Dear Low-Fi Friends:
I'm so excited to hear about all your projects as they progress. I especially identify with Megan's comment that her project is suddenly taking off with an unexpected influx of cigarette boxes and her own focus on creative writing for her packet work. I often find that a project feels distant or daunting for a while after my initial acceleration, and then (seemingly miraculously) something will jolt me into energetic enthusiasm once again, just as I'm beginning to wonder if my project is even possible in the first place...
So whatever those jolts of energy might be for each of you -- whether they are revelations about seeds (yay for radishes and other growing things!) or about basement jails (yay for small-town telepathy!) -- I hope each of you experiences some very zingy and electrifying progress in the next couple of weeks.
I'm also thrilled to see that you're really starting to respond to one another in posts and comments. Please make sure to read all the way through everyone's posts/comments, because there just might be a personal message directed at *you* in there... and keep up the superb work in terms of being in conversation with one another. I'm so happy to be involved in this process.
As for my own process, I'm nearing completion of the poem and the short "essay" (modified version of essay?) I'm writing with my collaborator and friend, Patrick. Once my semester at CalArts is over (December 11 and counting...) I'll have time to sit down at my kitchen table (my favorite place to make books), turn on some music, make a pot of tea, and figure out how I want to construct the books. Ah, and this reminds me that I had a suggestion in response to Nancy's comment that she's making 15 books. It's great to make at least a few more books than you need to cover all 9 people in our group as well as two copies for Goddard (one for the BFA program and one for the library) -- but you might want to consider making even more "extras" if possible -- you'd be surprised how many people are enchanted by small books, and would love to get one as a gift or purchase one at a reading or performance. I've found that it's a lot easier to make more copies when I'm in the thick of the process than it is to go back and make a new bunch of books from scratch. And there's no expiration date on writing and art!
Fondly,
Jen
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving and checking in post
Hi everyone. Just wanted to check in and wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! I haven't had more time to address my project this week, as I had to go to Seattle to help out my family, but I'm back in L.A. now (and it's pouring here) and will get into my little books again after Thanksgiving weekend. And with Monday's packet 3 due date coming up, I'll have to wait to get back to my sewing after that. I decided it would be perfect to use this little metal pin kind of utensil that you stick through the turkey (you know, to lace it up after you stuff it?) and twist that metal pin to form perfect little holes in the spine of my chapbooks to facilitate the crochet needle going through my books with more ease. It worked well. I'd hammer the metal pin through the book and into a cutting board (I know, it's archaic, but it worked really well) and then I twisted one of those little plastic poker pins (that I found in my pumpkin carving kit) threw the holes to make them a little bit bigger. So, I applied a little ingenuity and some household tools to help me create how to work out my book binding step. Then, I tried several ways of putting the thread through to lace it. When I came up with a pattern that worked well, I wrote down which holes to go through in which order so I can replicate it for all my other books I'll be sewing in the weeks to come. That's it for me. Hope you're all doing well. - Nancy
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Breaking the Ice...
Well, to hell with it: I'll post.
Collaborating never ceases to be both hugely frustrating and incredibly serindipitous. My meeting on Sunday night went well, though one of the writer's didn't show up and hasn't yet called to say...anything, which is fine. Better to drop out now than later. I had a funny coincidence with Steve Arbuckle, the writer who had his secret spot: I'd been thinking of alternative places for him, when it struck me that the jail in the basement of the museum downtown would be ideal. The jail was used in the early 20th century, but now is tourist fodder. When I proposed this to him, he replied with, "How did you know?!" Maybe this speaks more for the town's size then a possible artist-telepathy. But still. As far a fifth writer goes, I've asked a woman named Erin Fristad, who is actually the program director for Goddard's creative writing extension site here in PT. I'm waiting for her reply. She's busy as hell but has been taking a playwrighting class, so I'm thinking maybe, just maybe...
I'm thinking a name for this project may be 'Five on the Town,' which is pretty self-explanatory but has a nice ring to it, yes? The writers are meeting every Sunday night for the next couple Sundays to workshop our scenes. I thought we'd meet at the coffee shop but everyone has opted for the pub. Fiesty group. Deadline for the scenes is December 7th, then the directing begins! I've got a lot of support from the community and a lot of interested actors, which is encouraging. Though I've had a tough time knowing how much to divulge to people with so many unknowns. A lot of this is relying on some sort of magic and alignment and inspiration. I just hope my cohorts stay as excited as I am.
