Photolucida Wrap Up (Because One is Never 100% Prepared)

Just in case no one thought I attended the event, Amelia sent me this screenshot the day after my review with Alyssa Coppelman that occurred Friday the 24th April. This was after she wanted to Instagram my "I'm Amazing" sticker that Amelia made for me a couple years ago.

I have not had one moment to process this event or follow up with any of the reviewers and will do that at the end of the month. Undoubtedly grand conclusions will follow. Below are some highlights.

Alexis Pike's new series on Evil Knievel

Ian van Coller showing off his awe inspiring new book on last year's travels to Iceland.

The portfolio share for the general public at the Portland Art Museum after the fire marshal came and forced crowd control.

Benson Hotel portfolio reviews.

A book I didn't know I wanted until I saw it on Mississippi Street.

Best book juxtaposition at Powell's.

Photolucida 9/10 Prepared

The prints from Autobiography in Water (eight pieces plus two sketchbook mock-ups for Hearst Castle and Kirkham Hot Springs) and Art Department (twelve images including the vinyl text on the cover of the case) are printed.

I wish I was further along on the water series and could bring ten completed depictions but there is only so much I could do after losing the month of March.

It was a superhuman task to get to this point over the last two weeks and I force myself to remember that with the exception of the two water photographs from Texas, all of this art was created in the last eleven months. I have never been able to produce so much during the school year and for that I am most grateful.

Photolucida 7/10 Prepared

 It is about time! The old website is updated at long, long last.

Photolucida 6/10 Prepared

 
Confetti in the Office Drawer and Freight Elevator, 2015

Reshoot photographs that were not quite right, edit and print for portfolio = check.

Redfish Lake, Idaho (After Rebecca Solnit) 30" x 20" print made, jars soaked and painted, installed in the gallery, mock-up installation documented, and 13"x19" printed for portfolio all within 12 hours = check.

Photolucida Reviews 3/10 Prepared

The take-aways are printed! Yes, I know I need to learn Indesign in my spare time and figure out how to make text look decent. In the meantime, everyone can take it as it is. I made one for each series I will bring. I still have three more photographs to take, edit and print. Nothing like down to the wire stress = the story of my life.

Photolucida Portfolio Reviews: 2/10 Prepared

The text was printed and is now installed on my portfolio review box. Might as well bring the one work of art that will be displayed as vinyl letters (not a singular photograph) in the form that it will be viewed.

Photolucida Porfolio Reviews: 1/10 Prepared

I do not have my portfolio printed nor have I designed and ordered my promotional take-aways (time is running out) but I do have the reviewer bios ready to go. Sadly, my partner in all events photographically stressful and often far away, will not be joining me this year. Amelia will be with me in spirit though. Yes she will.

Earthwork Viewing Kits and A Month's Worth of News

In a March of medical leave and recovery (long story), I am *slowly* working on catching up and preparing for the Photolucida portfolio reviews in April. In addition, everything is progressing well with the planned Earthworks Road Trip Part 2: Lightning Field is reserved, airplane tickets are purchased, rental cars and hotels are lined up, etc. This version of the expedition is in conjunction with a course I am co-teaching with Lara Kuykendall called Space, Land and Concept in Art of the American West. I have been moonlighting on that blog but also contemplating what artwork I can make during the second visit.

In 2009, the collaborative project was a huge undertaking and this year, as co-leader of a field trip with eight students, I will not be able to devote as much time as I would like to each space and will have other responsibilities. However, this will not prevent me from making art and I have a few ideas that I would like to pursue in May.

• First of all, the Amarillo Ramp rock will be tossed (it's about time)!

• Secondly (in the spirit of goofiness), the car will make another appearance. Rather than seeing how close I can drive to an earthwork, I will continue my sweeping panoramic photographs from the back seat.

• Thirdly (for Instagram), the I-need-to-grow-a-third-arm-and-hand binocular photographs will make another appearance.

• The fourth concept revolves around a photograph of James Turrell's Roden Crater Field Kit that I discovered last month.

James Turrell, Roden Crater Field Kit, 2000

I immediately thought of Fluxus Travel Kits like the one below:

Fluxus Travel Kit, c. 1970

I am going to make Earthworks Viewing Kits for the following: Amarillo Ramp, Lightning Field, Double Negative, Sun Tunnels, and Spiral Jetty. I have half a mind to make one for Roden Crater but since once again, we were dismissed by the Skystone Foundation (nor do we have $6500 each at our disposal and will have to resort to seeing this instead) a viewing kit for an absent piece might offer needed variation. I am withholding the details of what this entails but I promise it will not be as mundane as what one sees in the Turrell image above. In the meantime, it will be my first sculpture project that will not rely on a photograph and I couldn't be happier to add this to my never ending list of all the series I am currently working on and cannot seem to finish in a timely manner.

Saving the best news for last: I received my sabbatical and will be spending the 2016 spring semester finishing Autobiography in Water at the final two destinations: New Zealand and Australia. At least there is hope for completing something in the not so near future!

The Cat Scrapbook was a hit at Photolucida

People think I should make a cat video (I'm not sure I think that but we will see). Perhaps I should consider it if Paul Pfeiffer is making gifs like the one above.