nonsense on Columnar paper

Columnar Journaling, 2008 

Who goes through the trouble of making a book of nonsense, thoughtless writing? Yea. And believe me, making a book is not simple. It takes some real obsessive compulsive people to do so. It is not all nonsense in the sense that the writing is about, how can I put it...book artist block. I was blocked so I allowed the block to flow out of me through an actual book. It has a sequence, a title, with a colophon and all. You can unfold open the pages! Those who are curious enough will find that you can and will be able to read some extra writing. It is fun "nonsense."

I enjoy creating out of recycled materials. The pages are recycled columnar pad paper, folded in half then sowed into a Coptic style stitch (my favorite kind of stitch-binding). The boards are also recycled from drawing pads. This book was born from one of those "I don't know what to do for this assignment" in John Risseuuw's artists books class.

"Goodbye Cluster"

My senior year at ASU, I had been differentiating two words: victim or victorious? I believe the result will be represented in the expression, medium or decisions an artist will take. For instance, I had been battling cluster headaches, ouch, so I created an accordion style book titled "Goodbye Cluster."

It contains a formal letter from me to "It" in which I say goodbye and "thank you for the times we spent together but I no longer want to hear from you." It is like a relationship break up letter. I have not been harassed by cluster in a couple years, thank GOD. I BELIEVE I am healed so I hand-stiched the word "believe" on the pages. 

Changing the World One Foot at a Time!

Intermedia Senior Exhibition: Into the Blue

Held spring 2008 at ASU's Gallery 100. My work consisted of two artist books, an installation and an interactive live art performance on the opening night.

The book
It is titled Backwards, but then Forwards. Again. Close, Personal and Naked. Edition of 11. Contains text and image. The text is personal journal writing about my private and vulnerable cope, struggle and healing. The images are of my nude body, head to toe, copied on a xerox machine. The sequence reveals my writing as it "unfolds" between each copy of my body. This is perhaps the most open and honest work I have ever created in which I incorporate my private life into my art. Did I mention private?

The Performance
This requires a participant to get a beaker containing water and a clear bowl then sit on a stool, all which I provide. Then the shoes come off and I print the bottom the participant's bare feet with the xerox machine onto vellum paper. I place the print on a large rectangular 1 foot pedestal then hand wash one of the participant's feet with soap and water and then the other, letting everything drip into the clear bowl. One participant at a time with a total of five.

The display
The one week display was an installation of the residue of each person's soap/dirt/water in a clear bowl with the image of the printed feet underneath it.

The concept
The act of doing something for another was beneficial for me by taking any focus off of my SELF. Yet I think it was a selfish because it was benefiting ME. Very awkward. I like that. My intent was to inspire hope.

The participants
Maureen McCabe, Joel Carter, Cesar Tafoya, Cody Dean and Katerina Dimitrova. In that order.