Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Camac Artist Residency, France

Today marks 1.5 months I have been residing in the countryside of France, in a beautiful small village called Marnay sur Seine. With about 250 residents, this town hugs the Seine river with agriculture and farming as it's main business. (Of course the Champagne vineyards are very closeby as well :)
This residency is allowing my studies on water, and the Seine river specifically, to open up new doors on the importance of water, the history of the Seine, and the various terrains this large river flows through on it's way to the ocean where it joins the Atlantic on the coast of Normandy.  The residency grounds are old and rustically wonderful - dating back to the 10th century where it once was a monastery - then in the 1960's a thriving radio station in France. (Thus the many cool record albums still stashed in the basement.) Here are a few photos of the buildings, where the messenger pigeons' ancestors once flew regularly off the rooftops long ago...




I am currently in the middle of my water research, testing the water from the Seine river to see if colors and patterns can affect the molecular structure of the crystals. Exposing the water in jars to found elements from the neighborhood which I added color and patterns to, I then use dry ice to freeze each drop of water after various amounts of time to see if there are any differences in each drop's crystal structures. Here are some photos of the water while being exposed, and I will post more once the test is concluded - at the end of this month.  I hope to see interesting results! Stay tuned.....





















Trantler: Unity Sculpture installed in Gearhart, Oregon

The sculpture installed at the Sweet Shop Gearhart titled Trantler is based on combining two predominant elements in Gearhart: the wild elk...