Sunday, March 14, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
DONALD A. NORMAN- "The Design of Everyday Things"
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice- Mark J. Plotkin, PH.D
Reading a new book I thought this was interesting.
Tales of a Shamans Apprentice-Mark J. Plotkin. First Chapter
"I had followed the old shaman through the jungle for three days he called me the pananakiri "The Alien" since I did not speak his language after that day he told me through the translator he was finished teaching me.
That night, I had a terrifying dream. An enormous Jaguar strode into my hut and stared deeply into my eyes, as if trying to divine my thoughts. Powerful muscles tensed in its back as it arched its body to spring. So vivid was the apparition that I awoke in a scream. I sat upright in my hammock there were no footprints on the dirt floor nothing to indicate the presence of an unwanted visitor.
The next morning just after sunrise the young Indian who served as our translator came to my hut " Shall we go into the forest to look for more plants?"
"Before we do" I said " Find the old shaman and tell him that last night I saw a Jaguar" I gave the details and the Indian left.
That night, I had a terrifying dream. An enormous Jaguar strode into my hut and stared deeply into my eyes, as if trying to divine my thoughts. Powerful muscles tensed in its back as it arched its body to spring. So vivid was the apparition that I awoke in a scream. I sat upright in my hammock there were no footprints on the dirt floor nothing to indicate the presence of an unwanted visitor.
The next morning just after sunrise the young Indian who served as our translator came to my hut " Shall we go into the forest to look for more plants?"
"Before we do" I said " Find the old shaman and tell him that last night I saw a Jaguar" I gave the details and the Indian left.
He returned a few minutes later. " Did you tell him?" I asked "Yes" he said "What did he say?"
He broke into a big smile and said ,'That was me!"
Today I went to return some books and I wanted to take some more out. Most of time I head to the library without any real idea of what I wanted. I prefer browsing this way which makes each of my choices more seem pure. I feel if I head to the library to take out a book on "POP ART" for example or "Bears", I limit my choices. I usually never use the catalogue system either. This method has worked effectively.
I am growing a garden this year and I currently have plants growing indoors I have about 30 plants many different medicinal herbs and assortment of vegetables. I have been researching the powers of the plant world for many years but only in a very loosely based manor, more recently I am partaking in their growth and learning their history. I was very upset to be so disconnected to my food source. Growing a garden has been very inexpensive and uplifting.This has been a very soothing process its nice to wake seeing leaves of green. This helped me through the inevitable winter blues. I hope to continue learning more about the wonderful natural world and tie that information into my future artwork. This book is just cementing my interest in the creation of "Land Art" I plan on keeping my ear to the ground.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
SKIPPING STONES
As of most recently I collected 200 pounds of perfectly smooth round river rocks. I did not have a purpose for them yet. I began placing them next to bodies of water. This is so when someone like myself goes up to the shore and they want to skip a stone they look down and see the perfect tool for the job. They think that they have found it on their own. They skip it and most likely it will be the best skip they have ever had in their life. I will not be there for the event so the only proof I have of the action is its absence from the location where I placed it. Skipping stones is a very ancient practice. It is also a way to physically connect man with the elements. The rock was molded by fire once lava from the core of the earth, then fractured by ice, Then it fell into the river and was molded by water, then it spent time at the bottom of the river bed, I came along and picked it up and carried it home, then placed on the shore of some body of water, then picked up by a passer by, finally cutting through the wind as it skips across the pond and sinks to the bottom. This process makes this series a form of performance art as well. They will never know me or the lengths the stone went through to be in their hands. They are just receiving a pure quiet moment skipping a stone.
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