Utilitarian sparkle and glitter litmus tests....
We're in Tennessee and half-way home. Yesterday, Chris and I had a last ditch flurry of creativity. We took the mess to the Mason's lawn trying to keep some of the glitter out of the house. That attracted a two-year-old who placed one hand each in two bags of glitter and beamed like the movie character 'Amelie' when she presses her hand through a barrel of dried beans. When John asked me where this magic took place, I answered 'in our front yard' and laughed at my mistake, recollecting Chris's habit of calling the trees 'our installation.' (Truth be told it did take a village. Chris, Oren, and John have every right to claim ownership, along with a host of others.) I made the toddler a flower on a stem. She circled around us as though playing 'duck, duck, goose' saying : "Sparkle, dust, sparkle, dust" while waving the flower like a wand and watching the glitter fall like rain.
I watch how people interact with dogs, interpreting their behavior as a sign of character. I am thinking glitter is a similar litmus test. Doug, of Public Works fame, laughed when he relayed that his wife asked him about the glitter on his cheek. It made Chris and I all the more committed to make sure the trees would find their home with his organization rather than with another potential buyer who hinted at glitter being a nuisance. Can you imagine? At any rate, Oren passes the litmus test because he couldn't resist 'glitterizing' their water utility cover. If only whole cities shared his zeal.
Winding down...
Serena stopped by today with her family. She helped us so much when were were first getting the trees secure and she was witness to the gale that ripped them all from their bases. She said that two of them ended up in the street. I am so thankful they weren't smashed to bits. She has offered to help if I come back next year and I have such a huge idea I think that I must.
Oren, Chris, and I went to The Public Museum after a 16th birthday breakfast with their son Paul. I was excited to get to see some more of the ArtPrize entries as well two of the finalists. My favorite is an installation called 'Rain' by Lynda Cole. It commands a solid cube of space yet is airy and flutters at the slightest breath. Apparently, with all the controversy, it is one piece that art critics and the public agree upon.
The fall leaves continue to unfurl mind boggling colors. I am not a very good driver at best, but the light show of trees almost caused me to have an accident when I completely missed a 'yield' sign posted next to a blindingly yellow tree. I was sure the tree had obstructed the sign, but when I drove by the next day (being sure to yield) it was in clear view. Like the images of 'Rain' my photographs of the leaves don't do them justice. I promise if you saw them in real life you would have missed the sign too.
I wanted to make a couple of 'thank-you' arrangements for Taco Bob's and Evergreen School so I painted up some bottles and headed down to the venue to do a little demonstration. It was a glorious day and I actually got a little sun. Tonight while the guys watch Paul's movie of choice for his birthday, Chris and I painted some watercolor paper to make notecards tomorrow; one last art project before I head home Monday.
Happy Pulaski Day!
Not only does ArtPrize begin its final weekend, but today is the start of Grand Rapids Pulaski days, a celebration of both a revolutionary war hero in General Washington's army and of Polish-American heritage. Beer and pierogies abound and on Sunday there is a 'polka mass.'
Back to the fish ladder I mentioned in my last post: I envisioned a tacky wooden ladder carved into the shape of a fish, painted in blues and greens. Doug took us to Grand Rapids' fish ladder, which was created next to a dam for salmon to swim upstream and spawn. It brought to mind what the leader of the artists' seminar said with regard to resting when you are approaching burn out: "Sure a salmon swims upstream, but not for its whole life."
Yesterday, I met with a group of students who helped create some of the plastic pieces. One student was grumpy because she thought I should have won the Nobel prize. Another was holding a bottle ready to add it to the tree. Every time I reached out to assist him he lovingly took hold of my hand and gazed sweetly into my eyes. We finally snapped it into place though, his hand over mine.
Last night, the final awards were presented. The first prize winner is Mia Tavonatti for a stunning glass mosaic altarpiece titled "The Crucifixion." Mia stopped by and chatted when ArtPrize first started and told me that she was glad the trees were big and bold and drawing crowds down our way. Last night as we watched the news coverage announcing the winner, I joked that it was too bad the other contenders were so far away from my forest or they might have taken first.
It is interesting how much conversation there is here with regard to the winners. Part of the artistic community is outraged while the man-on-the-street is confused by some of the juried awards. One thing that is for sure, a whole lot of people are out looking and talking about art.
