The object(s) I chose to work with are the Oil Drum and the Oil Pump. Being from Alaska, these two things bear alot of meaning to me. Alaska has a fragile economic system that would entirely collapse were it not for oil. However, this brings about alot of really touchy issues. Shouldn't we try to steer ourselves away from oil, we are after all at peak right now and things are only going to get scarce from here. But, then what of my state, are we to let our state die out? Without this income where would my state be?



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Alaska doesn't have many sources of income, sure, we get lots of tourists and fishing industries account for a certain amount of state profits, but the real kicker is our natural resources, oil and natural gas. Of course, this becomes a fairly touchy subject amongst us. Some people feel that, since oil is our only real major source of income, that we should exploit it the the utmost extent, while others believe that the state itself is our biggest resource, and that we should respect the land and only drill for oil in areas where it won't damage the land so much. I personally feel that without oil, our state would NOT exist, but at the same time as we try to pull oil from our state were damaging land and ecosystems, an example most people are familiar with is ANWR. So, how do we find a medium between these two things? I feel that our state is really blinded, and that people our only looking at the land as a source of income, and that most anyone isn't seeing the beauty of the land, they ONLY see the oil.

I'm hoping that in my project I can describe some kind of landscape that can ake us think more about oil and the land it comes from, because alot of people in our country can't seem to differentiate between the two.

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Over the summer, I traveled to Arizona to visit the Grand Canyon with my family- a lifelong goal for a family vacation. Throughout our stay we found a vast array of cheaply made jewelry and bought a couple cheap things as tokens of the trip. On the final day, we came to a scenic outlook and stopped to have a picnic lunch and enjoy the warm weather and incredible view. My mom called me over to one of the booths and we became immersed in conversation with the artist who, it turns out, did all of her own work- the quality of her craftsmanship was incredible and she became an inspiration to both my mother and I as we have been struggling to develop our jewelry business for the past 6 years. That day after many hours of shared stories, my parents bought me this ring as my August Christmas gift as a memory of our time together in Arizona.

The Grand Canyon, though perhaps over publicized, is truly beautiful- an incredible inspiration. My mother and I would sit every day and paint or draw from the land around us. We spent an immense amount of time together and truly became close friends for the first time in our lives together in the canyon. There is something magical about the world as you stare down into a one mile tall gap in the ground- you realize that as cliche as it may sound, anything is possible- that there are infinite possibilities in every facet of life.

When we returned home, my mother and I had found the inspiration to create a new line that has improved our business significantly. The colors and textures of those beautiful canyons, our red rock climbs and the vast open sky penetrated our work and distinctly rendered themselves in sterling, gold and countless cabs. Each piece we made became another moment, another memory of our time together and this ring that I wear everyday is the strongest reminder of all how important a simple family vacation can be.

TH+F Class Second Assignment: Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait

Research

The object I picked was the telephone. I am very interested in the whole concept of communication and how we as humans interact with one another. Our growth as a society has moved families farther a part so a need to keep in contact has lead for us to be able to talk with someone without them being physically next to you. That whole idea was and is groundbreaking, the fact that we can talk to someone half way across the world with one simple dial of an object we call a telephone; which was merely part of a system already in place, has now lead to the internet where we can video chat with someone miles away.

The location I chose was Hinesburg VT, which the town in which I grew up in and currently reside. It clearly has significance to me because of all the memories that have taken place in that town. I am interested in the idea of memories and what makes something memorable versus the things that our brain decides is unimportant and forgotten. And how we categorize certain memories based from objects or places.
I had originally picked the telephone because I liked the aesthetics of the object and what it represented, which was the idea of communication. I wanted to pick a place that was important to me, and I felt as though my hometown and my house is my center base for which I need to communicate. It is really intriguing how these two ideas of communication and memories relate in many different ways. From a phones ability to memorize and store numbers, to our own brains capability to store knowledge and events of the past that we find meaningful.

