The Blog of Bland

The next step

2008-09-11T22:17:00.000-07:00

Well, I realized this blog is getting a bit outdated. It will now serve as an archive for the past.

For current info, images, and the Blog of Bland visit - www.blandhoke.com

Enjoy

Dorthy's installation

2008-06-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

At the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, 60 decommissioned lamp poles are arranged in an expanding and curvaceous form spanning nearly 800 feet across the main entrance to the park. The installation will be exhibited for a period of four years, with the possibility of reconfiguring the work within that time span.

The Real Deal

2008-06-08T21:57:00.000-07:00

Mock up's and more!

http://lamppoles.blogspot.com

Enjoy

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

2008-06-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day weekend marked a camping trip to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, a hard-edged chasm in the earth. There was fishing, hiking and all the associated activities. The river was flowing, big time. at 700-1000 CFS, a sign claimed that death was likely for kayakers and no portages existed. The river was free flowing over a dam at 7000 CFS, consequently toto and all of Kansas was underwater.

BAP Sculpture

2008-05-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

The proverbial buracratic bottleneck. Yes ladies and gents, I found myself smack dab in between those immovable walls, with no place to go, and then BAP!

The aforementioned is a recap of the previous week, and the challenges of attempting to install a large-scale sculpture in a public space. From public art board, to the Parks Department, to supervisors, and then administrators and then back to another board, I felt like a ping pong ball, richocheting off a ubiquitous wall of higher power.

Then Wayne Kackela, long time resident of Steamboat Springs and my fellow Art Buddy assisted me in finding a privately owned business to display my large-scale sculpture. We landed in front of BAP, or Bwear Action Products, where the I cajoled with Bill Gamber, the owner and former Ironman Triathlete, for a period of 2 minutes before he granted me permission to use his tree for my sculptural endeavor.

For more info on BAP, and an extra-special article check out:

http://wearbap.com/pages.php?pageid=7

Colorado Art Ranch

2008-05-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

I am currently staying at Marabou Ranch in Steamboat Springs CO. I imported 86 Volant skis, and have chiseled, razored, scraped, stripped and sanded every ski into one homogeous group of stainless steel beauties. This work has been completed at the Kettel Barn, or Ranch shop. Soon I will instal a sculpture wrapping a tree about 25 feet tall. The location has yet to be determined, partly due to buracratic bottlenecks and sticky red tape...

One note of hilarity are the archery targets. Made of dense foam, these assorted mountain lions, pigs, elk, and antelope were recently mauled by a bear. The fake animals were attacked viciously on their throats, hamstrings and other crucial areas. The remedy - Great Stuff! an expanding foam which can be carved down and painted. The result- animals bandaged like impromptu patients to help contain the voracious foam.

Stay tuned for the next episode of this adventure, "The scraggly tree gets a corset!"

http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2008/may/04/colorado_art_ranch_residents_give_back_during_five/

Alfred Plaza Project

2008-04-22T06:36:00.000-07:00

For the past 3 weeks I have been in Alfred NY, facilitating the completion of the Alfred Plaza Project. Upon leaving, the timber frame structure was raised, 7 Corian® benches are on site, and the project is now fully funded from a fund-raising bonanza.

More info on the project-
http://alfredcotta.blogspot.com

To sum it up, I believe this project will be a catalyst for continued collaboration between Alfred University and Alfred State College. The two schools have tremendous capabilities in terms of applied skills, conceptual strongholds and a creative broth of students that are capable of doing just about anything. It will be exciting to see how Alfred melds and morphs in the coming years.

Currently I am in Toledo Ohio, traveling west to Steamboat Springs with 90 stainless steel Volant Skis on my roof. I will be staying at Marabou Ranch, working in a shop and delving into the sculptural capabilities of the skis while researching locally available waste/decommissioned/borrowable materials. This should be quite interesting!

Colorado Art Ranch

2008-03-30T13:28:00.001-07:00

I have recently been accepted as a resident artist at the Colorado Art Ranch, a nonprofit nomadic artist and writer's residency and Artposium.

www.coloradoartranch.org

The program travels to two Colorado towns each year and adopts themes that reflect the area's heritage, natural resources, topography and people.

The program is composed of two parts: a two-day Artposium open to the public and a one-month residency for literary and visual artists.

I am excited to have this opportunity and to work in an area of great beauty. I will be investigating the sculptural capabilities of 90 stainless steel Volant skis that were headed for the landfill. A conglomerate of plastic, mild steel, wood core and stainless top-sheet, the skis aren't easily recyclable, hence art provides a useful alternative. The original manufacturing plant was located in Wheatfield CO, and I may pass through this area on my trip west.

One thought was to create work inspired by Kenneth Snelson, on the basis that his primary material is shiny stainless steel pipes, held in sculptural arrangements by a patented structural concept called tensegrity.

http://www.kennethsnelson.net/

I've been interested in creating sculpture that draws from the work of established artists, but utilizes sustainable sources of material. Imagine a Richard Serra sculpture using the curvateous prows of decommissioned navy vessels, or a Christo inspired structure wrapped in 7 old hot air balloons. The materials exist, and I am on a quest to increase my chances of acquiring and transforming this type of material (off-spec, decommissioned, excess inventory, landfill bound, scrap, flashing, drop pieces, manufacturing defects and other useful byproducts of the industrial process) into large-scale sculpture.

Materials! Sculpture proposal!