I'll close with this installation, part of the permanent collection at the Urban Institute of Contemporary Art where my seminar was held. It is made of a variety of lottery tickets.
For the record, people rarely realize that 
The Trees are Sold!
It has been an incredible whirlwind (not literally thank goodness) of activity for me the past couple of days. First and foremost, I sold the trees and the recycling goes full circle in the process! They will be installed at The Kent County Department of Public Works Recycling and Education Center where thousands of children tour in school groups each year. Now the challenge for us is moving them over. There are two areas we plan to place them, in the front lobby, and upstairs in the education center.
Chris and I met with The Grand Rapids Director of Public Works, Doug Wood, who took us on a tour of the facility. I felt a little like I was watching my favorite Mr. Roger's Neighborhood feature: the crayon making segment. The facility has an area looking out at workers and machines sorting piles of recycled materials that enter through a conveyer belt. I love conveyer belts. We watched from a viewing area then walked out onto a visitor's cat-walk where we saw paper being tossed in the air and sucked up to the paper section, a computer operated light scanner separating out PET plastic (my personal favorite), and workers tirelessly helping the environment by sorting out the rest. All but the glass gets baled into giant colorful bricks that are sent off to various area facilities for processing.
Doug was kind enough to give us a tour around Grand Rapids that included something you'll never find in Florida: an antique horse drawn snow plow. Wonder what they used for a snowmobile? He took us to another facility and Chris, who claims to not be an artist advised me to take this shot of the river:
Chris and Doug were chatting about Grand Rapids and what sights I had seen when Doug asked: "Have you seen the fish ladder?" More later....
Knee-ding a rest...
I was glad that a two-day artist seminar started today. I awakened an old knee injury and am hobbling around like Igor. The seminar was very informative and is helping me clarify the direction I want to go in next. I had to spin by the trees to enjoy their gorgeousness before I headed out of the city.
I took a little video of an piece that was in the top 25 for my area. I don't love the image but I love the name "Glitter Girl" and the fact that it is made up of a gazillion sequins hanging on pins. It sparkled and people were allowed to touch it which I did. It's very sturdy.
Here is a link to the top ten for the whole event. So far my favorite is Tempest II but I haven't seen all of them yet. The mosaic of Jesus is amazing too and it is made of tiny rectangles of glass in a gorgeous color palette. I'd better decide soon because voting ends tomorrow at midnight.
Band practice epiphany...
At home we live within earshot of sunset church bells, a lovely reminder of what roots us. We can also hear the train at night, whose whistle and roar recollect something far away that is also near. The other day I heard what I thought was experimental alternative music coming from the basement, but it turns out the middle school marching band, in it's all vulnerable awkwardness, practices on the Mason's street. As I was coming out of their driveway this morning the band was just getting started. Somehow their sound warms my heart with thoughts of acceptance and grace. They are not very good but in a way they are perfect.
Glitter apothecary, left-handed compliments, and getting lost....
It was such a glorious sunny day that I went down to the venue for a few hours for a little make-it and take-it time with visitors. So many people appreciate getting to know how to create the pieces. Sometimes I have to fight the urge to keep my methods and materials secret (not that they are all that difficult to figure out) but I try to imagine an open hand instead of being grabby. Several visitors wanted to know where to get the glitter I use and that fuels my longstanding desire to have a 'glitter apothocary.' It would be like a penny candy store with all different sizes and colors of glitter. I think the money making potential may be lacking, but it would be worth it because I could have all the colors. (btw: a good source of glitter until I become one it Rainbow Turtle in Oregon.)
Here are two funny comments over the course of the event. One lady was with her husband and sighed "interesting...." So I asked "interesting good or interesting bad?" to which she responded "hmmmmm." Her husband was a fan though. He burst into Taco Bob's to announce that they chose to eat there because of the tree installation. Another lady meant to compliment me (I think) when she earnestly and enthusiastically said with a very serious face: "I really didn't like this project at all! I mean I really didn't like it. Then, I read your sign with the explanation. So that just shows me! Now I like it!" (So much for communicating visually.) We had a good chuckle over that one and I have to admit that I have most likely made similar 'compliments.'
