Spring quarter classes completed last week, and we have a few week’s break before summer classes begin. At the request of my students, I’ll be posting creative project suggestions on V. Notes until classes start up again on June 21.
Christo and Jeanne Claude
Christo and Jeanne-Claude looking for a possible site for The Mastaba in February 1982. Photo by Wolfgang Volz
On May 31, 2020, Christo, the his partner Jeanne Claude through the yellow fluttering gates to art heaven. The art duo Christo and Jeanne Claude were known for their large scale installations that involved wrapping landmark buildings and landscapes in fabric. Their pieces were designed to encourage the viewer to experience the artwork in the moment, in the context of its environment.
For your project today, wrap an object, or erect a temporary fence where there wasn’t one before. Photograph or draw this in context with its environment. Appreciate the moment.
Post your project to social media with #Christo #seattleartistleague so that we can find it.
More of a Process
What people don’t often talk about when they talk about work by Christo and Jeanne Claude, is the hundreds of hours each project wrapped them up in community meetings while they discussed and negotiated terms of how they hoped each project was going to be built covering objects not theirs, and across land that was not their own.
To achieve the full art experience with the creative project challenge above, choose to wrap or fence an object that does not belong to you. Before wrapping or fencing this object, write a proposal to the person who actually owns and uses this object on a daily basis. Tell them that they should allow you to wrap up or fence off their object (this part of the process is best experienced if this person does not like you, or approve of anything you do). If the owner of the object is not immediately convinced that this is a brilliant idea, and immediately realize that you are in fact a brilliant artist, then listen to what they say, really listen, and then ask again. This process of asking and listening and asking again may take years, but do not give up. When they finally agree, then you may wrap their object, appreciate the moment, and post it to social media.
One year ago, to protect our students and teachers from a new coronavirus, the Seattle Artist League moved our classes online. Four days after we offered our first zoom class, the virus was declared a national emergency, and we went into quarantine. We have now been in quarantine for twelve months. As the paroxysm of …
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”9888″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][vc_column_text] Wordsmith Studio Found poems are the literary equivalent of a collage, often made from newspaper articles, street signs, graffiti, speeches, letters, books, online texts (v-notes?), or even other poems. For today’s challenge, take an …
Lately I’ve been noticing how many good paintings and drawings use repeating shapes within them, a motif. This motif seems to carry us through the composition, and give harmony and order to the shapes. I recently stumbled across this original drawing by Diego Rivera, posted on Facebook by Paul Hemminger of Bellingham Frameworks. It’s full …
Today is the Memory/Imagination day of our 30 Day Creative Challenge. Look at “The Desperate Man” by Gustave Courbet. Your challenge today is to imagine what he’s looking at, and recreate that. Medium is artist’s choice. You can draw, paint, collage, assemblage, assemble a diorama, or dress in drag. Set a timer for 20 minutes. When the timer chimes, continue if you wish, …
All Wrapped Up
Spring quarter classes completed last week, and we have a few week’s break before summer classes begin. At the request of my students, I’ll be posting creative project suggestions on V. Notes until classes start up again on June 21.
Christo and Jeanne Claude
On May 31, 2020, Christo, the his partner Jeanne Claude through the yellow fluttering gates to art heaven. The art duo Christo and Jeanne Claude were known for their large scale installations that involved wrapping landmark buildings and landscapes in fabric. Their pieces were designed to encourage the viewer to experience the artwork in the moment, in the context of its environment.
Completed Projects
Projects Not Realized
Christo’s Li’l Wraps
Package on a Table
Fabric, lacquer, rope and round wooden table
Photo: Eeva-Inkeri © 1961 Christo
Wrapped Jerry Can
1961
Metal jerry can, fabric and rope
Photo: Eeva-Inkeri © 1961 Christo
Wrapped Telephone
1962
Polyethylene, rope, telephone and telephone cord
Photo: André Grossmann
© 1962 Christo
Wrapped Motorcycle
1962
Polyethylene, rope and motorcycle
© 1962 Christo
Photo: Anthony Haden-Guest
© 1963 Christo
Wrapped Armchair
1964-65
Armchair, fabric, polyethylene, rope and cord
Photo: Peter Cox
© 1965 Christo
Wrapped Tree
1966
White birch tree, jute fabric, polyethylene and rope
Photo: Ab de Jager
© 1966 Christo
Today’s creative challenge a la Christo
For your project today, wrap an object, or erect a temporary fence where there wasn’t one before. Photograph or draw this in context with its environment. Appreciate the moment.
Post your project to social media with #Christo #seattleartistleague so that we can find it.
More of a Process
What people don’t often talk about when they talk about work by Christo and Jeanne Claude, is the hundreds of hours each project wrapped them up in community meetings while they discussed and negotiated terms of how they hoped each project was going to be built covering objects not theirs, and across land that was not their own.
To achieve the full art experience with the creative project challenge above, choose to wrap or fence an object that does not belong to you. Before wrapping or fencing this object, write a proposal to the person who actually owns and uses this object on a daily basis. Tell them that they should allow you to wrap up or fence off their object (this part of the process is best experienced if this person does not like you, or approve of anything you do). If the owner of the object is not immediately convinced that this is a brilliant idea, and immediately realize that you are in fact a brilliant artist, then listen to what they say, really listen, and then ask again. This process of asking and listening and asking again may take years, but do not give up. When they finally agree, then you may wrap their object, appreciate the moment, and post it to social media.
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One year ago, to protect our students and teachers from a new coronavirus, the Seattle Artist League moved our classes online. Four days after we offered our first zoom class, the virus was declared a national emergency, and we went into quarantine. We have now been in quarantine for twelve months. As the paroxysm of …
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