2008-03-25T17:46:00.000-07:00

On an impromptu trip to Stratton VT, I acquired 46 Volant skis from a ski shop in need of extra storage space. These were helpful while visiting Stone Quarry Hill Art Park to propose a collaborative sculpture utilizing 60 decommissioned lamp poles measuring 25 feet tall. Previous installations (http://lamppoles.blogspot.com) utilized massive ground stakes to hold a series of arches static, however the ground is stone at Stone Quarry, hence we have settled on a tripod configuration, eliminating ground stakes or cable for support.

Sculpture Barn Installation

2008-03-25T17:35:00.000-07:00

After fabricating 80 custom hardware units from laser-cut scrap, another iteration of lamp poles is born.

In an attempt to work efficiently, a process was established to standardize the hardware placement for incremental adjustments of the pole position. The only problem was the only way to verify the calculations was to construct the sculpture. The result: a tad bit off. This created a new problem which evolved into the eventual third spiral shape.

Lamp poles on the move

2008-02-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

These 40 poles are on the move. Currently stationed in New Fairfield CT at the Sculpture Barn, awaiting a sculptural installation. Matt and I have chocked up a couple intense experiences working with the poles. First a night time loading session into a 24' Budget truck. The next work session was made memorable by a Connecticut ice storm. We slogged poles back and forth, flame cutting off nasty flanges and keeping careful to slip and drop a pole.

Annnnd Finally - Matter In Time edit

2008-01-22T17:46:00.000-08:00

Matter In Time
24’ Tall, 40’ Wide, 240’ Long
May 2007
Alfred NY
60 decommissioned lamp poles, phosphorescent strips, fabricated hinges, stainless steel cable, hardware, and stadium lighting.

The poles were charged at dusk with stadium lights. After complete darkness ensued, the lights were extinguished to reveal a glowing mass of lines hanging in the air. USR Optonix provided the phosphorescent pigment, while Suncor Stainless donated the cable that enabled the sculpture to stretch 240' across a football field. The installation was exhibited for 2 weeks.

Art Slideshow

2008-01-19T15:42:00.000-08:00

The Syracuse University M-LAB

2008-01-16T19:59:00.000-08:00

I am currently working with Matt Rink in Syracuse NY, on a unique project implicating a RV in the process of transformation. Imagine a Pimp My RIde show, and Matt and I have stepped in for a while to do the building of a flossy design, conceptualized by Syracuse Art and Architecture Students.

"M-Lab is the collaborative effort of the Social Sculpture class at Syracuse University, comprised of 10 art and architecture students and lead by artist and Director of Community Initiatives in the Visual Arts of Syracuse University, Marion Wilson. Our mission is to transform a used, 1984 Recreational Vehicle Bus into a Mobile Literacy and Arts Bus for use by the Syracuse City School District and the greater Syracuse Community.

Through the Partnership for Better Education, an incredible curriculum that bridges photography, poetry and literacy currently exists-- however due to a crisis of space, the schools don't always have the space or resources to house it. M- Lab will be this space. The bus will serve as mobile classroom, digital studio, gallery space, and community center. "

http://mobileliteracyartsbus.blogspot.com/

The reality is that drawn on paper or on a computer, everything is square and plumb. Working in a 1984 RV, everything is askew and requires a bit more thought than your average construction job. Overall the experience is worthwhile, as we are handed a credit card, and told to make it happen.

Production Junction V 2.0

2008-01-12T07:52:00.000-08:00

Life is in flux, and will continue to be in a state of unpredictability for the upcoming future. I am in Alfred now, finishing up 7 benches with a friend and collaborator, Matt Rink. The materials are all recycled, consisting of Corian® flashing from injection molds, recycled composite lumber, off-spec Estee Lauder bracelts, and conduit from a repurposed lighting grid. It is integrated recycling, and will continue to be an interesting avenue to investigate for future public art commissions.

The Corian® flashing was the inspiration for the benches, and creates wonderful optical patterns from the rear. For more info on where these benches will end up visit:

http://alfredcotta.blogspot.com

Jackson to ?

2008-01-03T23:45:00.001-08:00

Living in Jackson Hole for the past 23 years has been a catch 22. It is absolutely beautiful in summer, fall, winter and spring, with abundant activities to keep one entertained and awed for a lifetime. However, in retrospect Jackson is very hard to leave, as many places don't have the Tetons in your backyard, or world-class skiing 10 minutes away.

I have a one-way ticket to New York state, where a friend (Matt Rink- fellow lamp pole collaborator and bus shelter co-founder) and I will be tackling life's challenges. These include 7- 600 pound benches made from excess Corian® from DuPont's factory in Buffalo, random fabrication for a mobile education laboratory bus in Syracuse, and finally a lamp pole sculpture or two for the Sculpture Barn. Amidst this swarm of activity will be proposals, applications, emails, and lots of grant writing with the goal of 'being a self employed artist, or artist team'.

Updates soon to follow...

The Central Otago Rail Trail

2007-12-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

Its hot and dry in Central Otago. East of the Southern Alps, this area is in the rain shaddow of the towering peaks, and receives very little rain. An old railway was torn up and turned into a biking trail, and this was my choice of rides. No cars, busses or aeroplanes out here, only bikers and horseback riders.