Dave Mykins- Research

The object that I finally decided on choosing was a floor clock. (my first idea was stairs, but I realized that it wasn't getting me very far.) Also, something as intricate as a clock would give me more opportunities to think about what processes went in to manufacturing it. Although I did find some images of some pretty sweet staircases, I decided that clocks were more personally interesting to me.(though I always enjoy a good awe-inspiring staircase.)

To be honest, I was really more concerned about the way that my geographic location would look than the object I chose. I was thinking more about the finished project than the thought that went into it. When I learned that we were going to be doing 3-D models of landscapes, I immediately thought about mountain ranges. the Poconos were the first that came to mind. so the first day in the computer lab I made the first model of an area in that mountain range. At that point I was still a bit confused on what the actual project was about. When I learned that the landscape was supposed to be based on the object I needed to change my location. At this point I was still settled on stairs as my object, and since stairs are usually made of wood, I began looking for logging companies. Since I believe the Poconos run through Pennsylvania I started searching for logging sites in that state. One of the towns I found is the location of the current model I have. Since I changed my object, I may need to change my location again. I suppose that I could keep my current location, but a town where they cut down trees for lumber is pretty vague. Who's to say that this particular wood from this particular place is used to make grandfather clocks? I should probably do more research and get a new location.

The connection between a Logging town and grandfather clocks is pretty vague, but also straight-forward at the same time. Like I said, It's kind of a stretch, and I plan on doing more research on the project.  

The object that I chose is Elily, a stuffed animal elephant that I’ve had for as long as I could remember. I’ve slept with her almost every night of my entire life, and she means the world to me. No matter where I am in the world, Elily is what makes me at home. She is a manufacture mass-produced object that defines home for me.

Gambier, Ohio is home to Kenyon College and the Kenyon Summer Conference (KSC). I attended KSC, a weeklong gathering of Episcopal fellowship, every summer for 16 years. I looked forward to that one week I would spend in Gambier every year. I have the best memories from KSC and no other place that can evoke as much emotion as Gambier does. One week out of every year Gambier was the greatest place on the planet.

I chose Elily and Gambier because I am very attached to both. The image that others see when they on upon either are nothing compared to my relationship and history with both. They both evoke very powerful emotions about safety, security, and home. They are both things that I wish to never forget no matter where I am in life. They are both very deep in meaning even when the landscape is no so drastic.

Research

When I first got this project I did not really know what I wanted to choose for an item, and they always say that you should stick to what you know.  The last paintings I did for my painting class involved a lot of geometric figures, mostly squares, so I thought it would be nice to play off of that.   As I was thinking about the project, I went to the store and bought a candy bar and it hit me, a chocolate bar.  They had the individual pieces that you could break off that were definitely square shaped but they also have organic curves in between, and I liked that about them.

Now, for the location I wanted to find something that had some relation to me but it also needed to be connected to chocolate.  I came up with Hershey, Pennsylvania.  It just seemed right.  A city with a theme park and a love of chocolate, what better way to represent yourself?

I feel it is almost a little too obvious how they connect but at the same time it isn't.   Obviously, Hershey, Pennsylvania is home to the chocolate production companies of the Hershey Corporations but I like the way they both draw you in.  Chocolate is so tempting by itself but when you throw amusement park rides into the mix I think you had another layer of desire.  I enjoy the element of desire and want that occurs with this location and with chocolate as well.

Research: Beneath the Surface

Going into this project I admit I wasn't sure of what I wanted to convey. Being a (more or less) conceptual artist I wanted to be able to say something with what I was to be working on, but how insightful can a landscape be? After all from what I've seen from Monet and Van Gogh, they are just pretty colors and seemingly nothing more, right? Wrong, they helped to start a new wave of thinking, though I am not at all trying to do something that has never been done before, I would just like to show my take on certain topics. So after giving some thought to what a landscape can be I decided to follow a theme. That theme is looking Beneath the Surface.


