Harumi Abe is currently an artist in residence at the Everglades National Park. It has always been a dream to go slogging, but fears of awful mosquitos kept me away. So a party of six gathered to try it out as a group. Any decent Floridian should know about slogging.
Well yesterday was my first attempt at this activity and it was incredible. Next time, better shoes. They need to be laced up so mud doesn’t suck them off. (Ha)
Also need sawgrass proof long pants and lots of mosquito netting and repellant. Also not two changes of clothes, but perhaps three or four. I also need a cool walking stick. My pink at worked great, so no need for hat shopping.
How many times have you gone to the library and checked out a pile of books that could be hauled in a book bag. Land Art/ART 3843 is upcycling second hand clothing and cloth into book bags that the librarians can hand out to heavy book checkers.
This project was inspired by Robert Smithson’s Sprial Jetty that is situated near the Golden Spike National Park near Brigham City, Utah. When I visited this site only a couple of pinkish stones were visible. Subsequent low rain falls have permitted this important work to re-emerge from the salty lake.
For this project, bamboo was harvested from the yard of art history professor Barbra Watts. The work was lashed together in the BBC ac2 150 studio in two sections. Then the sections were carried out to the lake by class participants and other volunteers. Duane Brant assisted with construction and engineering. Andrea Wolverton and Duane launched the jetty into the pond to the south of AC1 and NW of the Marine biology building.
The jetty is championed by marine biology student, Elizabeth Lago. She has provided information about the needs of cormorants. Cormorants need places to stand and air out their wings, as unlike ducks, they do not oil their feathers. They need to have the ability to dive and sink so the boyancy afforded to oily feathers would hinder their specialized hunting strategies.
From Art Nature Dialogs: “It is still more about Moby Dick than about a maelstrom that takes out a city. I like the fact that nature has a will of its own that we cannot control. It seems clear that p eople like gardens and grass, but they desperately desire a connection to wilderness–even if that concept is not clearly defined.”
New Works up on North and South side of AC2, BBC.
Today is a research/work day.
Ideas/projects that we are working on:
Catalina’s Japanese Rock garden variation: Action: draw some designs and rock shapes to form from papier mache. Find other images of Japanese rock gardens to mimic. Round up cloth with stripes or similar patterns to mimic racked sand.
Library Book bags. Draw logos or patterns to silkscreen on library. Meet with librarians to ask what they would want.
(Susan Weiss and Lauren Christos)
On going: Yarn bomb (library pleased with Andrea’s crocheted shelf). Post cozies are up and being enjoyed. Please post on any social media you have. And Regina’s bird nests are beautiful. I put up signs to our blog so people can find out more.
Flavor Share: Sahily’s Flavor share is appreciated by the waiting bus riders. We could use more pots and plants for this one. I’m bringing in garlic chives in my pot so all three tables in front of bus stop can have a plant.
Continue to work on your blogs. Please post pictures you took of class projects.
Land Art at BBC 