The hilarity of riding the Rail Trail is how it contrasts to my current geography. The trail had to accomodate a train, and the gradient is no more than 1 in 50- a 2% grade. I am now biking the Banks Peninsula (see the model below). This nubblet of land was formed due to intraplate volcanism about 10 million years ago, and now is just hilly as hell. The elevation map looks like the trail of a bouncy ball, jumping between sealevel and 600m every couple kilometers. The maximum gradient in New Zealand is 1 in 5, and I am sure I have pushed my bike up a fair share of this on the Banks Peninsula.

One morning the sun peaked out from behind the horizon. I spied it from my hammock and was driven to sit on a haybale and watch the glorious event unfold. The resulting day was just as splendid.

I will soon wrap up this adventure and begin another. Life as I know it is about to go into flux...

Coming up: Planes, the Hole, and Production Junction V 2.0

Laid Back Wanaka

2007-12-03T18:13:00.000-08:00

I have been presented a dillema. In the middle of the West Coast, another cyclist named Ian had a bit of advise to impart. He told me to avoid the journey from where I am now (Wanaka) across the dry and strait roads to Christchruch, and instead bike south. Perhaps the coast, or maybe to the most southerly point in the southern hemisphere. More on this later...

The transition between bush and dry country was almost instantaneous. I traveled east over the Alps via Haast Pass. The Gates of Haast ate me alive. This section of treacherous road passing over the raging river had an incline that I assume was illegal. Walking the bike was the only option, and after I had a cup of tea to calm the senses.

Things are wrapping up with the tour, and somewhere along the way I lost 2 days. Doh. Maybe the big 3k will be reached, but who knows..

From Sea to Ice

2007-11-29T13:45:00.000-08:00

My last wwoofing adventure ended with sea kayaking the Abel Tasman coast. I stayed with a german hippie named Richard Lochner, and worked above the normal wwoofing requirements in exchange for a weekend of travel through the beautiful coastline of New Zealands smallest park.

I laughed to myself when I cruised out of an estuary. "Its the only way to see the park mate," exclaimed Richard when I pushed off. Life was beautiful, and in the Golden Bay, the sun never stopped shining. A seal escorted me for a while, and I camped on a golden sand beach in Mutton Cove. In the morning I puttered along and watched another seal chom down on an octopus.

Opposed to riding New Zealands longest sustained climb twice, (15 km long, 800m tall over Takaka Hill) and backtracking 2 days, I took a bus to the West Coast. I have been quite apprehensive about this journey down the 'Wet Coast' with over 5000mm of rain annualy. So far I have seen about .05 mm HA. Maybe its global warming, or I am one lucky chap, but the sun is shining and I am booking it south.

One of the many spectacular attractions in New Zealand- The Pancake Rocks. Similar to gigantic stacks of flap jacks, this section of quirky coast boasts boisterious blow holes and hoardes of tourists. It was worth the gaggle.

Approximately 4 days south of golden sand beaches, I am approaching the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. Above is a sight from a spectacular camping spot where I started crocheting a scarf amongst the sandflies and dastardly Possums, that rooted through my belongings all night long.

The sideroad phenom and the Huia Cave

2007-11-15T14:13:00.001-08:00

I chose to bike a sideroad yesterday. The first 10k was shingle (gravel), but coupled with steep banked turns and a constant downhill grade. Among the orchards and pastures I saw my first hops farm. Beautiful fields of strings for the hops to grow up.

I also visited a cave titled the Huia Cave. I chated with an Austrian farmer about the location and a bit about the cave itself. After scaling a little river that ran into the cave I found most of the interior clogged with logs and debris. Some people don't want anything to do with holes in the ground. I am not one of them, and thoroughly enjoy the looming ominious feeling when first approaching an enterance. It feels like there is someone peering out from deep within, and this sensation is thrilling.

Inverse Equal Slog topped by a Japanese Bath House

2007-11-13T19:48:00.000-08:00

I left Hanmer Springs, a hotbed of tourist activity, and headed into the wind. I must be developing an ole' timer sense of predicting the weather, and I forecast it to rain. As I slogged uphill all day, the rain fell as well as the temperature. At the top of Lewis Pass, I buckled up for the 6km descent to a japanese style bath house. I could barely pay for the access as my hands were frozen in place.

After a beautiful bath in ungodly hot water I camped with a Tasmanian guy and we ate some pasta. The next day was the polar opposite. I enjoyed unexpected 10 km downhill runs, a massive tailwind and a shining sun to dry my sopping socks and bathing suit.

I've determined biking reflects life, as you will win some and lose some, but as long as you are smiling there isn't anything to worry about.

Arapaua SeaFarm and the Molesworth

2007-11-11T19:11:00.000-08:00

The first adventure of the South Island started with a trip on a mailboat to a farm on the tip of the Marlborough Sounds. The Arapawa SeaFarm is a 900 acre farm, cultivating paua (aka abalone) on a small bay facing the North Island. In the picture it is the upper right island.

The day to day activities included weeding tawini, moving wood from a tree that was chopped down, and helping with the three children. All in all it was an epic view, lots of work, and a week to remember.

The next destination was the Molesworth, New Zealands largest farm. At 400,000 acres, this high alpine farm is managed as a conservation area, as well as a recreation area. Although the road traveling trough is only open for a short period starting in December, I applied for a special permit to ride through. One week later I found myself traveling up the gravely road towards the enterance. The road was a mix of velvet dust and splintered river rock.

Smack dab in the middle of the Molesworth I hit 1000k on the odometer. I think big #2 will come much faster as my time on the south island will be much more cycle intensive.

