Last comments on Art Prize 2011

I have some thank yous to post -
- Cathy and Alan Moore for a warm home and comfortable bed during the three weeks of Art Prize
- Ellen Wilt - thanks Ellen, for the beautiful working space
- Connie Cronenwett - thanks Connie, for the timely use of your paper cutter
- Klaus Wolter - thanks Klaus, for taking pity on me and making the jig
- Paul Malboeuf - thanks Paul, for food, ideas, videos, construction help, support and a million other things
- Rick DeVos for the platform that allowed Art Prize to happen
- the people of Grand Rapids for their warmth and understanding of Rain

MLive Art Prize do over? Here's the link

My two favorite videos of Rain:

This one by Paul Malboeuf on YouTube

And this one by Dustin Dwyer on YouTube

"Rain - Art Prize" update Sept. 10, 2011

Finally! Two days to go until we install "Rain" in Grand Rapids. Almost all the work is done. The 2' square modules are packed up in 5 boxes and the super structure is sitting ready to be transported.

There is a little video of another step in the process but I'm waaaaay beyond that now.

I'll post images of the installation next week, when it's DONE!

Art Prize doesn't open to the public until September 21

Art Prize - on to Silver Leaf

I finished bending the 7600 aluminum wire suspenders on July 4. Now it's on to the silver leaf. This is for Art Prize in Grand Rapids, MI, Sept 21 - Oct 9, 2011.

I have adhered most of the silver leaf to polyester film but have a few sheets of pf to be beautified yet. Here are a few photos of the silver leaf on polyester film before I seal it and cut it into 2.5" squares. It's beautiful this way - makes me want to leave it uncut.

for Art Prize - a little movie

Here's the link to a little video of bending wire activity.

Installation for Art Prize 2011

8 June 2011
Recently I went on a car trip from Ann Arbor, MI to Seattle, WA. While I occupied the passenger seat I bent wire to form suspenders.

I've cut and bent 4800 aluminum suspenders. I have approximately 2600 more to do. This is all in preparation for my installation at the Grand Rapids Public Museum in Grand Rapids for Art Prize 2011 (September 21 - October 9, 2011).

I bent wire in the Columbia River Valley:


I bent wire in Missoula, Montana -


I bent wire at the Grand Coulee Dam -


I bent wire in the car -


I've bent wire in hotel rooms -


This is my elevator talk about the piece (called Rain)I'm making:

"I'm taking 7000 reflective squares and arranging them within the space of an airy 10' cube. The squares will move with ambient air currents."

In case you're wondering how the reflective squares relate to the suspenders, one suspender sits under each reflective square on lines of monofilament. A visual of a small version of this in on youtube.

HARMONY's Story

HARMONY has been sold to the EAI - Encaustic Art Institute. Here is the link for the full story.