I'm really looking forward to everyone else's projects. I love Richard's idea for the seed papers. It reminds me of Megan's project but, you know, the opposite. Megan: will you be rolling anything into your 'cigarettes'? I've been daydreaming about how you could roll a poem in a way to let it easily unroll, and what kind of goodies you could put into your poems. Confetti in one, wool in another? It'd make for some interesting metaphors, and if you use the right materials it might be easy to roll with one of those cheap cigarette-rolling gadgets. With everyone talking about the construction of their project, it's going to be great finally seeing the content, as well.
Hope your all staying warm and well-rested,
Madeline
Collaborating never ceases to be both hugely frustrating and incredibly serindipitous. My meeting on Sunday night went well, though one of the writer's didn't show up and hasn't yet called to say...anything, which is fine. Better to drop out now than later. I had a funny coincidence with Steve Arbuckle, the writer who had his secret spot: I'd been thinking of alternative places for him, when it struck me that the jail in the basement of the museum downtown would be ideal. The jail was used in the early 20th century, but now is tourist fodder. When I proposed this to him, he replied with, "How did you know?!" Maybe this speaks more for the town's size then a possible artist-telepathy. But still. As far a fifth writer goes, I've asked a woman named Erin Fristad, who is actually the program director for Goddard's creative writing extension site here in PT. I'm waiting for her reply. She's busy as hell but has been taking a playwrighting class, so I'm thinking maybe, just maybe...
I'm thinking a name for this project may be 'Five on the Town,' which is pretty self-explanatory but has a nice ring to it, yes? The writers are meeting every Sunday night for the next couple Sundays to workshop our scenes. I thought we'd meet at the coffee shop but everyone has opted for the pub. Fiesty group. Deadline for the scenes is December 7th, then the directing begins! I've got a lot of support from the community and a lot of interested actors, which is encouraging. Though I've had a tough time knowing how much to divulge to people with so many unknowns. A lot of this is relying on some sort of magic and alignment and inspiration. I just hope my cohorts stay as excited as I am.
I'm really looking forward to everyone else's projects. I love Richard's idea for the seed papers. It reminds me of Megan's project but, you know, the opposite. Megan: will you be rolling anything into your 'cigarettes'? I've been daydreaming about how you could roll a poem in a way to let it easily unroll, and what kind of goodies you could put into your poems. Confetti in one, wool in another? It'd make for some interesting metaphors, and if you use the right materials it might be easy to roll with one of those cheap cigarette-rolling gadgets. With everyone talking about the construction of their project, it's going to be great finally seeing the content, as well.
Hope your all staying warm and well-rested,
Madeline
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Comments for everyone who's posted recently
Hello!
As you know from my email (I hope), you can now all post to this blog. You need to sign in to be able to post, and I think you need a gmail account to do that—it’s free and takes about five seconds to set one up. Let me know (either via email or in a comment attached to this post) if you’re still having troubles.
Below are specific responses to each of your posts from the past week or two. I encourage you to read all these responses (some comments not directed to you might actually pertain to your work!), and even more so, I encourage you to respond directly to one another, even without the benefit of those pesky threaded comments I can’t seem to figure out how to add to our blog. Some of you are starting to ask for help with resources and ideas for problem-solving, so please read through each other’s posts and send responses if you have ideas that might be helpful.
Also, most of you are asking questions about bookbinding, so I’d suggest (now that everyone can post to the blog, supposedly) that someone begin a bookbinding post and people might start to leave comments with links, bibliographic notes, instructions on different binding styles, etc.
Okey dokey. I’m looking forward to hearing more about your various processes as they progress (or digress, as the case may be). All the projects sound totally magnificent. I feel lucky to be working with each of you.
