Installation, Inspiration

This summer of teaching camps at IS183 Art School has been extraordinarily relevant to my personal work. While teaching a site-specific installation themed camp, Installation, Inspiration, this past week, I have been wrapping up my own installation piece for my residency at Naumkeag, opening August 14th. 

Last week's artist campers were 11-14 years old and came to camp primarily with an enthusiasm for street art. Each day we discussed how art has the power to respond to, interact with, and completely change the identity of space, whether it is in a formal gallery, on the streets, or in nature. 

Armed with inspiration from some of the greats; Candy Chang, Roa, Banksy, Swoon, Blu, Mark Jenkins,  Morely, Andy Goldsworthy, etc etc, campers created their own tags, wheatpastes, posters, packing tape casts, land art, and murals, all leading up to an installation piece of their own inside or outside of the building. 

We evaded poison ivy, mosquitos, and...bears....really,  for the sake of totally unique project - forest cellograffs. Students chose a location in the woods right off IS183's lawn and stretched cellophane between two trees, forming giant transparent walls which they painted with colorful mural designs. 

The students' Morley inspired posters coupled self portraits with statements that they want to make to their audience. These ranged from "I'm so iconic" to "You could be who you want to be" to, simply, "I wish..."

Such a treat to be able to share my passions with students and watch their minds take off.