Bye bye North...Helloooo South

2007-11-01T14:26:00.000-07:00

A view looking somewhat towards the South Island. I barely nabbed a campsite in a grove of trees near the beach.

Cruising into the South island via the Troy Channel was epic, especially after the hussle and bustle of Wellington, the capitol city. On the prow of the Interislander winds would jar and throw people about, similar to a bumpy ride in a car. It was cold, but well worth the front and center view of the Marlborough Sound.

I made plans for a micro tour around the Marlborough wine country. Vineyard after vineyard, I eventually stopped for lunch at Wairau River estate and splurged for a steak burger. Delicious.

Kiwi birds. Wacky little creatures with no wings. These curious little things were scurrying around my camp, and as you might notice they had no fear of me or my camera. I was awakened periodically by their pecking at my gear. I tossed sand at them in response.

In a couple hours I will leave on a mailboat to the Radon's aquafarm on an island in the Marlborough Sounds. This should be an interesting experience, for there are no roads, and supplies are delivered via barges.

Coming up...Molesworth Station Ride..

Savita- An uncommon experience

2007-10-28T03:43:00.000-07:00

Savita is an eco community of a few like minded individuals whom devote their energy to the pursuit of purpose. With grand plans for an earthship that challenges the square, the architectural feat will be home to many flowing curves and well thought out areas.

In the midst of the activity, the Gubbs showed up on their travels as a Targa Rally finish timing crew. I joined them for a morning of timing rally cars as they sped past the finish line. All this was at the base of Mt. Taranaki, and a good day to see the mountain. Bonus Fact: Mt. Taranaki recieves around 7000 mm of rain anually so a good day is a great day!

My primariy occupation at Savita was designing tire stairways and retaining walls. This activity was carried out with the help of 3 other Wwoofers, one named Shun from Tokyo, and a french couple named Rhenaud and Angel. The 'stairway to heaven' is a full 20 steps tall, and consumed about 250 tires. Its a good thing tires are a abundant natural resource of the 21st century...

A memorable moment will be the gorse burn. Gorse is a hedge plant from Scottland that was imported as a cheap hedge. It spread everywhere in New Zealand, and soon the prickly, ugly downright nasty plant covered many hillsides instead of native bush.

The night started with a chant in the meditation temple, afterwhich we equipped ourselves with diesel torches. Atop a hill the torches were lit and 5 of us proceeded to burn as much gorse as possible. Soon enough we were feverishly scampering through goat paths with the flames licking at our heels. It was a task for pyro-oriented tire-obsessed mates pursuing purpose in a community of like minded individuals.

Dr. Melva Martin and her farm

2007-10-18T04:23:00.000-07:00

After pedaling through torrential wind and rain storms, akin to stopping ole Lance in his tracks, I made my way along the coast to Waitara for lunch. Coincidentally, this was also the hometown of Dr. Melva Martin, whom I had arranged my next stay with- all things bueno!

Melva is full of determination and spirit, founding and developing New Zealand's first Natropathic College. While this served her well, Melva is moving on to pursue farming blueberries, fejoas, cultivating native trees and constructing a retreat center. Once all the business is done, she will live a 'crusie' lifestyle, which is admirable.

Initial plans were concieved to construct a chook house from tires, building on my previous expereince at the Earthship. However, this plan has developed into a meditation seating area, poised next to the creek and amongst a native tree grove.

Coming up...the finished product!

The Gubbs Earthship

2007-10-12T15:42:00.000-07:00

Made from 10,000 or so recycled tires, the Gubbs Earthship is quite a feat of pioneering sprit. 'Kandoit' is the title of their effort and it looks like the project is progressing slowly but surely.

Most, if not all of the Earthship, is created from recycled materials including: pavers, air filters, lumber, cans, and so many more ingenious repurposed materials.

Coming up- A mini earthsip for chooks at the Rainbow Retreat...

Auckland and the little cat

2007-10-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

At approximately 5:45 am, the bohemouth 747 shuddered to a stop in Auckland International. After a quick clean of my shoes in the biosecurity checkpoint, I wandered about with a large bike box and duffel, obviously without direction. Soon enought David Stillaman, whom I had met on a cycle touring site, approached me and off we were for coffee and a crossiant.

David has a little cat, which incidentally is its name. To keep things short and simple I'll say adio until I see a house made of tires...

The secret of the pine cone

2007-09-21T20:47:00.000-07:00

The end of the summer is wrapping up. Bursts of color are erupting over the mountains as trees, shrubs and other foliage battles the cold nights. I have been learning the secret of the pine cone, and this plant matter will not change, ever.

At Custom Iron Design I have learned a tremendous amount of knowledge pertaining to random skills for metal working, similar to the random things learned through life. To much philosophy dumbs down the act of creation. I made pine cones, and lots of them for a pool table chandelier.

Additionally, the last artSPOT artwork was installed, capping off the project for my part, however it may continue... I was allowed to demolish and remove the Chevron'ness of the sign, and it was immediatly transformed into a sculpture zone.
Think of the possibility of a public art gallery, exhibiting fine art and design for everyone to enjoy. Utopian dreams, but maybe a reality someday.

Around the Block

2007-09-16T23:16:00.001-07:00

In preparation for a tour in New Zealand I decided to go 'around the block'.

