Art Making at Jones Beach
Monday night was the perfect night to be at Jones Beach! About 200 of the ESP participants attended the BBQ and dancing (thanks Paul Rodriquez for wonderful music!). And some of us frolicked in the waves, flew kits on the beach - and even made art!! Here's one sampling that I personally was a part of. When we got back to our rooms - I was pleasantly surprised to find an email from Karen with a picture of our creation. Since I was in the Professional Development mode, and the week is all about digging deeper into our experiences - I took the picture and wondered:
Who is the artist? (the one who took the picture or the ones who made the sculpture?) hmmmm....
What is the title? (what would my friends that were involved say?)
and then I wondered how each of us would reflect on the experience.
So the next day I posed this to those involved - and the comments you see posted here are what they replied (I hadn't thought to do this as a blog at the time so I had to transcribe the paper notes and emails they sent me)
Would love to hear your comments as well - maybe you saw the process? What did you see from the outside? What more do you see here???
posted by Bonnie Nizamis @ 5:44 AM
5 Comments
5 Comments:
Title: Art Full Moments
artist: KAREN KONDRICK
I am, the photographer. I thought about the level I wanted to take the picture from. Which lighting choices accented the features I wanted accented. I also thought about which objects I wanted included in the photo ( I discarded other photos to share because this is the one I chose as "the work of art"
reflection:
Art is often a collaborative effort. Most often between the artist-medium-viewer. This piece became a communal effort as Ward created a "sandball" and Bonnie & ??? Joined in. Justin jumped in adding a face, hair and arms to the creation. I also became part of the art moment by documenting the process, which itself became an art form. The moments of creation slipped through the hands of time just like the creation will slip/wash away with the tide, only captured by the eye of the camera.
Title: SLEEP
artist:
There are 4 artists to credit for the sculpture and setting pictured here - Ward Hartenstein, Bonnie Nizamis, Laura Reeder and Justin Akin
Karen Kondrick gets the photography credit for taking the picture.
So – Who is the artists? You decide
If you were looking at the water bottle – we bought that so no clue on the artist there – but the artwork on the bottle is ESPs.
reflection
Although this looks like a snowman – and those of us that built it can relate easily to that (Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo – did you know that Syracuse has won the golden snowball award for the last 2 years?) – this is a sandman – made of sand – and as I was thinking about it when I went to bed at 1:30 after a very long day – I decided to entitle the piece Sleep – as sandman reminded me that I was tired. After calling it sleep I thought back to when we were building it – and a moment when Justin and I had just remarked how the beating of the waves as we tried to ride them had exhausted us – so Sleep fits! But this was truly a collaborative effort – Ward started it by joyfully playing with a sand ball – and I wondered “how’d you do that?” Being the generous teacher he is he showed Laura and I the process of starting with a wet sand ball and adding dry sand to enlarge it – I still can’t figure out how he got his as big as he did – I even tried the snowball rolling method to no avail. Soon it was Ward with the biggest ball, then me and then Laura – Voila – our sandman was born! Justin joined in to add the seaweed hair and parts to being it to life. I added the water bottle for size and in case he got thirsty. Then Karen captured it with her camera. (YEAH!)
By now I’m sure our sandman is gone from the world as we knew him – but he will live eternally in our hearts and minds with the help of Karen’s picture to remind us of a wonderful evening.
Title: Nude Descending No Staircase
artist: Bonwarla Espart
reflection:
Unique use of materials, mysterious message, a sense of play and naïve passion.
Title: Silicone Sam
artist
Collective effort of Bonnie Nizamis, Ward Hartenstein, Laura Reeder, Justin Akin and Karen Kondrick
reflection
Inspired by the creative energy surrounding him that night on Jones Beach, Ward waded into the ocean and scooped up the wet sand. He brought it away from the water to dry sand and proceeded to sprinkle the dry sand onto his newly formed sand ball. Bonnie and Laura were intrigued. Soon they too had various sized balls rolling in their nimble fingers. The excitement was mounting and something had to be done. Without hesitation Justin suggested to build a sandman. It seemed too perfect.
The balls fit together comfortably. Our vision had taken shape. Eager eyes peered at the statuette and word quickly spread as suggestions flew about what could be added to bring our new partner to life. He was delicately given his locks of seaweed and extremities to boot.
Our newest member of Summer Seminar came into the world just in time to see Bonnie ride a surf board, Laura and Ward catch his potential soul mate and many ESPer’s feebily attempt to match Brian Wilson’s surfing process.
Needless to say, Silicone Sam changed the lives of many. Knowing the importance of this occasion and the inevitable fate of Silicone Same, Karen bravely captured the moment to the relief of all.
We miss you Silicone Sam!
Title: "Taking a Stand Against the Forces of Energy"
artist: Inner Child
Reflection: (artist statement)
Knowing that death is inevitable, must one not stand up and be counted? To gather oneself up from the primordial ooze, if only briefly, is perhaps the grandest statement a consciousness can make. To cling fiercely to each sub-atomic particle that........UH OH! Here comes a really BIG wave......
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