Most best,
Jen
Here are my specific comments:
Martin: I’m sorry you can’t do your city-wide adventure in low-fi publishing (not least because I’m sorry you’re in pain and/or encumbered), but I’m excited that you’ve come up with a totally viable alternative that will extend beyond the bounds of this group study, and will also connect up with some of the other work you’re doing this semester. I can’t wait to read your story! One question that immediately leaps to mind is the age group you have in mind for your audience, and how this might affect your process in making the books. Some handmade books can be very delicate—not so great for little kids—while others are super sturdy. It’ll be wonderful to see how this project unfolds, and how the various constraints and possibilities guide your work.
Rick: I love the title RADISH!! Even without knowing a thing about any of the poems, I can tell you that it would absolutely catch my eye if I came across such a book in the world. Your comments about structure, and about how sharing your work (in spoken form or in written/bound form) affect your process, are very apt, as Nancy noted too—and are one of the main reasons I think it’s so important for us to put our work out into the world. I’m very fond of the idea of repurposing everyday objects to use as book covers, and also of the combination of uniqueness (i.e. a different cover for each book) and multiples (books with all the same insides).
Nancy: It sounds like you’re moving along excellently well, putting all the pieces in place. Michael’s is one of my favorite stores (despite a strong preference, usually, for mom ’n pop shops above large chains)—they have wonderful knitting supplies at half the price of specialty knitting stores. Have you looked online or in the library for resources on bookbinding? I’m curious to know your specific plans, which binding or bindings you’ll explore. And as you discover resources, perhaps you’ll share them with Mónica and Rick (and others, of course), who are also beginning to think about fastening techniques.
Mónica: The flip side of being overwhelmed (and this goes for all of us, regardless of the specific circumstances!) is acknowledging that you’ve set out to do an ambitious, extraordinary project that asks a lot of you. That’s not a “silver lining”—it’s literally the other side of the coin. The difficult thing, I find, is figuring out how to flip that coin, to see the work from a different perspective. Aside from finding ways around our own resistances and fears, it seems that one lesson of your experience (and you seem well aware of this) is to think through a project as far as you possibly can before you start out, sort of like reading the recipe all the way through to make sure you’re starting out with a big enough bowl. Having opened your project up to artwork that isn’t readily reproducible on a photocopy machine (which I assume is the case, since you’re thinking about InDesign and offset printing), you’ve set up certain constraints or requirements for yourself, right? One option, if you want to keep this low-fi and in your own hands (which I think is a really good goal for now), is to learn InDesign—a skill I imagine will open up all kinds of possibilities far beyond this particular book. Another option is to contact the visual artists and ask them for a photocopy-reproducible version of their work, and/or let them know that you’re doing a photocopy-only project right now, but will use their artwork in a future publication. (I can see that both of these suggestions have pitfalls, but wanted to mention them regardless.) If you’re not doing layout by hand (i.e. on the glass of a photocopy machine or in individually-produced original books) then the only DIY option I know of is to use a computer for layout—unless the artwork can all be silkscreened or printed on a letterpress machine, if you have access to either of those. But that opens up a whole other can of potentially really fun worms! I’ll let others chime in about bookbinding techniques since I know many of you are working on that, but if you’re still wondering about it in a couple of weeks, ask again and I’ll send along some resources.
Madeline: Can’t wait to hear how your meeting went!! Your project sounds incredibly well-organized, with enough structure to make sure people keep on track but enough flexibility and openness to make space for unusual, unexpected and gorgeous events to unfold. And your project is an especially interesting model for collaboration, performance and documentation. It will be fascinating to see how you decide to use the book (such a different form from live performance) as a tool for documenting or extending some of the explorations the group enacts as they prepare for the performances.
Megan: Maybe put a little reminder alarm for every Wednesday at a certain time in your cell phone, if you have a cell phone? Or perhaps just a good old-fashioned note to self on the door of the fridge or the bathroom mirror? This goes for other of you lurkers, not just Megan, by the way! As for your project, it poses an interesting conundrum that you chose the form before having any specific content in mind. But I have no doubt that you’ll fill those cigarette boxes with all kinds of treasures; my guess is that as you continue working, you’ll start to see potential “book” material everywhere. And the craft store is always a great place to get inspired, I think.