The leaves are turning and some of them are so orange they almost glow. i have such a bad sense of direction that I am wearing out my poor GPS: "Recalculating... again." Chris said she always feels a little guilty when the thing says "recalculating" like she is really creating unnecessary aggravation for the poor machine. At any rate, I have meandered and driven ' 400 feet and make a u-turn' more often than most people, but the leaves are changing, some of them to an orange that glows so who cares.
Trees of Life Re-reclaimed
When I was in Kindergarten I dropped a picture book through an iron grate in the playground. A first or second-grade boy lifted the grate, descended into the opening and rescued my book. I envision him in prince charming blue riding up on a white stallion. He was my hero. Today William came at 8 a.m. to unlock the building for us. Then, he and Oren climbed into a dumpster to dig through bags of trash, salvaging plastic pieces that had accidentally been tossed. I never did figure out where they parked their stallions.
We dragged the trees to the site and drilled them back into their bases for what we hope is the last time. The wind Thursday night pulled the trees up like weeds. The L brackets and many of the screws were still on the trunks, having been ripped out of the wooden bases and through 25 pounds of rock. We moved some hardware and tweaked our assembly counting on three times being a charm. We really know how to put this installation up.
Oren says 'angel' means messenger of God and that the lady who stopped to encourage us was for sure an angel. Pretty soon people were stopping by expressing how happy they were to see it coming back after the storm or to let us know that it was their favorite entry. It really kept us motivated in the chilly morning air. A couple of ladies jumped at the chance to help pop the bottles into the remaining empty caps.
Before long Chris came to help. I am pretty much out of words after so many hours of talking to passers-by, but she and Oren enthusiastically chatted with the public, engaging them by having them attach pieces to the Haiti tree. Their son Paul became our expert 'drill sergeant' screwing caps into gaps and fielding questions. One little girl was adding bottles and exclaimed, "I can't stop!" and I echoed her sentiment. We just kept tweaking and tweaking until we had used up all but a few of our bottles and the sun was setting. All day long we heard "Oh, they're water bottles!" or "It's so happy!"
When we first started the project Chris and I talked about how everyone that touched it felt invested, from the Taco Bob employees that stood on the bases while the wind roared, to the building manager who regularly checked on us. After today I wonder if we had it wrong. So many people eagerly attended to the trees, walking away with a little glitter and a lighter heart. I wonder if instead of the magic being in their touching the trees, maybe, in some mysterious way, it is how the trees are touching them.
Pratfalls, Jack-in-the-boxes, and windstorms
Years ago I read a book called Redeeming Laughter about the sociology of humor. Peter Berger proposes that most humor is based on someone falling and then rising. I was pretty bummed this morning when I went to check on my trees only to find that a squall had come through and uprooted every last one. My hero, the building manager, chased down parts for over a block.
Tomorrow begins the biggest ArtPrize weekend and is predicted to be glorious and sunny. Since the reason I came here is to communicate visually a message of hope and transformation, I hate to miss the opportunity for more people to enjoy the installation. So, the plan is to go down first thing tomorrow morning and set them up one more time. Thankfully they didn't look too badly damaged and they have already been enjoyed by many visitors.
About ten years ago Chris and Oren adopted five Sudanese refugees. I got to meet Leek, their 23 year old son home for a visit after finishing his Master's degree. Chris told me a few days ago that one of the main things she gained from the adoption experience was perspective. I am so glad for that conversation because this blip in my plan when put in perspective is small potatoes. So, if a tree falls in my forest I'm hoping the sound it makes is laughter.
Meijer Gardens
Today we explored The Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Garden taking in the newly changing leaves into which were tucked an amazing collection of sculptures. Most impressive was a 24 foot bronze horse based on daVinci's drawings. Apparently Leonardo had constructed a full scale model out of clay only to lose it to an ememy army's target practice. The new version is grandly imposing and by a woman artist. There is one here in Grand Rapids and another in Milan Italy.
We saw Degas, Keith Haring, another gigantic Calder stabile, Jim Dine, Henry Moore, Deborah Butterfield and I notice now that I missed Andy Goldsworthy and Louise Nevelson. What a collection! We finished off our tour eating lunch under a ceiling loaded with Dale Chihuly Persians. Below is a really cool depiction of a neuron. Chris thinks it goes well with the Symphony of Science "Ode to the Brain."