20 minutes into the journey I started up Teton Pass via the old pass road. 15% grades and a loaded touring bike were interesting for my gumby legs, but I made it up fine at barely walking speed. Gotta love the great granny gear, weee.

Borrowing gear is splendid. A friend loaned me his bike from a previous Pan Am journey, and I acquired all the panniers from a local non-profit, Friends of Pathways. The director, Tim Young is an interesting and inspiring individual having ridden around the world.

I stayed the night at Pallisades, approximately 60 miles into the journey. It was a shock to see the resivouir in its current state at 18% of its capacity. If there isn't a monster snow year coming up, this shallow lake will turn into a babbling brook.

The epic vista from the journey wasn't the splendid fields or magnificent color changes occurring, rather it was two moose attempting to ford the Snake River. I happened on this intense moment in the snake river canyon, and witnessed the creatures standing strong in deep waters when the current overcame them. Instinct took over, and both moose avoided the treacherous white water downstream and opted to munch on willows upon exiting the water where they began their journey.

Burning Man and the dust devils of Black Rock City

2007-09-05T22:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Playa of Black Rock City, home of Burning Man.

I am drawn to the event, held in the desert of northern Nevada for the awe inspiring and often interactive large-scale art. I made the promise to myself that this would be the only way I would return and attend another Burning Man - For the purpose of creating sculpture on the Playa, a gigantic open canvas of expression.

I was the chief engineer of our shade structure, and what a ride that was. After a group consensus, the structure was plotted out 50% longer than originally planned, increasing the deadly surface area of the sail-like structure.

A de-commissioned hot air balloon served as the shade, although it acted as a heat barrier and soon we were baking inside the structure. Vents and multiple layers of fabric were the logical solution...However this had its downfall which was unpredictable by us 'virgins'.

Low and behold, Black Rock City is privy to the extreme and unrelenting forces of the desert climate. Far away in the deep playa, on a art appreciaiton journey, a dust storm hit. The air was as thick as black coffee with dust and 50 mph winds, and it was soon painful to open an eye behind sunglasses. Thankfully, we hitched a ride with a hardy art car equipped with a live band on the second story. It serindipidously headed back to its home base, a mere 1/4 mile from our camp. The winds had run amok in our camp, and the vents cut just that morning to relieve us from the heat had bled wind into the structure, ripping and tearing the middle section away. If it wasn't for quick thinking and haggard knife hacking, we might have lost the entire structure.

In another endeavor, hammock bikes were fabricated for the playa. We chopped a bike in half, flipping the back and putting it in the front while placing the front in the rear for steering. All in all a chillin ride.

All in all the event was a spectacular experience in self reliance and problem solving, mixed in with a deep respect for nature and the 50,000 crazies that convene in the desert to share their energy, projects and company for one week. The image above tells it all, with a formation of planes that departed from the airport in Black Rock City, to display the icon of Burning Man in the sky for all to see.

Sustainable Design Residency

2007-08-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

Recently submitted-A Sustainable Design Residency proposal to DuPont. Maybe the idea will develop into a couple month stay at the Corian® factory in Buffalo NY. If implemented, I would focus my attention on immedaite and long-term solutions to reduce the quantity of waste, specifically flashing from injection molding, sent to the landfill.

Whew. That was about 3 months of pondering about the possibility. Lets wait and see what happens...

Might as well post an image as well to keep it exciting. A view from the top of the Sleeping Indian in Jackson WY.

Sucker Rod Adventure V2

2007-08-12T09:13:00.001-07:00

We are going to Burning Man and these pieces of steel are coming with us. Sucker Rod is used in the middle of Wyoming, among other exotic places, to drill oil wells. The sections are connected together and the ropey quality of the steel enables it to snake down deep holes.

Ian, Avery and I started experimenting with a structural system to utilize the sucker rod as a shade sculpture on the playa of Burning Man.

Soon enough, a hot air balloon will cover the skeleton, and the wind test will begin. It is hopeful that a week long test of the sculpture will reveal all the kinks we need to work out in the last week before we leave for the desert of northern Nevada.

Burning Man and a Balloon

2007-08-09T21:31:00.001-07:00

Well, it looks like there has been a change in plans. Previous to the month of August, our little group of friends planning a trip to Burning Man was semi nebulously focused on rennovating an old school bus to take to the festival. Ha. Our realization that no one knew mechanics, or anything about a bus came slowly and surely. There was brilliant talk of chopping the bus in half to make two trailers, and even inserting a rustic Jackson cabin betwix the two, but these thoughts were tainted by a lack of motivation and group energy.

Just about 36 hours ago I found myself standing in a field. Interesting? Well this field is home to the Wyoming Balloon Company, and I was there to purchase a decommissioned hot air balloon. Luckily I met with the owners niece, and being into the arts (a dance major) she sided with my thoughts on a new use for an old balloon. We will cover a gigantic sculpture with it, and walla!

Brian Carpenter and I spread the balloon out on my lawn. The material cost $160, and this was for 1/2 of a 250,000 cubic foot balloon. I can say with confidence we don't need any more.

The plan is to use the rest to give a hammock making clinic at Burning Man as a gift to the community. We will invite others to take a piece of the balloon and make a hammock, and maybe give away Ping Wu Hammock guides...

artSPOT- The race is ON

2007-07-23T20:49:00.000-07:00

the artSPOT project is an idea I had when I was in Jackson Hole in the winter of 06-07. A forgotten sign structure was wrapped in black plastic for who knows how long. It was a perfect opportunity to display public art. After a few phone calls to the owner of the lot, the project sprouted. A call for artists was made, drawings were prepared, and when all was said and done, the lot was sold to the Rocky Mountain Bank. Square one, once again. At least I had all the foot work done previously.