Jordan: One of the most important aspects of working as an artist, it seems to me, is the capacity to shift gears (sometimes very radically) when you know you need to be doing something different than what you’d planned. So brava to you for recognizing that! Of course it’s ok for you to switch your project. And your new plan sounds absolutely incredible—what an amazing space, and what a generous gift to your community to explore this rich musical history more deeply. I can’t even remember what level you’re in at the moment, but I could envision an amazing senior study or book involving oral histories, photographs, local community history, documentation of concerts, etc. Hmm... In the short term, however, it seems to me that you’ve developed an excellent sense of how to begin, how to narrow your work so it’s a project you can get done in the next four or five weeks. I’ll be very interested to hear about the families’ reactions to your project. And I think the idea to include some personal reflection about your connection to this place is an excellent one. (P.S. I too am looking forward to learning more about my own process by writing about collaboration with Patrick—thanks for taking a look at the book!)
And finally, Alexander: where are you?! Please send news of your adventures.
As you know from my email (I hope), you can now all post to this blog. You need to sign in to be able to post, and I think you need a gmail account to do that—it’s free and takes about five seconds to set one up. Let me know (either via email or in a comment attached to this post) if you’re still having troubles.
Below are specific responses to each of your posts from the past week or two. I encourage you to read all these responses (some comments not directed to you might actually pertain to your work!), and even more so, I encourage you to respond directly to one another, even without the benefit of those pesky threaded comments I can’t seem to figure out how to add to our blog. Some of you are starting to ask for help with resources and ideas for problem-solving, so please read through each other’s posts and send responses if you have ideas that might be helpful.
Also, most of you are asking questions about bookbinding, so I’d suggest (now that everyone can post to the blog, supposedly) that someone begin a bookbinding post and people might start to leave comments with links, bibliographic notes, instructions on different binding styles, etc.
Okey dokey. I’m looking forward to hearing more about your various processes as they progress (or digress, as the case may be). All the projects sound totally magnificent. I feel lucky to be working with each of you.
Most best,
Jen
Here are my specific comments:
Martin: I’m sorry you can’t do your city-wide adventure in low-fi publishing (not least because I’m sorry you’re in pain and/or encumbered), but I’m excited that you’ve come up with a totally viable alternative that will extend beyond the bounds of this group study, and will also connect up with some of the other work you’re doing this semester. I can’t wait to read your story! One question that immediately leaps to mind is the age group you have in mind for your audience, and how this might affect your process in making the books. Some handmade books can be very delicate—not so great for little kids—while others are super sturdy. It’ll be wonderful to see how this project unfolds, and how the various constraints and possibilities guide your work.
Rick: I love the title RADISH!! Even without knowing a thing about any of the poems, I can tell you that it would absolutely catch my eye if I came across such a book in the world. Your comments about structure, and about how sharing your work (in spoken form or in written/bound form) affect your process, are very apt, as Nancy noted too—and are one of the main reasons I think it’s so important for us to put our work out into the world. I’m very fond of the idea of repurposing everyday objects to use as book covers, and also of the combination of uniqueness (i.e. a different cover for each book) and multiples (books with all the same insides).
Nancy: It sounds like you’re moving along excellently well, putting all the pieces in place. Michael’s is one of my favorite stores (despite a strong preference, usually, for mom ’n pop shops above large chains)—they have wonderful knitting supplies at half the price of specialty knitting stores. Have you looked online or in the library for resources on bookbinding? I’m curious to know your specific plans, which binding or bindings you’ll explore. And as you discover resources, perhaps you’ll share them with Mónica and Rick (and others, of course), who are also beginning to think about fastening techniques.