After brainstorming for an object/image with my own and several other minds, I was reminded of something I hadn't seen for a long time, yet something in its own right very inspirational. The Body Works exhibit, seemed to be something perfect. The image seen is from this highly specified collection of plasticised human bodies; the image in particular that I am using is of a pregnant woman and her unborn child. The connection I thought is perfect, within this world we are all connected to our surroundings and our surrounding to us. A landscape is also something seen but comes from something unseen, it can also give and take life; just like the mother and her child.



Originally the location that I wanted to use was to be a section of the expansive underground river system in Mexico. This river system was the only source of fresh water within the area, which gives life to not only the dense forest in the area, but also gave life to the Mayan civilization. Unfortunately due to software restraints i decided to use Herkimer, an area in upstate New York. It is best known for the cave system that was discovered by a farmer. This discovery was able to bring in great revenue for the town, providing for a number of families.

Research

Left: Common Light Bulb

Above: Hoover Dam (Google Maps)

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I came to the decision of my object after the choice of my geological location. Thinking mainly about being man made, I found the Hoover Dam to be a location that broke the line of the natural landscape and was man made as well. After deciding on the dam, i thought about objects that paired well to be later sculpturally represented. Leading to the light bulb which represents a couple things. Those being the manifestation of energy, the use and impact of light in general, and lastly being an iconic and easily recognizable object.

Finding a location came out of the frustration in choosing an object, thinking about how the relationship between object and location connected lead me first in the direction of the grand canyon. But i wanted a deeper sense of man made, then leading me to things in our landscape that are man made. My research in changes in the country's geological landscape be man lead me to the Hoover Dam. And how, as humans our species leads in physically changing our environment to suite our own needs. (Sharing this title with only one other species, the beaver)

The connection between the two subject at hand is the production of energy by the hoover dam, being represented by image of a light bulb.

Research

The first image is the aerial view of the Salton Sea: a saline lake set in the sunny arid hills of California.

The second image of a cylindrical form is the famed Morton Salt box, although my use of this particular brand name is neither here nor there.

I live on the south shoreline of Long Island and am familiar with the destructive yet nurturing behavior of salt. I can easily recall my father panicking about needing new car parts due to our environment being so rich in sodium. I also remember taking the advice of my mother, who drilled it into my head that the ocean has a phenomenal ability to doctor blisters, burns and cuts. She'd say that it cures wounds as it does deli meats. In our case, salt didn't disrupt our daily lives too much since it had an outlet.

However, the surrounding areas of the now defunct Salton Sea are gravely affected by its presence. Located south of Palm Springs, the Salton Sea used to be huge tourist attraction. It was accidentally created when irrigation canals ruptured, filling a desert endorheic basin, recreating an ancient saline sea. With no outlet, the toxic Sea gets its fair share of sewage and agricultural runoff, and is chock full of heavy metals and elements, as well as algal blooms, parasites and bacteria. It is a breeding ground for disease. Houses are buried in mud, and the region smells like death for miles. Inhabitants that have not yet abandoned the area have little money and uncertain futures.

The very issue of the Salton Sea shouldn't be taken with just a grain of salt. It is a serious ecological disaster that not too many people know about.

The object I chose was a stiletto high heel shoe. I don't wear high heels in my everyday life, just sometimes. Even though I cant wear them all the time, I LOVE them. I own way too many. On the occasion that I do wear them I feel very happy and sexy. I think its a woman thing. Every girl likes to get dressed up once and a while and feel beautiful. High heels are sexy because they have lots of curves, and make woman's legs look sexy when they wear them. The materials and style vary so much, they are never dull. Some are shiny, some are clothe, some are leather. Sometimes they have designs like polka dots or animal print. Some even have bows or big flowers. There is just something about buying and wearing high heels that makes me happy, weather I wear them or not. This clearly has something to do with advertisement, the media, and the mass production of shoes. When I shop for shoes its hard to pick because there are always TONS to choose from, and stores always get me with the sales...I often walk away with two pairs.




