9 to 5

march 2012

This video contains an image for each of the 480 minutes in a working day.  In 9 to 5, I sought to capture that archetypal chunk of time when most people are away from their homes and at their place of employment.  The room is sealed off; no one passes through. The room and the camera are left alone to experience the daylight. 

Having spent many days at home during these hours -while unemployed either by choice or by circumstance- I have become familiar with the passage of light through my bedroom. This measured passage of time began to concurrently represent both the transgressive freedom of “playing hooky” from standard work hours and increasing anxiety at my separation from what can be viewed as common experience. 

I continue to be interested in the idea of work, in terms of what qualifies as work and the value placed on work. As with my Year Project, I am also fascinated by the passage of time and the many ways in which something so intangible can be quantified and depicted.

the studio

Finally... a photo of the studio. It is all mine and I love it. As it got colder, I worked less and less in here and found myself working in the warmer rooms of our home (usually while watching a DVD and making a big mess).

Now that the weather has been getting warmer, I can get back in there daily instead of just using it for photographing, storage and arranging.

my studio, february 2012

As you can see, I have boxes and boxes of random materials. In the orange prescription bottles on the windowsill are tiny paper flowers that I have been making off and on for over a year. I have yet to come up with a solid plan for them.

One place I really miss from my Portland days is SCRAP, a creative reuse center where I bought the empty prescription bottles, as well as the paint samples I have been using to make the flowers.  Now, I have been visiting a Goodwill outlet as well as a Habitat for Humanity ReStore for material inspiration.

Do you have a photo of your studio? Post a link as a comment so we can check it out.

orb

february 2012

detail

 

older works: buttons

I have a friend visiting tomorrow from Florida for a long weekend, so I am in the process of cleaning up the studio to serve as a guest room. Since my mother moved across the country to greener pastures some months ago, I have now in my possession (and feel the weight of) all of the things I have kept throughout my life, from a koala puppet named Timothy to the first book I made at the age of six.

I had several unopened boxes I had been avoiding for as long as possible, and today I dug out this piece from circa 2004.

2004

It was squashed, and the wires had gone a bit rusty, but I managed to reshape it. Curiously enough, I cooked octopus for the first time last night (with great results). The design of an octopus - with its perfectly laid out tentacles and suckers - is far more elegant than this piece, but it was easy to draw a connection.

last night's dinner

I still have a lot more to unpack (but that won't be happening today). I'm curious to see what else I have held on to.

work in progress

february 2012

a year: as loop

These following submissions astounded me.

First, because this is how I view a year, which was the root inspiration for this project.
Second, because none of the participants needed any further explanation other than my written directions. The first one pictured below was sent back by mail. It is by one of my brothers. Neither of us were ever taught to "see" this way, and we had never discussed this before, but (unlike our other two siblings) this is how we spatially see a year:

...even down to seeing more months crammed into the summer's end of the ellipse than in the winter's.

He included notes:
"- ellipse rotates depending on time of year
- when thinking in Japanese the months become numbers"

He describes himself as:
"mature, caring, Japan, dance, strength, unique"



The following person read the instructions, instantly drew this (below) and handed it back. What makes some of us see a year as a track with distinct points on it for each place in time?

This submission (above) was the vision of someone who is a:
"Writer, Los Angeles, Art collector"



The beautifully-drawn spiral below came all the way from New Zealand:

The artist describes herself:

"resourceful, friend, free, visionary, dancer, Kiwi, worshipper, mid life, listener, sweet sadness"

a year: as road / line

Another theme is a road or path. Some see the months as a jumble of roads that form a year, others as a straight path leading into the horizon or traversing a space.


The submission below is a beautiful example of a simple yet perfectly explanatory drawing.
It came with a written explanation:

 

She describes herself as:

• Female
• 36
• white
• raised in America
• non-practicing poet
• professional procrastinator

This next submission...

...was the vision of someone who is self-described as:

• meticulous
• tenacious
• dedicated
• introverted
• snarky

The next one seems to take the view of standing in the present, looking forward to the year stretching out ahead in the distance:

She is: "giver, taker, lover, maker, hugger, kisser, fixer-upper, blender, mixer, cooker, eater, liar, cheater, biker, typer, writer, thinker, laugher, cryer, grumbler, winker, judger, fighter, make-righter, dancer, screamer, seeker, dreamer"

This submission (below) was the vision of someone...

