TRACK THREE

Being track three is not the worst of the three. It isn’t third place. No. Track three signifies exploration.

I enjoy the moment when people are lost in celebration, in the grasp of an emotional conversation, or having a momentary reprieve from pushing their way through a crowd. There in the gaps between being consciously aware of themselves are moments when people are only who they are.

Photography enables me to catch these glimpses of people’s humanity. A good photo can at first glance seem so typical, as if there is no reason for the photo at all. But, as you begin to stare, there starts a little internal conversation with the content of the piece. Who is this person, what are they doing, why is this important.

Casey BLK. Image produced with a Cannon A-1 using Fuji Neopan 400.

All The Real Girls. Image produced with a Cannon A-1 using Fuji Superia X-TRA 400.

Dark Green. Image produced with a Cannon A-1 using Fuji Provia 100F (e6 cross-processing).

The artist maintains an influential role in the process of storytelling. Plato expressed a certain wariness when it comes to the amount of power artists wield through an ability to articulate things that might challenge vested authority. The great power of artists is their potential to bypass social constructs and articulate something that is on the verge of becoming. This is very much in line with the process of personal narrative and dialogue developing into larger public discourse. When artists are able to recognize the more fluid nature of personal narrative and articulate those stories, there lies the possibility to open public discourse at a livable scale.

But storytelling is more than a vehicle for social change: what really gives it power is its ability to captivate, to convey meaning, to inspire, to entertain. Its sheer accessibility and ubiquity allows it to be a potent tool. Few things are more human than storytelling, regardless of whether it takes the form of a blockbuster or just porch-sitting chatter. Look around: print, radio, film, illustration, performance—we are inundated by stories, but for some reason we miss how they shape everything we do. If truth is just what sounds the best, then those who weave the best stories hold the power to shape the world.

Storytelling Is Dead/Long Live Storytelling [exerpt], Charlotte Viewpoint, July 2010 issue.

writing

In this paper, we explore what it means to be neighbors to an expansive and fast growing campus. Through surveys, focus groups and interviews, a neighborhood that developed along side a fast growing campus is analyzed. Along with accounts of frustration, lost quality of life and opposing views of the vision for the neighborhood, we explore what motivates residents of College Downs to interact with UNCC, and how the campus-community relationship might be improved in the future. This paper provides a glimpse into issues contained in campus-community relationships when expansive growth come with intensified housing needs and student choices to locate in a residential neighborhood. The difficult side effects of the convenient transient homes college students rent in a neighborhood are exposed and discussed. By examining the neighborhood dynamics between long time home owners and student tenants we are able to better understand the sources of tension, catalogue benefits, and recognize avenues to reduce tensions and build upon common interests. Recommendations from community residents with application beyond this local study includes establishing formal channels of communication and engaging university control mechanisms to regulate students living off campus.

Good Neighbors? – University of North Carolina Charlotte [exerpt], presented at ACSP conference, awaiting publication.

writing

Get Seedy was a project I worked on for The Greenhorns organization in Brooklyn. When discussing what the poster would be used for -- a seed bank exhibit at Farm Aid’s 25th anniversary -- I decided to go with a seed concept. The star background was used because of their similarity to seeds and was overlayed with maple seeds. I then added in the shovel to emphasize work and an attachment to the land.

Earthweek. Logo design (special edit), 2010.

Get Seedy. Process on gridded Moleskin journal, 2010.

The Earthweek project presented a county wide Earth Day celebration spread among multiple venues and includes both private and public organizations. I was a founding organizer and developed the logo, press materials, and merchandise. The logo was developed with all parties, arriving at the final copy collectively.

Get Seedy. Poster design (18 x 24), 2010.

Nest, process, 2009

The construction and aesthetic of Nest transferred to Boat x2. I focused on showing the materials used in construction as I attempted to create a form that was reminiscent of a south pacific raft. Since the piece is a miniature, new techniques were used, focusing on needle work. I learned how to translate a similar aesthetic through new technique and materials.

Nest, multimedia installation, 2009

I worked on the Nest installation for a group show in 2009. It is a cheeky take on the bird nest and highlights the assorted materials typically seen in nests. I chose to use a cantilever to support the structure from the top where two wires ran straight down connecting to a platform mirroring the visible section of the cantilever. The nest was then hung on these two wires vertically with four stripped portable televisions. The lower right television played Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds on loop.

Boat x2, multimedia minature, 2010

In 2009, I was asked to join the art gallery Dugg Dugg located in Charlotte, NC. Founders Iris Williamson and Andrea Brown asked me to be a part of the project as co-director to help with artist selection, logistics, and overarching vision of the project. We began with one primary location in the NoDa neighborhood After a number of successful exhibits, music shows, and film screens, we decided to concentrate on satellite “guerrilla” shows.

While in Charlotte we conducted monthly group and solo shows at multiple venues, attracting people into neighborhoods and buildings which they would otherwise not venture. We have always maintained a very strong community-centric approach to our shows, hoping to engage people in their art community. The art we focus on is primarily emerging modern art by both artists who are just gaining recognition and those who are more established.

Dugg Dugg has received media coverage from the publications Charlotte Observer and Creative Loafing as well as online media sources CLT Blog and Point 8. We also collaborated with a number of organizations, including Pecha Kucha Charlotte where we selected candidates for upcoming shows. At the end of 2010 our core relocated to NYC while maintaining representatives in Charlotte. We currently have shows in both Charlotte and Brooklyn.

Origional space. First Show. 2009.

Heidi Landau. Childrens Home show, 2010.

Maury Gortemiller. 1/1000 sq/ft show, 2010.

Taro Hattori. 1/1000 sq/ft show, 2010.

Mary Tuma. 1/1000 sq/ft show, 2010.

Caroline Covington. First Show show, 2009.

Foxchase. 2009 Southern Holiday event.

Southern Holiday 2010 event poster I designed with Benjamin Gelnett.

Helena Sanders. 2009 Southern Holiday event.

Lisa Iglesias. 2010 Southern Holiday event.

BEST OF CHARLOTTE 2010

critics pick

In May, the artist collective Dugg Dugg brought together institutions and groups large and small to string together an amazing range of events that spanned 10 days and multiple venues all around the city. It was an unusual mix of media and talent, ranging from drawing to theater, music to yoga and discussion forums to roller derby. In the process, the young team once again demonstrated what a small group with vision and initiative can achieve, while showcasing the truly diverse creative potential of our city.

Around the time I was approached by Dugg Dugg, I was also working with Helena Sanders on a project named Southern Holiday. Southern Holiday was set out to bring together all of the mediums of art - visual, performance, audio - for a one night feast of the senses experience.

Due to the overwhelming success, we decided to continue the project in 2010. For the 2010 Southern Holiday, Dugg Dugg took over organizing. We decided to expand the event from a single night to a ten day event which took place in multiple venues with over 25 organizations participating.

With the goal of creating a more unified, vibrant, and supportive art culture in Charlotte, participants included McCall Center PaperGirl, Cltblog, Machine Theatre, Kinnikinnik Records, Point 8 Forum, The Light Factory, Dugg Dugg, Pura Vida, Furious Seasons, Ink Floyd, Yoga Interventions, Women Centered Art Co-op, Blu Magazine, and Roller Derby Girls. Community installation. 2010 Southern

Holiday event. Photo courtesy of Jenny Hanson.

Steve Gurysh. 2009 Southern Holiday event.