COMMUNITY SUPPORTED ART

This Fall 2010 we participated in the Community Supported Art Program. Being unable to join in the Community Supported Agriculture Program due to frequent travel in the Summer months, I thought this would be a rewarding experience (for all parties) in supporting a local project. It was a little bit like Christmas, looking forward to each gathering where we collected our box full of art. The evenings were fun; at different restaurants, with live music and some of the artists speaking. They made themselves available to chat and everyone seemed to enjoy mingling. One of the sponsored artists asked me if I thought the cost was worth it. I responded that we entered with the idea of supporting local artists and that the items we received were just a bonus. Each time we had a choice between Box A or Box B so they really were like surprise gifts. Fun too, to see what was contained in the other box. Below is a more detailed explanation, taken from the Springboard for the Arts website.
The item pictured is by Michon Weeks. She begins each drawing of ordinary objects with a wavy grid of lines. Then her subject is drawn within the grid, "creating a distorted and peculiar sense of space." This one is a sign on a rural road near her home.

Over the last 20 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy seasonal food directly from local farms. With the same buy-direct, buy-local spirit in mind, mnartists.org and Springboard for the Arts created a similar endeavor to support local art, artists and collectors: Community Supported Art supports artists in the creation of new work, to establish relationships with local collectors and patrons, and to participate in the launch of an exciting new model of art support and distribution.
How It Works
The selected artists receive a commission to create 50 "shares" for the program. Interested consumers/collectors will purchase a share from Springboard for the Arts and in return receive "farm boxes" of locally produced artwork at intervals during the season. Featured works could include items such as: an edition of vinyl 7", a run of screen-prints, series of small tea cups, run of photographs, tickets to an upcoming performance or event, letterpress editions of a poem or short story, or even 50 small original paintings. Each member share includes one piece from each of the 9 CSA featured artist works over the season and also includes "bumper crop" of additional artwork and arts opportunities. The pick-up evenings are at local art sites and will be events in themselves.

Artists
The fall CSA artists were selected by representatives from Springboard and mnartists.org, as well as two artists with family ties to farming. Karl Unnasch, a featured visual artist from the summer CSA program, works from a studio on his parent’s farm near Chatfield, MN. Dessa Darling, spoken word poet and hip-hop artist, has recently been working on writings inspired by her mother’s foray into farming in western Wisconsin. CSA reviewed over 100 projects and selected 18 Featured CSA Artists/Collaborations:

Richard Barlow, visual artist
www.rbarlow.net

Gene Pittman, photographer & Rebecca Yaker, designer/fiber artist
www.genepittman.com / www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=123770

Jim Proctor, sculptor
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7438

Kimberly Richardson & Sara Richardson, performing artists
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=97914

Aaron Dysart, sculptor
www.aarondysart.com

Edie Overturf, visual artist
www.labkids.com/overturf

Michon Weeks, visual artist
www.michonweeks.com

Ellie Kingsbury, photographer
www.elliekingsbury.com

Tom Wik, photographer
www.tinylenses.com

Alex Kuno, visual artist/illustrator
alexkuno.blogspot.com

Kao Lee Thao, visual artist
www.innerswirl.com

John Jodzio, writer & Laura Andrews, visual artist
www.johnjodzio.net / www.laurandrews.com

Craig Campbell, glass artist
www.campbellartglass.com

Michele Heidel, fiber artist
www.fennelstudio.com

Jeffrey Morrison, installation artist
www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=5160

Greg Brosofske, performing artist
www.gregbrosofske.com

Kimberlee Roth, ceramicist
www.mnartists.org/kimberlee_roth

Maren Kloppmann, ceramicist
www.marenkloppmann.com
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24 HOUR VIEW OF THE SKY

Take a look at this amazing photo by photographer Chris Kotsiopoulis. Below is the text from his blog.
Follow the link, then click on the pic.
http://epod.usra.edu/blog/2011/01/twenty-four-hour-view-of-the-sky.html


After wondering for some time whether it was possible to image the sky from one morning to the next where I live in Athens Greece, I decided to give it a try. After hours of planning and preparation, and a full day of shooting, the image above is the result of this labor of love. It took me about 12 hours to pull together and process a single image that included over 500 star trails, 35 shots of the Sun and 25 landscape pictures. My plan was to make the image on the day of the solstice (December 21) when the Sun’s stay in the sky was short (in the Northern Hemisphere) and the star trail durations were long. Of course, trying to find clear weather for a given 24-hour period is not an easy chore. However, I was patient, and the weather eventually cooperated (on December 30-31, 2010). I had to stay at the same place for approximately 30 hours. In addition, I was on location 2-3 hours before sunrise in order to make the preparations and test shooting. I also needed to stay an extra 2-3 hours the second day so as to shoot part of the Sun's sequence that I lost the first morning due to clouds. I chose Sounion (Temple of Poseidon) as the setting for this project. Click on image to see labels.

