If you are reading this post between June 28 through September 1, 2013 then you are also participating in an art exhibition. You may ask…how is that possible? Well, sitting on a white table within a gallery of the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft in Louisville is a desktop computer. On that computer, my “Artist at Exit o Riverblog” is on display in a group show entitled “The Seven Borders” which is curated by Joey Yates. The exhibition features contemporary artists who either live in Kentucky or in the seven contiguous states that border the commonwealth. I will try to post more about this exhibit over the show’s run. I’m delighted by this invitation because this is the first time my blog has been featured as art in an art context. I’ve always thought this was a possibility for this blog because my art comes together here in terms of the objects I make, the pictures I take, and the words I string together to tell stories or just describe the beauty of nature.
Of course, the dialogue created by people’s comments is a part of that too. With hope, people will additionally feel they can participate by leaving a comment, however, online you will need to be a WordPress member or a blogger with an Open ID credential. This is easy and free to do. If, however, you would prefer to write a note on paper while in the museum and give it to the front desk attendant…I would be glad to include those comments in this project as well.
It’s been a busy and engaging June with projects at the river, a family trip to Washington D.C. etc… I had planned a different post for today, but after yesterday’s experiences at the river…I thought I would go out of sequence. Besides, with art, it is quite often the case that progress or forward movement is not linear, but jumps all over the place. Let’s begin again with the first image of this post…this was my outdoor studio under the willow trees at the Falls of the Ohio in early June.
I have used this spot to cache river found materials and to make my sculptures and this has been a handy base of operations for a couple of years now. This spot has weathered a few near miss floods that could have washed everything away again, but has stayed remarkably intact. Well…there were a few recent changes which form the true subject of this post and here are the pictures.
It was an already dramatic day in terms of the weather. Bright sunshine alternated between heavy, dark clouds dumping rain showers along the way. The clarity of the air and the mosquitoes were noteworthy. I did get soaked on this adventure, but as long as the camera stays dry…I’m alright with it all. Imagine my surprise upon arriving at my site to find that someone anonymously had built a structure around it! I’m used to folks going through the junk I’ve scavenged and taking or destroying whatever creations I may have left behind, but this is a first! A great deal of care was used in working with the existing site by utilizing the surrounding trees and logs as posts and beams. I wonder if this is also the work of more than one person? This is more than a flimsy lean-to where the wood is simply stacked. Some craftsmanship is evident from the knots used to hold the structure together. It might take more than one person to steady things as another does the tying? Again, more pictures to illustrate the story.
The yellow nylon line is something I had found previously and used to create the giant spider’s web featured in an earlier post. This structure has a chance to stay up for awhile…at least until someone else messes with it or the river rises again. I was absorbed with the changes and reflecting on how often I have looked at this site from an archeological perspective. It might even be fun to draw all this stuff in a scientific sort of way. Because it had rained while I was looking around, the damp ground muffled the approaching sounds of my second big surprise of the day!
I turned and looked over my shoulder as this large presence stepped over the logs and entered the studio area. He sat right down and asked, “Are you the guy that makes the Styrofoam sculptures?”
Whoa!…(I said to myself),…check out this dude with the huge head, miss-matched eyes, and pencil-thin mustache. No doubt about it…I was a bit taken aback! Regaining my composure, I replied that indeed I was that person and added that many of those creations were made in this very spot. Without every telling me his name, he replied “I thought so…I’ve been an admirer of your work for a long time now.” Knowing he was a fan set me at ease and we had a nice visit together.
“So, how do you like it?” Spreading his spindly arms around my studio, I gathered that he was the architect of these recent improvements. I told my mustachioed friend that I just love it when people play along and contribute to my Falls of the Ohio project! I could see this clearly delighted him. He asked if there were any suggestions for improvements and I replied that I had a few ideas. To begin with, it is now much more difficult to move within the space. I whacked my head a few times on wooden supports. If the structure were higher…that wouldn’t be an issue and I also wouldn’t turn into a hunchback any sooner than I have to. I also added that I missed having the big log to use as an impromptu work surface. When I stood, it was just the right height. Now, it is covered up with stacked wood. I could see from his expression that this was probably enough in suggestions for this time. I didn’t tell him that I needed to create new seating because the plank I liked using had been damaged. That’s no big deal. With the clouds ahead promising more rain, I gathered my camera, collecting bag, and walking stick and bid my new friend so long…for now. Perhaps we’ll meet again? Looking back, I saw the big guy sitting in my customary spot. As I walked over the driftwood and sand, I wondered if my next visit to this site would harbor any more surprises?
Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog 
Al, I’m sort of half laughing and giggling as I type here rather self-consciously. Imagine that! LOL. This is a wonderful way to get your blog art shared everywhere! Go, Artist at Exit O! Go!
Oh and it looks like you’ve got some collaborators for a change!
🙂 Waving at Al and whoever is reading.
Hi Eva…I was just checking on your progress and caught up on the “Breakfast Special” short story. I’m curious how any of this might play out with having the blog on exhibit? It doesn’t seem that implausible does it…I mean we can look at videos in this way? We’ll know more in a couple of months. I have a few other ideas in store. Thanks for checking out the latest!
Ideas in store? OOO do tell, all Al. Sounds intriguing creatively.
Thanks for reading “Breakfast Special.” Sorry, it is no ‘short’ story at all considering what’s in my word file! LOL.
Your blog is a great educational tool for art education for everyone. And it’s FUN too! 😉
Yes, this could be fun. I think the other “art objects” hanging out at the gallery might get a bit jealous since they are for the most part ” a single thing” and within this box crammed with electronics is over 350 posts of content with tons of images, etc…and with an audience that goes around the world.
Hell yes, Al, this is all cyber space energy flow non-stop ART in motion! Brings the concept of art “object” to a whole other level, my styrofoam reforming friend. 🙂
Now you make me chuckle Eva. That’s what I like about art…trying to stretch the parameters a bit to be more inclusive.
I only have one question. And this is for either you or Joey. Why a white table? I mean white is the presence of all colors. If you really wanted the table to be a blank platform for the presence of creation wouldn’t it be black? Or was there a white table in the closet and… ta da!
Hi Claude…I think it was what was handy and it goes with the rest of the gallery, but I get your point. Hope all is great at Bernheim.
Congratulations on having your blog be part of an art exhibition, that’s perfect! I’m certain there will be more surprises at your studio, every visit. And I think you have many fans, styrofoam people and just regular people. All the best.
Thanks Annerose! It’s interesting having people who know your work, but you don’t know them! Part of that comes from the reach that blogs provide. Thanks for your comment!
I think it’s really cool to have your blog as a universally accessible art exhibit. Is there a way to see the other artists’ work? Oh, and by the way, those knots could only have been done by a seasoned seaman, most likely a pirate.
Hi Sven…perhaps you are on to something there. In the old days, these inland rivers did harbor their own brand of pirates. In a future post I will try to show some of the other artwork in this show. I think it’s great to have the riverblog included in the mix.
Al! This is great! I can not think of a better way to showcase what you do other than my prompting you several years back to try and publish your work, here. I hope the people who stop by and take advantage of this entry page back through enough of your stories to get the feel for what you have been doing for the environment as well as the art world by sharing your educational stories and truly special sculptures.
Your little guy with the “NO NAME” looks so lonely perched there at the end of your story. I wonder if he will make the renovations to the space that you need. How wonderful that you now have a river comrade!
He’s there for now, but I also know that the Falls makes no promises. I still remember your book suggestion and someday it’s going to happen. Whether it turns into one book or twenty remains to be seen. I can also see Pixar doing a “Wall-e” styled movie except all the characters are made of Styrofoam! I have always thought there was a correspondence between a bead of polystyrene and a pixel. Now that would be something wouldn’t it?
FYI: I am here from LesliePaints …
Wow! What a fine project this is. Kudos to all of you …
Thanks Jamie…if you are working with Leslie than you are in fine hands! Thanks for checking out the riverblog!!
Jamie is a fellow blogger and artist, Al. She writes and is fantastic!
Jamie…I can’t wait to check out your blog too!
Great idea! Talk about artistic ingenuity! Good luck! 🙂
I believe blogs have a lot of artistic potential as a medium. I appreciate you checking out my work and thanks for your comment!
Thanks for stopping by and the well wishes too!
Al, you are featured here:
https://www.facebook.com/jamiededes
Leslie, thank you! You are too kind. Hugs! 🙂
Many thanks Jamie…so you live in California. Isn’t it amazing who you potentially can share your art with out there in the great big world?
Indeed yes! 🙂
Brilliant idea to have a blog as a part of an art exhibition, blogs the new artists medium.
Can i be so cheeky and call your new studio the Drifting Studio as it is made of driftwood and the art made in the studio is made of drifting ‘rubbish’.
Calling them “Drifting Studios” is very accurate even beyond the use of driftwood. Over the years, these sites have literally moved from place to place depending on the moods of the river. I could easily imagine them as fitting on rafts. I have a story for your “Bridges” project, but it got bumped out of order by this new development at my “Drifting Studio”. I will try to make it my next post.