Now the race is on. The project has been re-approved, and the first series of artwork is installed. One Barn Chicken mural created using free paint swatches from hardware stores, and a gigantic osprey nest using landfill bound tree clippings were recently installed, Ha Hoooo.

Production Junction, Whats the function?

2007-06-02T23:37:00.000-07:00

A waste of materials? No, its waste material. Corian® flashing from injection molded sinks, configured for a prototype bench. 400 or so pieces to cut, drill, sand and cut twice more. Gia Michael likes the project, and has been helping route, sand and grind the material. The end result has very little tolerance and flucuations in 400 or so pieces. Less than 2% failure.

It is reminiscent of geology and striated landscapes.

Buckle your seatbelt

2007-05-11T21:46:00.000-07:00

Diving board to the deep end of college. About to spring, flip and jam out a graduation sized splash in the pool. Life is about to get wet and I'm looking for a slip and slide. I see economic incentives in waste as potential or making solutions for tangible problems. Life will be different than what I thought.

Everything is now done and gone from the senior show. It is all in storage, awaiting another iteration.

Matt Rink and I will be applying for some outdoor sculpture competitions to remake and revamp the lamp poles. It is hopeful that a tour might ensue and the poles will get every ounce of use squeezed out of them before the inevitable occurs...Rustola...

Badda Bing

2007-05-03T05:21:00.000-07:00

In twelve hours, six tons of lamp poles were erected. The resulting sculpture was charged with light, and then viewed at night as a mass of glowing lines hanging in the air. Perfect.

Plop

2007-04-21T23:48:00.000-07:00

40 Lamp poles have plopped. The sculpture was constructed efficiently in under 15 hours. Thats very nice. Wasting time is not an option.

In the grand scheme of things, we caught these poles at the perfect time, between usable and unusable. A gray area where stuff is free because its is still in condition, and should be put to some use. They are like a fine wine for art purposes, aged to perfection. Pragmatism is paramount.

Sore Shoulders are a Sign

2007-04-15T14:02:00.000-07:00

60 lamp poles are heavy, but not too heavy for a UHaul. At 12,000 lbs, the poles take a full day's work to move around. Matt and I solicited the help of 2 people on loading and another 2 for unloading. In addition, we welded some pole carts together for efficiency's sake. There is a reason the wheel was such a hit back in the cave man days...

In addition to the 60 lamp poles that measurre 25 feet tall, Matt and I are making another sculpture from smaller 15 footers.

The sculpture is being constructed in a courtyard, and is viewable from three floors, and three sides of a building.

Matt and I set up a portable pole cutting station to size the poles to the same length. These cut-offs were then reused as the spacers that will elevate the poles to an almost standing orientation.

USR Optonix phosphorescent pigment donation

2007-04-08T05:25:00.000-07:00

For the Senior Shows of May 07 in Alfred Ny, travelers will be greeted by a sculpture spanning 250' across a field. Plotted on a subtle curve, described by 60 lamp poles forming 30 arches. If this is not enough, the sculpture will be lit at night by 6 arrays of high powered lights to charge up P-170 phosphorescent pigment provided by USR Optonix (www.usro.com). Their 'True Blue' material emits a beautiful neon blue color for upwards of 10 hours. Not only will the sculpture be aesthetically pleasing during the night, but it will also be safe for viewers to experience for the duration of its existence.

Visit http://lamppoles.blogspot.com for all the details on this exciting project.

The final step...

2007-02-28T21:13:00.000-08:00

Here we are. Signing a building permit. Hopefully it was all worth it. Hopefully the planning board thinks so as well. Hopefully the residents of Alfred are cool with what we have developed over the past 3/4 of a year. Ahhhhh.

And here are some final renderings of the site plan and whatnot

Senior Show

2007-02-15T18:50:00.000-08:00

Well things are shaping up for now. Matt Rink and I submitted our show application. We used Google Sketchup to its full potential and fully dimensioned the space we are interested in and photoshopped the final image back into the location. Fun stuff, but there is competition for the space, so we will know in a few weeks who will be in the space.

We might be in for it though. This is right out of the movies. The large installation of Lamp Poles has been approved for several locations. The prime rib is Merrel Field.

The beef is that we won't know if we can use it until April 29th, because the Womens Lacrosse might be going to a championship, and they use the practice field to practice, yup. If they qualify for the Empire 8 championship, we won't be able to install a 250' long sculpture with phosphorescent capabilities in this prominent location. Dah. Omnipotent, I wish I was, however last season the team had to forfeit because there were only 7 players. Maybe there is a way we can all work together... Extreme Lacrosse in the presence of a massive sculpture...hmmm

The secondary fall back location is the field in front of Harder Hall. This will require us to plot the arches on a curve through trees and that could get quite insane logistically...

Carolyn Lambert quoting Clause Oldenburg

2007-02-06T19:02:00.001-08:00

Village of Alfred Planning Board Presentation

2007-02-04T17:58:00.000-08:00

On February 1st, COTTA and The Alfred State Architecture Club made a presentation to the Village of Alfred Planning Board. This was COTTA's second appearance, and we had come along way since the first meeting. Matt Rink, Bland Hoke and Justin Cross presented the two groups work, which culminated in many different Auto-CAD site plans, floor plans, renderings and virtual placement of the new bus shelter in the existing location. The next steps will be to organize a call for artists, submit applications for building permits, and meet with the code enforcement officer to move forward with the project.