I began the shooting the morning of December 30, 2010, taking photos with my camera on a tripod facing east. The day portion of this shoot is composed of a dozen shots covering the landscape from east to west as well as the Sun's course across the sky, from sunrise to sunset. I recorded the Sun's position exactly every 15 minutes using an intervalometer, with an astrosolar filter adjusted to the camera lens. In one of the shots, when the Sun was near its maximum altitude, I removed the filter in order to capture a more dramatic shot that showed the Sun's “glare.” After sunset, I took various shots with the camera facing west-northwest in order to achieve a more smooth transition from the day portion to the night portion of the image. The night portion is also composed of a dozen landscape shots but this time from west to east. After the transition” shots, I took a short star trail sequence of approximately half an hour duration, with the camera facing northwest. At 7:30, I turned the camera to the north and started taking the “all-night” star trail shots -- lasting almost 11 hours. After accomplishing this, I then turned the camera to northeast and shot another short half an hour star trail sequence, and then finally, with the camera now facing east-northeast, I took a series of night-to-day transition shots.

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BRAIN BUZZ

Fifteen minutes of viewing has my brain buzzing. First of all, it makes me want to rewind to the times that bridges, walkways and public art caught my attention, especially while traveling in Europe. If only I had photographed them. Big regret. Art is to be experienced and photos allow us to carry those experiences with us. Oh well, I can start here and now. And second, it makes me look forward to my next life where I could possibly become an urban planner. That is, if the ballerina gig doesn't work out.









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ICELANDIC ARTIST OLAFUR ARNALDS

Ólafur Arnalds - Ljósið (Official Music Video) from Erased Tapes on Vimeo.

Not your run-of-the-mill record label, Erased Tapes discovers innovative new artists. Their catalog includes a wide spectrum and eclectic mix of music. Enjoy!

Please mute playlist music on sidebar while viewing video.


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MY FAVORITE

Of all the lovely poems in "Wings from the Wind," this was my childhood favorite.  Obvious, due to the worn and smudged page.  It is a complete opposite of all the poems about daffodils, violets and chirping birds.

                                Rebecca, Who Slammed Doors for Fun and Perished Miserably

A Trick that everyone abhors

In Little Girls is slamming Doors.

A Wealthy Banker's little Daughter

Who lived in Palace Green, Bayswater

(By name Rebecca Offendort),

Was given to this Furious Sport.

She would deliberately go 

And Slam the door like Billy-Ho!

To make her Uncle Jacob start.

She was not really bad at heart,

But only rather rude and wild;

She was an Aggravating Child.

It happened that a Marble Bust

Of Abraham was standing just

Above the Door this little Lamb

Had carefully prepared to Slam,

And down it came!  It knocked her flat!

It laid her out!  She looked like that!

Her Funeral Sermon (which was long

and followed by a Sacred Song)

Mentioned her Virtues, it is true,

But dwelt upon her Vices, too,

And showed the Dreadful  End of One

Who goes and slams the Door for Fun.

Hilaire Belloc

IS IT TOO EARLY TO START THINKING ABOUT SPRINGTIME?

I always enjoy paging through my dog-eared book "Wings from the Wind",  a collection of poems with illustrations by Tasha Tudor.  A Christmas gift from 1964, it's drawings always make me feel hopeful
that Spring is right around the corner.  Such a pleasant distraction from the reality of sub-zero temperatures we are currently experiencing!

Tomorrow, a poem....

HEALING NATURE

Nowhere is peace more evident than in places of nature-

under a tree, on the ocean, in the scent of a flower, the simplicity of a leaf,

the beauty of a blue sky, the caress of the wind, the warm blessing of the sun,

sparkling stars in a velvet sky, in the mystical wonder of the moon.

Let all these soothe your soul.

TIME KEEPS ON SLIPPING INTO THE FUTURE...

Oh my.  Time is flying.  And how.  Unpacking, getting organized, starting the Brave Girls Club project-I have found myself lost in time and activity this week.   Whew!  I was just in the middle of my craft project when I went to the fridge for a little snack and noticed something tacked up there which I hadn't looked at in a long time.  When I say I hadn't looked at it in a while I have to explain that I keep tons of "stuff" on the fridge.  Over the years I have gathered quotes that are meaningful to me and then organized them in a booklet.  The poem above never made it's way into my book and I don't remember where I found it.  Unfortunately, I cannot even credit the source.   It could be that I wasn't even planning on keeping it because I didn't note the author.  But I am sharing it here because it pretty much jumped out at me a minute ago.  And it just so happens I have a few recent photos to go along with it too.

HEADING HOME FROM OUR ISLAND VACATION

The last sunset from our family vacation.  In the words of Marcel Marceau, "Do not the most moving moments of our lives find us all without words?"

READY FOR AN ADVENTURE

                                                                                                                                                                                  

SIX ADULTS, THREE CHILDREN, SUN, SAND AND WATER..........