We chose our favorites from the ArtPrize entries displayed inside. There was an amazing sculpture/painting of light. Artist Stephen Knapp refracted light from glass to divide the light into fragments, a gigantic Persian rug made of copper, and my favorite though the on-line photo doesn't do it just, a pyramid of honey bear jars filled with floral and butterfly specimens. Here is a link to a detail.
Sorry for all the links but I found out after my first indoor photo that photography is 'interdit' as the french say. Just as the guard chided me someone said "border patrol" and Chris and I chuckled thinking they were making a joke but it turns out that is the title of one of the entries on display.
Here are some links from yesterday's favorites:
Mesmereyes: A gorgeous wall of watercolor ovals in front of which dangled magnifying glass discs.
The Dripping Tree: Cat Forster's digital photographs of water drops enhanced and printed on metal.
Numinous Community: David Huang is the Dale Chihuly of metals.
And the there's me. How amazing that there is an event open to such a wide range of artists? Inspiring.
A walk around the neighborhood...
Installation reflecting in the Devos Performing Art Center's windows.
It was another rainy day. Between the weather and being discombobulated I missed seeing my student group which put me even more out of sorts. I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood and visit the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Here is what I found:
(I like to picture tiny little people under it.)
To the right is the full sized one that stands grandly in a plaza behind the mini. It was Calder's first 'stabile.'
At the museum I tried to photograph some of the cool ArtPrize entries but flash photography is forbidden. True to my inner Lucille Ball my camera setting changed and I accidentally took a flash photo so I slinked into the next gallery Pink Panther style. Most of my shots did not turn out flash or no flash, but this one of a Picasso plate from the museum's permanent collection did. When I saw it I felt a kindred spirit with that rascal Picasso.
Leaves, chipmunks, and a glitterless bottle...
The leaves are starting to turn. This photo was taken looking up through the window in my room at the Mason's. Everywhere yellows and reds are making their happy appearance. I came back today and a chipmunk was chirping quite lividly at me. I conversed with him a little bit, then tried to bribe him with some raisins but I must have looked too sketchy. Probably the glitter is what spooked him.
As I walked down the block I found bits of sequins and glitter quite some distance away. It reminded me of when I was about five years old and our school took us all to the roof of the building to let helium balloons go. The student with the balloon that travelled the farthest won a bicycle. To my recollection the winner's balloon was found in Germany. (We were living in France.) I wouldn't be at all surprised if my glitter makes it into the sand patterns of the world and ends up on another continent. I overheard the maintenance people yesterday discussing how it alludes the vacuum cleaner and the broom. They were going to resort to a mop. All this was discussed without complaint so I guess I haven't worn out my welcome yet.
Yesterday a couple came to have what appeared to be their engagement picture taken by the trees. The bride and groom-to-be stood back to back with a tree in the middle and smiled for the camera. Tomorrow two different school groups come to visit their contributions to the installation. I stayed late tweaking the trees and loading the ArtPrize tree with their creations. It's so cute how they want to find a bottle that they cut and painted. "It was yellow with silver glitter" will send me on a search for something that matches the description. The other day one little girl stumped me because she specified that she had made a red flower with no glitter. Of the hundreds of bottles delivered to me I'll bet money that hers was the only one like that.
Love in a bottle...
It was rainy today so I didn't make it down to the venue until 2:30. Thankfully the trees survived a storm just fine and are looking as beautiful as ever. I kept intending to grab a bite to eat, but the sun came out and I couldn't pull myself away. I thought to myself: "I have finally found something I like better than lunch!" I added caps to the tree we are building on-site so that tomorrow it will be ready for passers by to add the bottles the Grand Rapids elementary school students made.
Below is a little video clip from today. It stops short since I was interrupted before I could mention this pretty bottle that spells out 'love.' It was among a big bag of gorgeous bottles painted for me by a group of special needs students ages 18-26. They come to visit me Wednesday.
I was interviewed again for next year's ArtPrize video and the picture below was in yesterday's newspaper on the second page!
Today the man who lives in a downtown shelter (who offered to help me when my trees fell over) stopped by to underline what I was saying to some people admiring the trees. "This is the best display" he said enthusiastically. When the visitors left he asked if I had some cards for him to hand out and off he went to try to garner some votes for me.
Fun, happy, whimsical...