Whoppeee

2007-02-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

COTTA (Community Outreach Through The Arts) is moving forward. Working collaboratively with the Alfred State Architecture Club, we will be applying for construction and deconstruction permits to build a bus shelter. Flaunting a gabled roof with a hip, two pergola sections and ample are for art integration, the seim-final design is smokin! Soon to come-Public art meeting for interested artists. Sweet.

The Alternative Venue

2006-12-28T21:11:00.000-08:00

Unused amenities.

This old gas pricing sign was left after a gas station went out of business. The funny thing is after the gas station was demolished and the lot was cleared this structure was left standing. The aesthetics of the sign could use some help. I spoke with the general manager of the hotel that owns the property and outlined a simple plan of adorning the sign with artwork. Perhaps it is an alternative venue for local artists to show work, or high school students to collaborate, or a space for installation art to be exhibited. The premise is making use of unused things, whether it is material, space or talent.

The general plan goes like this- Write a grant to fund the project and hopefully stipends for artists selected to display work. Make a call for artists in the region. Advertise in Splash, a Art Association publication advertising classes, workshops and general art news. At the beginning of the summer, retrofit the sign for public art displays. Curate week, month, or daily shows on the sign during the peak tourist season in Jackson Hole. The road that is pictured is one of the most heavily traveled roads in Wyoming. It is the main artery into Jackson, and throbs with throngs of tourists in the heat of the summer.

The project will enable artists without gallery representation to exhibit work in a different light, for a different audience, and with unprecedented exposure. The project will also enhance the aesthetics of the current sign and adjacent property. If everything works out, maybe the vacant lot could be used for ice and snow sculpting competitions in the winter...

Prichard's Pass

2006-12-17T11:35:00.000-08:00

Prichard's Pass- Ultimate snowshoe and backcountry sledding adventure. A good rock. It wasn't the benchmark, but it was our final stop for soup and beer before the descent.

The epic view of mountains and snow.

Steve prepared for a wild ride with snowshoes and a 30 degree slope.

Rediscovery

2006-12-17T11:12:00.000-08:00

Precarious. With 20 mph winds, the 25 foot tall lamp pole put up a small fight as we anchored it in with three cables. The plan was to keep stacking the poles on top of each other, moving the bases approximately 1 foot to create an upwards spiral. Too bad friction failed and after about 15 poles the arrangement suddenly collapsed, nicking Paul's leg...oops

So we looked at how much time we had, and decided for the symmetrical stacking arrangement, seen below.

This will remain into the winter, and maybe we will get ambitious and try something different during the chilling winter weather...

RePo Extension- The Chocolate Cocoa Hut

2006-12-06T19:12:00.000-08:00

RePo is a material reuse program at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Yes it takes an entire sentence to say where it is located, however this fine institution made this student operated program possible. I am a co-founder of RePo or The Reusable Materials Depot and am proud to say it works! We distributed almost 2 tons of material in the first two months of operation. Students bring things they no longer need, and others browse for stuff they want. In addition, RePo employees investigate sources of reusable materials such as professors with garages that need to be picked over, or regional industry that produces scrap materials that could be used by students.

This soon to be heated addition will be the home of RePo employees during the frigid winter months. We will serve Hot Chocolate as an incentive for people to shop for free stuff. RePo opens at 11, right after the Moka Joka (a student operated coffee shop) closes, so we decided the space will be called the Chocolate Cocoa hut.

The space would have been entirely constructed from reused materials, but we were not able to negotiate the field of dreams, er, wood below.

Macro to Micro

2006-11-13T04:40:00.000-08:00

Photography in macro scale. I was blown away by my camera putting its entire processing power into this one blade of grass, while a 12,000 lb 120' long sculpture loomed behind it.

Lickity Split

2006-11-12T21:44:00.000-08:00

Yeah Sambo! Skurfing rocks the chompin blocks!

RePo expansion

2006-11-10T07:09:00.000-08:00

Yes. The time has come, and not without frozen fingers and complaints of the impending winter. RePo will make an adition to the container, for the RePo People to warm their toes and brighten their days. The addition will be hyper efficiently insulated, and ultra awesomely decked out with modern conveniences for the most demanding employee. Cd Player, drill, and maybe a trash can will be included. Let the party begin.

COTTA

2006-11-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

COTTA or Community Outreach Through The Arts is a group of students proposing public art projects to aesthetically enhance the Village of Alfred. We are currently proposing the renovation/replacement of the bus shelter. We will present the Village Board with 4 concept models, and these are the rough drafts. Art will ultimately be intergrated into the physical structure, and we are determining appropriate places for artworks to be sited like cast bracketry, wood carvings, historical collages, and mosaics on the floor. Do you have a favorite design or any input?

oye yo the snow is coming..

2006-11-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

As of November 2nd the Arches stand. The question now is if the art math and engineering will hold up to the elements. The 30 arches stand on top of a hill in Andover Ny. The weekend before we started the installation, 60 mph winds were present on top. Our prime rib stakes that hold the sculpture static are of concern, even if they are 4 feet deep and support the structure with cable rated at a combined 14,000 Lb breaking strength. We will give it one week, or until the next sunny day to de-install. This was a structure test, and we will use the results as clout for installing the arches on campus in the spring.