...who is self-described as a:

• Fat
• Funny
• Intense
• Artist
• Obnoxious
• Husband

And of course, every artist's mother must participate in their daughter's projects. My mom was straight to the point:

She describes herself as a:

• Consultant
• Democrat
• Separated
• Czech/Finnish Ancestry
• Renewable Energy
• Christian
• Love to travel
• Love my children

This (above) was the vision of someone who defines himself as:

• Logical
• Selfless
• Supportive
• Strong
• Mature
• Not an Artist

Above, describes himself as:

• bold
• shy 
• loud
• observant
• quick
• creative
• orderly
• agile
• loving
• imperfect
• studious
• understanding
• misunderstood

This next submission shows the months flowing downward. She wrote:

• Retired teacher
• Quilter
• Bridge Player
• Unitic
• the Sun; a breeze
• Traveler
• Widow
• Black American
• Clock
• Democrat

This next submission seems to show a year as a road emerging from a hazy cloud.
It was the vision of someone who is:

• Timeless 
• Grateful 
• Seeker 
• Light  
• Beautiful 
• Blessed

a year: as circle

Participants were asked to draw how they see the idea of "a year". 

So far, 21 participants have sent their cards back.  Most people so far have treated the theme in a more  metaphorical way than I was attempting to elicit.  It has been a challenge to explain this idea through words. The problem was partially with my original directions, so now I have begun to clarify that I am interested in how each person spatially lays out that span of time in their mind. I have noticed that explaining it verbally seems to be more effective.

One interesting surprise has been that some people claim that they do not actually "see" a year or any span of time at all. As for the more symbolic/metaphorical responses, I am still trying to decide if/how they will be used for the project.

For the participants who have displayed a spatial representation, a few themes are already evident, such as the circle:

Each person was asked to describe themselves.
This submission (above) was the vision of someone who is:
"Open, Liberal, Fun, Atheist, Logical, Controlling (sometimes!)"

This submission (above) was the vision of a:
"Fashion Designer, female, easy-going, optimistic, hardworking" person.

happy 2012

Happy New Year!

So far, the year is off to a great start. The B and I went on a long walk and managed to randomly run into a friend filling her tank at a gas station on our way home. We ended up eating bagels with her with the sun streaming in on us from in between the gaps in paint on the beautiful holiday window mural at Meshuggah Cafe.

Some places to see my work in early 2012:

The 11th Annual Art Inter/National, Here and Abroad...
Invitational International Group Exhibition

If you're in Pittsburgh, check it out:
Public Reception: Saturday, January 14th: 5 pm - 8 pm 
Box Heart Gallery
4523 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15224


The 33rd Annual Paper in Particular Exhibition
If you're in Columbia, Missouri, check it out:
Reception: February 3rd: 2 pm - 4 pm
Columbia College
1001 Rogers Street
Columbia, MO 65216

Wishing you health and happiness,

addoley








 

new project

Yesterday, I began a project that I have been thinking about for a while now. 

It involves sending out a letter and having participants describe a specific concept through drawing (and perhaps words). It does not require any special skills, and I am trying to collect drawings from all kinds of people from all over the world. Ideally, I will gather a few hundred response cards.

If you are a friend who has not been contacted yet (or a reader who would like to participate), please contact me. You can spend as little as a few minutes on it (or more time if you are into it). I will send you a card to draw on by post (in the mail), as well as an addressed envelope to send it back to me in.

Oh, and if you think you know anyone else who would be open to participating, let me know, and I can include more cards in your envelope.

Many Thanks,

addoley 

FAQ

Q. I have some friends I think may be interested. Can you include more cards for them in my envelope?

A. Sure, just let me know how many. Thanks for getting more participants.

Q. I'm not really sure what you're asking for yet. Will everyone have the same concept?
A. Yes. Each participant gets the same instructions, same sized card, same freedoms and constraints.


Q. I can't draw! But I still want to help you out. Can I still participate?
A. Yes. I'm looking for your personal diagrammatic vision of the idea. How do you see it? That's what I'm interested in. If you can convey that better in words, the instructions leave open the possibility of writing in addition to drawing. But this is your chance to express an idea through drawing, so give it a try.

Q. I took a look at some of the responses you've received. Should I make mine look like one of those?

A. No, I'd actually prefer if participants didn't view the project submissions I've posted on this blog so far. I would prefer your pure view in light of the directions.

 

zkd

collaboration with lyndon barrois jr.

december 2011

ships shaped

october -2011

detail

paper ball

paper ball - november 2011

(in progress)

swarm

swarm - november 2011