Mónica: The flip side of being overwhelmed (and this goes for all of us, regardless of the specific circumstances!) is acknowledging that you’ve set out to do an ambitious, extraordinary project that asks a lot of you. That’s not a “silver lining”—it’s literally the other side of the coin. The difficult thing, I find, is figuring out how to flip that coin, to see the work from a different perspective. Aside from finding ways around our own resistances and fears, it seems that one lesson of your experience (and you seem well aware of this) is to think through a project as far as you possibly can before you start out, sort of like reading the recipe all the way through to make sure you’re starting out with a big enough bowl. Having opened your project up to artwork that isn’t readily reproducible on a photocopy machine (which I assume is the case, since you’re thinking about InDesign and offset printing), you’ve set up certain constraints or requirements for yourself, right? One option, if you want to keep this low-fi and in your own hands (which I think is a really good goal for now), is to learn InDesign—a skill I imagine will open up all kinds of possibilities far beyond this particular book. Another option is to contact the visual artists and ask them for a photocopy-reproducible version of their work, and/or let them know that you’re doing a photocopy-only project right now, but will use their artwork in a future publication. (I can see that both of these suggestions have pitfalls, but wanted to mention them regardless.) If you’re not doing layout by hand (i.e. on the glass of a photocopy machine or in individually-produced original books) then the only DIY option I know of is to use a computer for layout—unless the artwork can all be silkscreened or printed on a letterpress machine, if you have access to either of those. But that opens up a whole other can of potentially really fun worms! I’ll let others chime in about bookbinding techniques since I know many of you are working on that, but if you’re still wondering about it in a couple of weeks, ask again and I’ll send along some resources.
Madeline: Can’t wait to hear how your meeting went!! Your project sounds incredibly well-organized, with enough structure to make sure people keep on track but enough flexibility and openness to make space for unusual, unexpected and gorgeous events to unfold. And your project is an especially interesting model for collaboration, performance and documentation. It will be fascinating to see how you decide to use the book (such a different form from live performance) as a tool for documenting or extending some of the explorations the group enacts as they prepare for the performances.
Megan: Maybe put a little reminder alarm for every Wednesday at a certain time in your cell phone, if you have a cell phone? Or perhaps just a good old-fashioned note to self on the door of the fridge or the bathroom mirror? This goes for other of you lurkers, not just Megan, by the way! As for your project, it poses an interesting conundrum that you chose the form before having any specific content in mind. But I have no doubt that you’ll fill those cigarette boxes with all kinds of treasures; my guess is that as you continue working, you’ll start to see potential “book” material everywhere. And the craft store is always a great place to get inspired, I think.
Jordan: One of the most important aspects of working as an artist, it seems to me, is the capacity to shift gears (sometimes very radically) when you know you need to be doing something different than what you’d planned. So brava to you for recognizing that! Of course it’s ok for you to switch your project. And your new plan sounds absolutely incredible—what an amazing space, and what a generous gift to your community to explore this rich musical history more deeply. I can’t even remember what level you’re in at the moment, but I could envision an amazing senior study or book involving oral histories, photographs, local community history, documentation of concerts, etc. Hmm... In the short term, however, it seems to me that you’ve developed an excellent sense of how to begin, how to narrow your work so it’s a project you can get done in the next four or five weeks. I’ll be very interested to hear about the families’ reactions to your project. And I think the idea to include some personal reflection about your connection to this place is an excellent one. (P.S. I too am looking forward to learning more about my own process by writing about collaboration with Patrick—thanks for taking a look at the book!)
And finally, Alexander: where are you?! Please send news of your adventures.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
please post AND comment! and progress...
Hi there --
I've just sent out an invitation to each of you (to your Goddard email addresses) to join this blog as authors. That way, everyone can post, and comment on each other's posts.
Mónica, this should resolve the difficulty you were having with posting to the blog.
The one feature I cannot seem to locate on blogger.com is threaded comments -- that is, the capacity for us to comment on each other's comments. I think this would be a great feature and I'm looking into switching to wordpress.com, where I think I'll be able to enable threaded comments. That way, for instance, Rick's comment to Mónica would appear directly below her comment (and indented, to signal that it is a comment on her comment), rather than as its own independent comment at the end of all the comments. Even if we don't switch, we can start specific conversational threads (about, for instance, book binding, or about ways to remove glue stains from clothing, or whatever) as new posts and then comment on those topics within those posts, but still I think it would be preferable to have threaded comments.
I'll keep you posted (no pun intended -- ha!), and let you know, of course, if we're going to switch blog "locations."
Meanwhile, I'm totally thrilled to hear about the progress of your projects! I've begun my collaboration, which consists of a poem and a prose text about collaboration, both of which are being bounced back and forth via email. Having just published a book of collaborations, I'm excited to take a bit of time to contemplate the experience of collaboration with my friend Patrick (the co-author of the book). Later on, once I have a sense of the forms our texts are taking, I'll figure out an appropriate format for the book, using (as I mentioned before) repurposed office supplies.