We are now halfway into the endeavor. The remaining duties are de-installation and a returning the poles to their original location. Hope it doesn't snow a foot...

The ball is rolling.

2006-10-30T17:50:00.000-08:00

Mamma Jamma! Your Arch is connected to your turnbuckle and your turnbuckle is connected to your prime rib 4' ground stake, and all that makes the world turn around. Soon some super sexy swinging subtle curves will change the face of this remote plot of land in Andover Ny. Maybe 20 people will see this sculpture, but the documentation will be quite fruitful, for we hope to eventually move this beast on campus, in the public eye. hahahahahah

One step at a time

2006-10-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

Well, Matt and I bucked up and rented a 24' U-Haul. It is capable of moving 18,000lbs, and that is good because we have 12,000lbs of lamp posts to move. The project has been on hold for a while because we couldn't secure a time and date for moving the poles with Glen Zweygardt's sculpture truck with crane attachment.

Moving along with the arches

2006-10-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

Matt and I will continue to work on different aspects of the arches throughout the year. This stepping stone is a full scale mock up. We worked with Robby who konws Auto CAD and calculated out the specific distances of the arch widths.

We then plotted the measurements on Diane Cox's property. Her plot of land is located in Andover, Ny and we are grateful for the chance to use it for a testing ground.

This week we will hopefully move 60- 25 foot tall lamp posts up to her property using Glen Zwygardts sculpture truck. The total weight of the load will be 12,000 pounds. Getcher muscles pumped!!!

Arches in action

2006-09-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

These are 15 foot lamp posts. We have hooked them up to Matt's winch to make life easy as cheese. This was a test to see how we could lift the arches. Alot was learned and now we move forward.

Pop till you Drop

2006-09-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

The financially sustainable show. Weehoo!!! So here is the deal. This show was aimed at providing an experience so tantilizing you would sell almost anything to be the one person allowed in. 2500 Balloons filled a space. Two gloves covered with 600 tacks a piece. An auction where items or services are donated to me. The person that sells the item or service for the highest bid gets the gloves. Time is money, so if the highest selling item was 24 dollars, you get 24 seconds in the room with the gloves.

Crazy Steve donated an iPod nano with headphones, speakers, and charging bay. It sold for $180. This donation came out of left field, after Steve donated 5 hours of labor, trying to get the gloves. His labor went for $15. The second highest item was a service by Dina. Within 3 hours of a call, she would bake a fresh apple pie and deliver it to your doorstep, any time of day or night. This went for $23, and Steve decided to give Dina the gloves. $180=3 minutes, after which Dina emerged from the room a changed person. About 150 Balloons remained for everyone else who participated to enjoy.

This is where I plug in

2006-09-11T21:42:00.000-07:00

After some careful but militant calling, these lamp posts were officially borrowed from Alfred State College. It is a beautiful thing when large scale work is made for free. This will hopefully be the focus and scope of future work, for what is better than not paying for something that others don't pay for. Art shouldn't be about commodity or fashion. Experience is the strongest memory.
What would you do with 45 fifteen footers and around 60 25 footers? Iterations include giant wheels, a landscape, wind mills, blades for wind mills, stilts, bird nest poles, and recently the yellow jelly sling shot....ha just kidding

Eventually, the project will get out of hand and draw in people from disparate realms to collaborate on something way out of their league....wait, this is now and engineers and artists are coming together to develop alternative wind energy to fuel motion detecting lights for the individual arches, providing a most interesting experience walking through the tunnel....hmmm

You should patent that...

2006-07-03T21:28:00.000-07:00

Ah the hammock boat. I do enjoy bringing out the buddies and buddets to join in a rousing float in the hammocks. The experience is unmatched in relaxation. Bring a grill, some tunes and float away down a scenic river to the tune of innovation.

Up = Down

2006-06-28T22:19:00.000-07:00

Free is the best thing in the world. When people or industry produces excess material it is perfect for artistic expression. Newspapers everywhere always produce end rolls- newsprint on a spool and lots of it. We decided to make giant graphics made of newsprint to roll down a hill a mile away from school. The piece was viewable with a telescope.

Blip

2006-06-28T22:07:00.000-07:00

Thats what we are, but seemingly we have made a bigger impact than we can start to imagine. I say we because all of us donate a bit to the human condition.

Construction of the beast

2006-04-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

Onward to the creation of the 30' diameter projection screen. It was a feat of engineering and intuition that resulted in a spectacular dislplay of multiple monitors and a spining projector displaying one chap walking around the circular display screen.

The Longest Winter

2006-04-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

Here we gooooo. 30' diameter circular projection screen, lots a hot dogs, newsprint up the wazoo, and a show to stop the circus. Picts will be posted soon after...

2x4x80

2006-04-05T19:54:00.000-07:00

2x4x80
4x6x270
Numbers. Wow. So we dug these 16' 2x4's out of the dumpster. Pretty incredible what people throw away. The next step was to attach all five together end to end to create a good ole swoop. Sculpture. Done.

A theeng I do say

2005-12-18T23:19:00.000-08:00

Ah, here spins the Noria, one waterwheel that does pour water over itself in attempt to generate centripital icecycle growth. The machine is destined to freeze itself, revealing the nature of its function.