Posts Tagged ‘space’

Architecture Class at The Sharon Academy

Monday, March 17th, 2014

I recently had the opportunity to teach an elective Architecture class at The Sharon Academy in Sharon, Vermont. Each of the 8 students completed two projects, one based in fantasy, the other in reality. The first was to design and build a model of a fantasy tree house. The second was to design an artist-in-residence cabin for possible construction on The Sharon Academy campus. Students visited the future site for the cabin to plan a residence footprint no bigger than 800 square feet. Then, they generated drawings and models of their proposed cabins and presented them to classmates, a visiting architect and school administrators:

Through an exciting collaboration with the Harpo Foundation, the school may draw inspiration from the students’ designs to build the actual cabin!

Thanks to Amber Wylie for her photography and slideshow video!

Dancers in the Forest

Tuesday, September 10th, 2013

 

At SculptureFest annual openings, dancers engage creatively with each piece that has been installed. In this clip, Tracey Penfield and dance partner Chelsea Palin performed a spontaneous piece in “The Forest Within.” Filmed by Edie Farwell and edited by Cedar Farwell, with original music, “Anna’s Waltz,” by Seth Houston.

“The Forest Within” SculptureFest Installation

Thursday, August 29th, 2013
Forest Within

“The Forest Within” is in a salvaged pavilion (12′ x 18′ x 10′) and comprised of painted saplings, bark mulch, polyethylene, and burlap.

Just yesterday, I completed my new SculptureFest installation, “The Forest Within.” It’s across from my “When the Moon Came to Earth” installation (2012) at King Farm, Woodstock, Vermont.

This structure was originally used as a summer pavilion by the King family. When it was moved, the building was damaged and lacked a proper foundation. The first order of business was to jack it up and put a couple of beams underneath to provide some structural integrity. In the process, the building was made more or less level. Trim and shingles were also replaced and the building was spruced up.

To me, this installation is an exploration of the organic lines created by the saplings and their interstices. The black interior was necessary to provide a space of high contrast. Breaking all the elements down to three strong colors – white, black, and red (iron oxide) – allows for additional clarity. The pavilion has a Zen quality and these sparse elements pay homage to that aesthetic. The trees can be viewed as conduits of earth to sky and vice versa. How many times have we witnessed the trees dancing in the wind? Is there a dance here? How do we carry the forest in us?

The painting of the saplings arose out of last year’s installation of “When the Moon Came to Earth,” standing to the east (see time-lapse video). The initial impetus came from the “Hand on Pianos” project when the piece “Tree Songs” was created (see video of musical performance on piano piece).

The SculptureFest Opening is this Saturday, August 31 from 4-7pm. At 7pm there will be a performance of the play “Art” in the King Farm Barn. Get tickets at BarnArts. I hope you’ll come and see my installations, those of other artists, and the play. SculptureFest is always free and open to the public from dawn to dusk through foliage season. Here are directions.

When the Moon Came to Earth – New Video

Thursday, September 20th, 2012

Enjoy this time-lapse video produced by Colleen Bozuwa of my “When the Moon Came to Earth” installation at King Farm in Woodstock, Vermont.  Thanks, Colleen!

Also, Marie Kirn of Hartland, Vermont gave my piece a kind endorsement, saying it is “striking and moving” in this broadcast of Vermont Public Radio’s En Plein Air. Listen to the short segment.

New Installation at Sculpture Fest

Monday, September 12th, 2011

The “Tumble in Pagoda,” is located at King Farm, which is an exciting extension of Sculpture Fest and is slated to become part of the Marsh Billings National Park. These pieces are constructed of cardboard, papier mache, sand and acrylic paint. The floor forms are explorations in space. The three back masks are gaurdians of the space.

Just recently, friend and colleague, Carla Kimball, featured additional images of my work at Sculpture Fest on her Revealed Presence Photography blog. Thanks, Carla!