This is so amazing. The dump is your studio. And just look what you make of all that rubbish. One man’s trash is another man’s art.
Well, all this stuff does get washed by millions of gallons of fresh water and that helps! I do have a few other “informal studios” spread out in various other places throughout the park. Just depends on where I’m working on that day. Thanks for checking the riverblog out!!
I must also thank my terrific art blogger friend lesliepaints for steering folks toward this neat exhibit! I must say, as this is the only post I have read so far, that it all seems quite mysterious to me, and I’ll have to go back through your entries to figure it out on my next visit.
My initial thoughts are wow, what a thoughtful project. I am always happy to read about people going out into nature and doing nature-y things, when it seems like most of us are can’t put down our gadgets to look at the real world. And congratulations on your exhibit!
Thanks for looking Cindy. If you figure something out. Will you let me know? You see it is mysterious to me as well and perhaps this is the real reason I persist with this project and its stories. I do think you are on to something with the nature emphasis….it’s something that is both out there and within us.
What an amazing repository of flotsam and jetsam – I am suffering drift wood envy! We live on the sunny coast in Queensland and driftwood has become a very scarce commodity? Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving such generous comments I will certainly be following to see your little characters evolve – and read about their antics. Documenting change in such an inventive and insightful way – great stuff and thanks for sharing.
Driftwood is definitely a resource we have in abundance. It helps define this place. Australia is a country I’ve always wanted to visit and I get to at least vicariously through the blogs that originate there. You are a talented and interesting artist and I look forward to looking at more of your work too! Thanks for stopping by and staying awhile.
Hey, a very big congratz to you on that exhibit, Al! That is awesome. :0) I always get a big kick out of your lifelike styro-men: you bring such life to them with your attachments but also, your camera angles give them a whimsical appeal. Good to see you getting notable recognition for your excellent creativity. These two latest additions to your styro-family are adorable. Have you ever considered making a small hut (firmly attached to tree roots or a mudbank) from the styrofoam, etc.? I bet you could do it and I bet it would be amazing. (Might be pretty hard, you think?)
It pretty much depends on what I find. So far, I’ve been able to keep this project “pure” by only using what washes up in the park. In this way, I sort of let the river influence what I do and that keeps it collaborative.
I came to visit because of Leslie’s blog. How cool that this is part of an art exhibit.
Hi Carol…Thanks for checking out what I do! Leslie has been so nice and supportive of my efforts even though our art forms are very different. I think beneath the skin all artists share a bond.
It’s all happening on your blog now! That is so wonderful to see. I am really curious what conclusions you will draw in the end, when the exhibition is over. As you know, I had excerpts from my blog hanging on the wall in my exhibition. I would love to compare notes when your experiment is finished 🙂
That sounds great! It’s all an experiment anyway. How long did it take to have video accepted as an art form? This seemed a logical extension of what I was doing naturally.
Al, I’m also a LesliePaints subscriber so had to come and see this fascinating art form. GOOD FOR YOU! What a great idea. I’m checking you out from one of the Gulf Islands on the West Coast of Canada. You are so creative, creative, creative…did I get all the levels? I doubt it! 😀
Thanks souldipper for checking out what I do. Leslie is such a great supporter and I appreciate her advocating for what I do…which admittedly is not art as usual. Do you find a lot of refuse on your island? I hope not. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a nice comment!
Surprisingly, Al, other than deadheads, our beaches don’t receive much flotsam or jetsam. After the Tsunami in Japan, I wondered if we’d find “stuff”, but there’s been nothing. We are between Vancouver and Vancouver Island so are sheltered.
Land-wise, managing recycling and garbage is a high priority. Perhaps it helps that we generally don’t live a fast food lifestyle so have few outlets serving with throw-away food/drink containers. Take-away means paper containers, not plastic or Styrofoam.
Our recycling centers are very busy and thankfully they create a sustainable living.
Also, after tourist season, our local High School takes a day for students to be stationed at various stretches of our main roads where they are responsible for picking up garbage.
Thankfully with everyone’s effort, it works.
I have an artist friend in the interior of BC who creates his pieces from only recycled material. They’re large and he uses all types of materials! Every once in a while, he puts out a request for something he needs. Not long ago, he gratefully received saved lint from dryers.
The last thing I sent him was dried rose petals. He was pushed for time on an angel theme for an opening. He was over the moon when I was able to produce many different colours AND scents.
I’ve learned not to question my artist friends! 😀
Hi
Fantastic news about the exhibition. Cheers
Thanks Cat…the exhibit will be up for a bit longer. I will try to post a few images of the other art works in the show. Nice hearing from you!