them for the pleasure of taking them, but didn't have printing capabilities. (Although I did edit many of them).
Between the beginning of Junior year and now I have changed a lot. Part of that came from Katie, part from going back to camp, and I think a small part from taking intro to visual culture studies. I am not a good enough writer to fully articulate this change. I think I am more cognizant of the connotations of my words, and the unintended consequences of my actions. I also realize that I do occasionally, for what I would like to think are good personal reasons, seek an adrenaline rush. I am more aware of the prejudices inherent in our society.
For the moment I make art because I enjoy the making process. It is something were I get to learn by doing. I enjoy working with my hands and being outside. Things not guaranteed in math or physics. I also enjoy thinking visually, and think that much of art also relates to abstract mathematics. For this project I hope there is something to be said in objecting to the extreme useless and over value, of art objects that most people do not understand or like.
There is something dead about a photo (or other 2-D) image that sits on a wall, or 3-D something that sits on a pedestal. When I go to museums I want to touch, feel, rotate, and handle the art. (Look out NY). It seems silly that I could make several paddles and take photos of them, and no one would question there validity as art, but the paddles them selves? Those are just craft. (sarcasm).
Below are some photos of my notebook. I realized today an easier way to make a feathered blade, which is the subject of much of the space.
To put all my cards on the table, which is perhaps not wise, here are more details of the plan. This is the email I sent to paddlers.
"
I talked to all of you in person, about making you a paddle as part of my senior art thesis. Here are the conditions, I hope they are not too onerous.
The Grand Plan:
Rules:
-Use the paddle at least once before April 23rd
-Take a photo with it, at the put in, take out, or on the water (more photos are better)
-Try to bring back at the very least a piece (I hope none of them break, but they might)
-when not on the water store the paddle in the Sheehan during the show.
Other:
-at the end yours to do with what you want
-Ideally use at least once during the show (April 25th – Graduation)
-I am open to requests…
-Each of the paddles will be decorated in some manner that is intended to invoke its owner/user.
Sheehan Gallery is open Monday-Friday, Noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday, Noon to 4 p.m.
"
"
I talked to all of you in person, about making you a paddle as part of my senior art thesis. Here are the conditions, I hope they are not too onerous.
The Grand Plan:
Rules:
-Use the paddle at least once before April 23rd
-Take a photo with it, at the put in, take out, or on the water (more photos are better)
-Try to bring back at the very least a piece (I hope none of them break, but they might)
-when not on the water store the paddle in the Sheehan during the show.
Other:
-at the end yours to do with what you want
-Ideally use at least once during the show (April 25th – Graduation)
-I am open to requests…
-Each of the paddles will be decorated in some manner that is intended to invoke its owner/user.
Sheehan Gallery is open Monday-Friday, Noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday, Noon to 4 p.m.
"