Those are the three words we keep hearing as people visit the forest. Yesterday was another crazy one with about 6 hours of hands on bottle making and glitter abounding. Some participants added finishing touches to their flowers by helping themselves to the pipe cleaners the homeless man gave us. One lady exclaimed that the installation was her absolute favorite and that this was the third time she had visited. It made me realize that the trees really do create not a display but a magical place.
It started raining so we packed up the scissors and materials leaving a pile of glitter conglomerate for passers by to play with. Then we went to Taco Bob's where the owner gave me a complimentary lunch and we watched people interact with the installation. One older lady stopped at the glitter table, took a pinch and with a giggle sprinkled it over her head. Other visitors brought back memories of my Natalie who could never resist 'making stuff'. When we moved from our last house I had packed up anything she could possibly use to make a mess and found her in the middle of her bedroom floor creating some masterpiece out of a tissue, a cardboard paper roll, and some wire. At any rate, a couple of people found a Styrofoam drink cup and painted it with the unwashed paint-brushes then rolled it on the sparkly table.
It started to rain in earnest so we packed up the rest of our supplies and got into our car. John wanted to wait a bit to make sure the trees were weathering the wind OK. (He's gotten attached to them too.) We sat in the car and laughed as we watched people try to take shelter from the weather under our trees.
Elementary school delivers their contributions...
Everyday gets crazier than the next. John came and further secured the tree bases. At this point I think I will be taken away by the wind before they will. (Maybe I should get some Frankenstein shoes.) Yesterday the children at Grand Rapids Christian school came in droves to deliver painted plastic and to see their creations incorporated into the installation. I actually had to give out a few autographs! I was sure to tell them that they are part of the reason I was invited to the event. My sponsor liked that my proposal included school children in the process. I also told them that I wanted to give away the tree we are working on on-site. I want to take this project to Haiti someday where the evidence of their lack of clean water can be turned into art. It occurred to me the other night that I can donate the tree for Haitian relief and it turns out the Chris and Oren are involved in an art fund-raiser in a few weeks where the tree can be auctioned off.
I had another business owner approach me about buying the trees. I will be visiting his recycling facility that has a children's area where schools bring students to go on tours. He wants me to see the space and what we can do to brighten the space. The trees are surely up to that task. People see them from blocks away and come just to figure out what they are. I had last year's second place winner express her appreciation because my forest is drawing people to her venue. We ended the day with a radio interview and then dinner with friends whose lovely children were astounding.
Today and tomorrow are supposed to be mad crushes of crowds at 100,000 each day so I wore my lucky goldenrod yellow corduroys. They may attract people from blocks away as well!
Signing autographs Girl after my own heart....
Let me introduce you to some of my friends...
(View from inside Taco Bob's where we eat lunch and spy on people.)
I have met so many new friends I wanted to quickly introduce you before I head out for another crazy day at ArtPrize. This weekend is supposed to be pretty insane with 100,000 people or so each day. I looked at the voting and I am not in the top 25 for my area which was disappointing but also a reality check: 1. There are some incredible fine artists here 2. The reason I am here. With regard to point 2, I feel that I am truly fulfilling the dream I had and then some. More and more people in the community are taking ownership of the project: the building manager who checks on us, the sweet night staff lady who was explaining my project and handing out cards to passers by last night, Taco Bob's who give me free drinks, a homeless man who collects sparkly things and donated silver pipe cleaners and a piece of peacock blue glitter paper, the children of Evergreen school some of whom visited the forest they helped build, and another homeless man who offered to help me clean up when the trees fell over. He said hesitantly because he didn't want to make light of my situation that I was truly 'blown away.'
Chris suggested we encourage the public to pop in the remaining bottles we had and they LOVED it. She is such a great PR person, taking pictures of families in front of the trees and handing out cards asking for votes that I can take rests from the overwhelming public interaction. I think everyone that touches the project becomes a part of the installation's magic and they know it. I hope those of you who support me from afar feel it too.
So, some quick introductions before I leave for the day:
When Life Gives You Lemons
When life gives me lemons my inclination is to decline and ask: "Where in the heck the tangelos I ordered?!" Today started out blissfully. People are completely enamoured with the trees even though the event doesn't officially start until tonight. I handed cards out left and right and chatted with a local newspaper reporter who photographed me working the crowd. She took my contact information and wants to cover the elementary school students when they come to deliver the plastic they made for me. I met the students' principal, had lunch with my friend who is my contact with the school, and got to see pictures of the students working.
