LAW 130: Looking for America

So i have a pretty good start on my newest project, which i previewed in my last post. It has taken on a definite shape; i see a definite focus, and i am enjoying it! I had better, as it is looking to be a pretty big time commitment. As i currently envision it there will be 9 signatures in the book, with 8 pages per signature. Gadzooks! that's 72 drawings. I am hoping that this will be a daily process. We'll see what my hands think about it.

Personal assistant, studio cat, ship's cat, Magellan

So, the project is called, Looking for America, a tip of the hat to Simon and Garfunkel. In a weird little piece of synchronicity this very cool, evocative song was actually playing on the radio as i started the first page!

page 1, day 1, 5.6.17

I really like creating a series of work, like this one, around an internal structure; a frame work, if you will, that provides unity to the body of work. I have taken this approach to most of my creative endeavors beginning while i was in graduate school.  The rules of the road to not need to be elaborate, or even ironclad. They are simply there as a guide, or, as in this case, a road map.

page 2, day 2, 5.7.17

In the case of Looking for America I created the pages out of maps from the index of a 1954 Hammond Ambassador World Atlas. The pages are 9.25 x 6.25". Formally the text functions as a frame for the map/drawing; is stream of conscious,  and answers the following 2 questions, have i been here? and could i get my boat, Tesla's Revenge there, by water. Drawings are mostly zen doodle playing off the gird of the street maps. Or as an art friend commented recently, mapping the maps.

page 3, day 3, 5.8.17

As always i have help from my beloved personal assistant, Magellan. See photo above.

page 4, day 4, 5.9.17

An online art friend was curious about what led me to structure this piece the way i have.  Since Don and i are planning to travel extensively, starting sometime this summer, it was a natural focus for this work. We are still at the big picture part of trip planning, we still need  to work out something like a schedule for our ports of call. Tesla's Revenge, as a solar powered boat, theoretically has an infinite range, but it does require the sun, and time.

page 5, day 5, 5.10.17

So, each day before starting i usually google the city of the day, looking at water accessibility, travel time, etc and maybe if i haven't been to the city in question, basic tourist information.

page 6, day 6, 5.11.17

So the first signature is done, i have developed a rhythm, my wrists hurt, but hey, what's new with that? I'm a maker, it goes with the territory.

page 7, day 7, 5.12.17

 I have yet to decide how i am going to approach the non map pages. I have several 'tourist' shots that backed some of the maps. Well, i have time to think about, right?

page 8, day 8, 5.13,17

More later,
gail