Excited to see how things continue to develop with your projects -- and feel free to bring up any specific technical or logistical issues that are coming up, so we can put our virtual heads together and try to help each other out.
Fondly,
Jen
I've just sent out an invitation to each of you (to your Goddard email addresses) to join this blog as authors. That way, everyone can post, and comment on each other's posts.
Mónica, this should resolve the difficulty you were having with posting to the blog.
The one feature I cannot seem to locate on blogger.com is threaded comments -- that is, the capacity for us to comment on each other's comments. I think this would be a great feature and I'm looking into switching to wordpress.com, where I think I'll be able to enable threaded comments. That way, for instance, Rick's comment to Mónica would appear directly below her comment (and indented, to signal that it is a comment on her comment), rather than as its own independent comment at the end of all the comments. Even if we don't switch, we can start specific conversational threads (about, for instance, book binding, or about ways to remove glue stains from clothing, or whatever) as new posts and then comment on those topics within those posts, but still I think it would be preferable to have threaded comments.
I'll keep you posted (no pun intended -- ha!), and let you know, of course, if we're going to switch blog "locations."
Meanwhile, I'm totally thrilled to hear about the progress of your projects! I've begun my collaboration, which consists of a poem and a prose text about collaboration, both of which are being bounced back and forth via email. Having just published a book of collaborations, I'm excited to take a bit of time to contemplate the experience of collaboration with my friend Patrick (the co-author of the book). Later on, once I have a sense of the forms our texts are taking, I'll figure out an appropriate format for the book, using (as I mentioned before) repurposed office supplies.
Excited to see how things continue to develop with your projects -- and feel free to bring up any specific technical or logistical issues that are coming up, so we can put our virtual heads together and try to help each other out.
Fondly,
Jen
Friday, November 7, 2008
keeping on...
Halloo my low-fi friends:
At this point, in the second week of our nine-week adventure, you should have a clear idea of what your project will entail, and you should have begun laying the initial foundations for the work (the details of these foundations will of course be different for each student). Please post a report of your activities to the blog by Wednesday of next week, especially if you haven’t yet checked in with the group. And please share any concerns or technical difficulties you’re having with the rest of us. One person’s challenge is another person’s no-brainer, and you should all feel free to use each other’s knowledge and experiences as resources.
I wanted to remind you of the commitments we made to each other initially. This is a repeat of information you already have—just as reminder of what we’ve agreed to do.
First, some very basic specifications of what this group study entails:
1. Check in with the blog (that means both reading other students’ posts and adding a post or comment of your own) at least once every week.
2. Make a low-fi book or book-ish project.
3. Write a brief reflective text about your experiences and process.
Any questions? Let me know.
Here are the broader guidelines:
+ The dates of our group study are from October 29 to December 31—that is, right now, this very instant!
+ We will “meet” once a week online to discuss progress, concerns, questions. We will check the blog at least a couple of times at different points on Wednesdays, possibly spilling into Thursday or Friday as needed, so that we can all participate in the conversations happening there, and continue to respond to one another (hence the need to check in more than once).
+ Open sharing of resources. Please feel free to ask for technical or researching help. It’s very likely that if you have a question, someone else in the group either shares the same question or has a possible solution.
+ Commit to sending a copy of what we create to everyone else in the Group Study.
+ Commit to donate a copy of what we create to the Goddard Library and BFA Program.
+ Write a brief reflection on how the experience of this Group Study project informed our thinking and practice this semester. Please include information about what you found especially useful and/or ways this Group Study might be improved.
On the topic of documentation: from the responses that have been posted to the blog, it seems that most people are interested in exhibiting our book projects at the art show during the Spring Residency. Dee Talentino is the curator of the show. Would someone please volunteer to contact Dee to ask about making a space for our work in the show? My sense is that a table or other flat surface (rather than, say, mounting on the wall) might make the most sense as a display space. That way our work can be held and actively read by folks who visit the show.
People seem lukewarm about the idea of setting up a website. I think the idea of using our blog as a space for archiving projects makes sense. Can we all commit to scanning images of our work and posting our reflection notes on the blog at the end of this process? I think it would be great for our work to be easily accessible to any future students who participate in this group study, and it makes sense to me that this blog could function as a sort of clearing-house, a record of our work this semester. Is everyone cool with that?