I put marble chips down on the bases of the trees since it was a little windy and then finished up filling out the taller trees. My friends Oren and Chris came down and were helping with the final touches. (Oren was especially fond of using my heat gun.) And then....
The wind started kicking up and suddenly one of my tall trees fell TIMBER onto the side walk, the trunk snapped, and several of the branches broke. I was trying to be chipper, forcing myself to look for the positive. At least we could figure out and fix the situation before the event. Then a giant gust blew through and all of the trees started tipping over. I was somewhat paralyzed by my horror, ran to one tree, righted it, then buried my head in its branches not wanting to open my eyes. Meanwhile Chris played drill sergeant, directing people who were in the vicinity to stand on the bases of the trees while she straddled two trees until we figured out what to do. The owner of Taco Bob, Phil (but I like to call him Taco Bob... not to his face...yet) came out to offer whatever help he could.
Chris dispatched Oren to the hardware store to get more rocks, more brackets and screws, and to try to figure out some mend. We hauled the trees into the lobby of the Calder Building (where they actually look pretty glorious) while a Taco Bob employee took it upon himself to gather all the plastic ornaments from the gutter. Our installation now consisted of seven piles of marble chips on the sidewalk.
Chris never gives up. While I went to the car to gather my thoughts or fall apart or both, she continued to direct people to the trees in the lobby handing out tickets and asking for votes. Oren and Chris are both doctors and when I returned Oren was deep into orthopedic surgery on the broken tree. Good as new. Chris took me home to have some tea and put my feet up while we awaited the arrival of a kind artist who was loaning us the tools to drill into the concrete. And here I am.... Lemonade anyone?
Later: Enter the Tangelos
and the most highly educated unpaid interns I have had the pleasure to work with. We headed back down to drill into the concrete. Oren's friend Doug, also a doctor (that makes 3 if you are counting) came to the rescue. It felt a little like the old Tool Time TV show. When the power tools came out it seemed like the guys' pupils started to spin and I half expected manly grunts. Chris noticed their matching shirts. We didn't know they were going to come in uniform. In the end we settled on a concrete block/ marble chips solution that looks pretty darn good. Doug ran off to the hardware store for more rocks and didn't get back until the building was locked with the trees still inside. Our shoulders sagged a little but we had to pack up until morning.
Just then a lovely woman working the night shift came in and allowed us to haul the trees back out onto the sidewalk. Below are our 'rock stars.'
At last we were set up and the buzz about the installation never stopped. Even when there were only two trees in the space people continued to stop to take photographs and marvel at what they were made of. The highlight of the night was when a professional dancer from Disney stopped by with her mother and was so moved by the positive energy of the installation she decided to dance. A little crowd gathered for the magic. It doesn't get any better than this. Or maybe it does. i guess I'll find out tomorrow.
I just can't get away from the press!
Here is how we ended the day. My favorite memories:
1. A little girl who convinced her father to pull over so she could "see THAT!"
2. A man who described the installation as "Happy."
3. Meeting an artist from Kansas City named Juniper who makes giant chameleons that are climbing the lamp-posts across the street.
4. People not knowing what my trees are made of.
5. People crossing the street because they had to see the trees.
6. The sunlight hitting the holographic glitter and creating a light show.
7. My friend having the best day in a long time helping me assemble and becoming sparkly in the process.
8. An artist couple who are not only helping me bolt my forest into the concrete, they got approval from the property manager, went home to get their drill, and then went to the hardware store for the bolts.
9. Getting interviewed by the evening news.
10. A great dinner with friends at a lovely little restaurant overlooking a lake: Seared Ahi tuna with edamame, asparagus, and pearl onions.
11. Tubby! Nighty-night.
This Morning, Unpacking!
My friends the Masons who are housing me are welcoming the glitter even suggesting that I am the "Johnny Appleseed" of same. We unpacked and got a good start assembling this morning. No one can believe all this stuff came out of my mini-van. We had quite the system with Chris and I trying to keep John from getting any rest from drilling. I was touched by an unexpected wish "good luck" from my friend at the bottle manufacturing company.