The location I originally chose was NYC. For the project, it was mentioned that buildings would show up in the computer program so I thought NYC was perfect. When we started the project I discovered buildings did not show up in our program, so I switched my location to Hollywood. The terrain is different, with hilly areas and forests which works much better for our task. I wanted to choose a city that was big and popular. A city where merchandise and shopping is a popular thing. I've never been to Hollywood but I know enough from movies, news, and TV to know that this is true. Hollywood is also home to many wealthy and famous people. This means a lot of shopaholics and image-minded people.



How do Hollywood and heels relate? Well, heels make you think of fashion, fame, shopping, and runway models. All of which can be found in abundance in NYC and Hollywood. Hollywood is definitely a big city full of fame, fashion and shopping. Designer shoes that the stars wear can be found in Hollywood, along with many other fashionable items from clothes to jewelry. Although I personally don't spend the big bucks to get the designer shoes I see on TV, I'm still very influenced by Hollywood and how the media glamorizes the stars. Ill settle with my $25 Charlotte Rouse heels for now, but the idea of image is still there. I don't know where exactly most high heels are produced or if that is in Hollywood, but they are definitely distributed in many stores throughout Hollywood. Even more, I think some of the most expensive heels and designers are distributed there!

Jonas' Presentation

Below are a couple of links that are relative to the presentation I gave on Tuesday.

Link for to Andrea Rosen Gallery, which represents the work of David Altmejd.

http://www.andrearosengallery.com/artists/david-altmejd/

Link for Mark Dion and the Art 21 site, lots of info, interviews, images and video of his artistic practice/ work.

http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/dion/index.html

Cordycep video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8

Crystal Cave Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeiMfLmJtzk

Research

I chose Hornell NY for my manufactured landscape project. Hornell has a long history of trains. They build subway cars and repair trains at Alstom. The Erie railroad which had passenger trains, landed in Hornell in the mid 19th century and became the stop between Buffalo and NYC. When the city was in it's heyday, the population was 15,000. We now have a population of maybe 9,000 including outlying areas. For many years, the railroad sustained the Hornell population financially. Hornell flourished with the railroad. Early photos of the city showed the streets teeming with people and shops. The town is now a ghost of what it once was. I currently reside in Hornell and find it's history interesting. The local people are proud of being a railroad town and are nostalgic for the days when Hornell prospered.

My grandson loves trains. He started by loving Thomas and at 5 years old, he has graduated to HO trains. We take him to the depot train museum on Wednesday night to watch the progress of the model train track they are building there. The museum is full of train facts and objects. There is even a picture of his great grandfather who used to be a freight train conductor on a train that ran from Hornell to Port Jervis, NY. My object is a subway train car that was produced or repaired at Alstom in Hornell. This business sustains many people in our community though there are often layoffs as they wait for a new contract to go through. We drive by Alstom to check on the cars that wait remodelling.

Since I live in Hornell and am sort of a railroad person(my husband's father worked on the railroad) I am really interested in the history of the railroad. I remember when my Nana would come visit us and arrive by train. It was very exciting to go to the station to pick her up and watch her get off the train. I feel a little sad at the demise of the railroad but have hopes that someday she will get back on track to become a tool of mass transit for us.

RADIOLAB: Parasites

Instead of taking up work time in class next week to listen to the Radiolab podcast about Parasites, I'd like you all to download it and listen to it on your own time for homework. Just put it on your ipod, and listen to it while you're doing work one day this week instead of listening to music. We will discuss it in class on Monday. Click here for the link.

Also come to class on Monday with your found wood object, and a plan on paper of your piece of basswood and the shapes you are going to cut out of it. Monday will be a workday in the wood shop.

Wood Joinery Techniques

Here is information about some basic wood joinery techniques. You can also find more information about them here.

M+T Class Woodworking Assignment: Ectoparasites

Ectoparasites

TH+F Class First Assignment: Manufactured Landscapes

Manufactured Landscapes

Syllabus: Thursday + Friday Section

Syllabus: ART255-02

Presentations

Presentations

Syllabus: Monday + Tuesday Section

Syllabus: ART255-01