As for my own project, I’m planning to continue to repurpose office supplies for artistic use as I’ve done in the past, and make a small hand-made book using familiar materials in unfamiliar ways. I think I’d like to write a manifesto about collaboration, which is a crucial aspect of my practice; my most recent book is an epistolary and poetic collaboration with my dear friend Patrick Durgin. He and I will be reading together at a festival in Chicago in mid-January, so I’m thinking that I can make books about collaboration for our group study, with a number of extras to give away at the festival. Now I just have to clear my mind enough to think some smart thoughts in small book form!
Hope all’s well for all of you, and I look forward to hearing more from each of you.
Sending warm thoughts through the windy weather,
Jen
P.S. A resounding HOORAY!! for the election results (the presidential election, anyway) -- and now the real everyday work of creating change begins... peace to you all...
At this point, in the second week of our nine-week adventure, you should have a clear idea of what your project will entail, and you should have begun laying the initial foundations for the work (the details of these foundations will of course be different for each student). Please post a report of your activities to the blog by Wednesday of next week, especially if you haven’t yet checked in with the group. And please share any concerns or technical difficulties you’re having with the rest of us. One person’s challenge is another person’s no-brainer, and you should all feel free to use each other’s knowledge and experiences as resources.
I wanted to remind you of the commitments we made to each other initially. This is a repeat of information you already have—just as reminder of what we’ve agreed to do.
First, some very basic specifications of what this group study entails:
1. Check in with the blog (that means both reading other students’ posts and adding a post or comment of your own) at least once every week.
2. Make a low-fi book or book-ish project.
3. Write a brief reflective text about your experiences and process.
Any questions? Let me know.
Here are the broader guidelines:
+ The dates of our group study are from October 29 to December 31—that is, right now, this very instant!
+ We will “meet” once a week online to discuss progress, concerns, questions. We will check the blog at least a couple of times at different points on Wednesdays, possibly spilling into Thursday or Friday as needed, so that we can all participate in the conversations happening there, and continue to respond to one another (hence the need to check in more than once).
+ Open sharing of resources. Please feel free to ask for technical or researching help. It’s very likely that if you have a question, someone else in the group either shares the same question or has a possible solution.
+ Commit to sending a copy of what we create to everyone else in the Group Study.
+ Commit to donate a copy of what we create to the Goddard Library and BFA Program.
+ Write a brief reflection on how the experience of this Group Study project informed our thinking and practice this semester. Please include information about what you found especially useful and/or ways this Group Study might be improved.
On the topic of documentation: from the responses that have been posted to the blog, it seems that most people are interested in exhibiting our book projects at the art show during the Spring Residency. Dee Talentino is the curator of the show. Would someone please volunteer to contact Dee to ask about making a space for our work in the show? My sense is that a table or other flat surface (rather than, say, mounting on the wall) might make the most sense as a display space. That way our work can be held and actively read by folks who visit the show.
People seem lukewarm about the idea of setting up a website. I think the idea of using our blog as a space for archiving projects makes sense. Can we all commit to scanning images of our work and posting our reflection notes on the blog at the end of this process? I think it would be great for our work to be easily accessible to any future students who participate in this group study, and it makes sense to me that this blog could function as a sort of clearing-house, a record of our work this semester. Is everyone cool with that?
As for my own project, I’m planning to continue to repurpose office supplies for artistic use as I’ve done in the past, and make a small hand-made book using familiar materials in unfamiliar ways. I think I’d like to write a manifesto about collaboration, which is a crucial aspect of my practice; my most recent book is an epistolary and poetic collaboration with my dear friend Patrick Durgin. He and I will be reading together at a festival in Chicago in mid-January, so I’m thinking that I can make books about collaboration for our group study, with a number of extras to give away at the festival. Now I just have to clear my mind enough to think some smart thoughts in small book form!
Hope all’s well for all of you, and I look forward to hearing more from each of you.
Sending warm thoughts through the windy weather,
Jen
P.S. A resounding HOORAY!! for the election results (the presidential election, anyway) -- and now the real everyday work of creating change begins... peace to you all...
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