Sunday, March 27, 2011

Being More Thoreau

Two weeks ago I visited the site of Henry David Thoreau's shack on Walden pond with a good friend of mine.  A small vacation in Seattle means that you don't see the images until now, but I didn't figure that anyone would mind the wait.



I am incredibly interested in the persona of Thoreau.  The man stated that he thought that the working man was miserable and that you should just go do whatever helps you subsist.  Interesting in theory I suppose, but it does seem relatively impossible in this day and age.  And also, it is worth noting that while he inhabited the cabin, friends would bring him food and drink.  He was not completely living off of the land, no, he was really just avoiding the tax man.  I think that in late March and early April a lot of us can kind of appreciate that mentality.

But the way that I have been thinking of Thoreau is as an icon.  He is an icon of thinking above work and of attempting to experience things to the fullest as an individual.  These are things that I feel my wooden block project is starting to hint at, so I decided to share my blocks with Mr Thoreau.  I am sure that he approved:




 
This working outdoors thing is pretty cool.  Not quite used to it yet, and really trying to keep out of my own way creatively lately but we will see what happens.  Talk with you later.
Peace
-Mike

Friday, March 11, 2011

The End is the Beginning is the End

Thought I would start off the morning with a little Smashing Pumpkins reference.  Apparently they were in conversation twice yesterday in Portland.  The question of "are they still relevant/cool?" came up.  I don't really know, but I still dig some of their stuff.  So anyway, moving on to artwork....

This has been a super difficult semester, unlike the last one that was super difficult, wait.  Ok, so no change on this front really, but I'm starting to create some very different, though fundamentally me, artwork.  I decided to share the component installation with all of you.  It is in progress, and I am just starting to get more excited with the process so we will see what happens with it in the near future.


This is not the most  crystal clear image.  That is something that I will be trying to work out a little bit in this near future as well.  As I create better images of the work I will definitely be sharing a little bit more.

Until next time though, be safe, and for those of you on the Pacific, be extra safe.
Peace
Mike