writing on re-preserve

You may have noticed; I’ve started a new body of work entitled re-preserve. As I dive more deeply into the creation of the objects, I’ve formulated meaning and (somehow Haha) captured it into some words for you to savor. Please, enjoy!

Candy Stick, Nut Pack, and Puffed Rice Cake Stack are part of a series entitled re-preserve, a body of work that explores our human tendency toward the act of preservation through transmedial form and material alchemy. 

 

Each original consumable good was 3D scanned, 3D printed and packaged in bioplastic containing aggregate fragments of the original packaging material. The new artifice representations are simultaneously vestige and simulacrum of the manufactured fats and sweets and prototype objects with novel one-of-a-kind packages.

 

Through 3d scanning, new skins get created: temporal physical matter transforms into a hollow, nutrient-less, seductively undulating artifice point cloud. The indigestible numerical densities exist frozen in virtual space, suspended in time, forever accessible by open-source sharing, remnant, and blueprint for future re-creation. When reformed into the physical matter as 3D printed polylactic acid “mental chew toys,” the new objects resonate as placeholders, still-life snapshots of life for contemplation. The contrast in materials, both digestible and indigestible, once wrapped in waste by-product and bioplastic elicits attention to the desire for mindful consideration of materiality. Why and how are we choosing to feed and preserve ourselves and our environment? And are these feeding and nourishing practices supportive and empowering to our shared human experience, or are they undermining our safety and well-being as an equitable, globally interconnected, thriving human species?

Tape it up! --- (Returns) ---

I’ve had the thought to do this many times as a “tape it up!” sketch —- just dropped in to mind first while driving lyft a couple years ago around Florida, and then again recently while walking Ann Arbor —— so here it is!

Tape it up! #2

For those of you that followed my Instagram you might remember the first tape it up that featured a lovely little bouquet of flowers taped up with a small piece of white tape. An oh so, spring-time feeling. The series has now evolved into a “sexy-exposition of breakfast delights,” with a nastily delicious pop tart… Pop it up, ya lucky breakfast-lovers!

Open source demonstration - participating in open source information Exchange

During Florida State University’s remote months that resulted from COVID19, I participated in a Diversity and Inlusion Training. Optional to the certificate was the opportunity to create a Theory to Action Project. I chose to respond to the project promot by creating an open source guide featuring some of my skills from my life experience outside of academia. The guide features mediations and creative research opportunities for connecting more deeply to yourself and for allowing the possibility of deeper interpersonal connections in seemingly/unseemingly diverse environments. Check it out here!

Open Source Biomaterials

I've recently started contributing innovative biomaterial recipes to an open source material library; materiom.org.

I have been aiming to source ingredients that are ethical, sustainable, and certified organic. Some of the notable contributions are natural dyes from fruits and teas, and a guar gum bioplastic.

There is something about the experience of creating a material from scratch, and then utilizing the material in an artwork that is satisfying to me right now... I hope the work inspires!

Research

In addition to assisting students, faculty, and staff in the Department of Art at Florida State University create projects, I get the opportunity to research and engage with the Florida State arts community. Near the end of last year, I received a call from the CEO of the Florida Cultural Alliance, Jennifer Jones, who was interested in finding a source to produce a series of customized 3D printed trophies for Florida State legislators who have advocated for the arts. After speaking with Jennifer and the Department of Art about the project, we decided to manufacture the customized 3D printed trophies through the Digital Media Fab Lab as a gift for the FCA.

To create the trophies, we positioned and 3D scanned drawing dolls in postures that represented the characteristics of the legislators. After we collected the 3D data, we refined the scans, designed customized bases, and created prototypes. Once we achieved a satisfying 3D print, we sanded and painted the surfaces to complete the trophies. The finished trophies were awarded to the Florida State Legislators on Wednesday, January 26th during the Advocacy for the Arts rally at the Florida State Capital Building.

For details about the fabrication process visit the Florida State University, Department of Art Lab’s blog. To read the official Florida State University press release visit the College of Fine Art’s Community Collaboration news. To learn more about the Florida Cultural Alliance visit their website.

Offering Dish

I recently re-discovered this 3D-printed PLA dish prototype made by an Intern, Becca Young, in Spring 2018. When this was made we were working on a number of projects that featured sacred geometry. This dish design was intended to be part of a line of interior home-goods. The project has yet to be realized as it was intended, however, when I was looking at it today, my interpretation of it changed as a result of the time passed. It’s interesting to see desires manifest and perceptions of them evolve over time to fit the present moment…

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Open Source Research

Part of the research being conducted through my position as Digital Media Labs, Manager is in Open Source. While remote many contributions to global communities have been made, assets have been created, lots of time and energy invested in several initiatives, and most recently an Open Source Demonstration was published.

For those interested in Digital Fabrication processes, visit the Resources webpage I created for the Department of Art. There are several guides and demonstrations linked.

Ink Studies

It was all right here, all along… Ink Studies: Incense and Sage Ash, Organic Blue-Green Superfood, Organic Hibiscus Tea, Tung Oil, and Filtered Water.

Organic Pistachios

I am understanding a by-product.

Be-ing. Body. Impulse.

Pull. Press. Process.

A-part. Pieces. Possibility.

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Mala

I 3D scanned a mala necklace I made out of angelite and aquamarine. Malas are prayer beads constructed out of 108 beads. The number 108 in yoga represents a cycle of spiritual completion. The Einscan software generated these composite images of all the views. I created a few scan families for the object with 77 rotations each.

3D Scanning

3D scanning!! There is a Next Engine and an Einscan Pro 2x plus in the lab. I have been able to get more details from the EP2P, but I am still refining the process. These files have me understanding what has been on my mind lately in new ways. What does it mean to capture a thing’s surface and make a watertight model of it? Hollow bodies, empty openness, receptivity, “dying” before death, letting things live through you, being with, be-ing… Who knew technology would be so powerful?… Oh, wait…

Connect

Last week I installed a number of the iAm series pieces "buffet style" in a gallery space. I invited some friends in and asked them to interact with the pieces. The event resulted in some new inspirations and a lot of laughs.