CONCLUSIONS. (and continuations)

I know I know, it's been ages since I've updated. I didn't even tell you how the event went! Well, it was incredible. I feel really good about what went down May 2. It was miraculous to have it all come together. My parents, the day before (they told me later) walked into the space in the morning and were seriously worried -- piles, trash, pink fabric, ladders, signs un-hung, the place was just slightly un-finished. What they didn't understand was that the key to this installation was impeccability and what we called at Elsewhere "sprucing". With a team of 15 people working and making things happen, a slight re-alignment of a pink plush brick, or sweeping the floor, or putting a table cloth on, or adjusting the lighting made a huge difference. and just like that, we were ready. We ate a delicious staff dinner, everyone threw on their conductor uniforms, conductor badges, we took a family portrait, Kate put the finishing touches on the guest book, Sharon showed up with delicious snacks, Dani brought the crossing-guard uniform, Mom vacuumed the place, and Kathleen placed the inkpads where they had to go. And then people showed up!

Here is a video documentation of the piece that my friend and delightful film-maker documentarian Joe graciously made for me. Thank you for this beautiful and concise evidence and proof of my creation Joe.

Right (Here), Right (Now), You (Really) from Joe Fenstermaker on Vimeo.

I am currently working on an interactive website documentation of this piece. My goal is to have a working website done by the end of July. It's going to be good. At least, it is really epic in my mind and in the scribbled diagrams I've made of what it will look like...

For now I have settled in Greensboro, North Carolina. I am working as the Community Coordinator of Elsewhere Artist Collaborative. Please take an internet stroll on over to follow my current exploits as my alternate-elsewhere-self, where you can read about what we ate for dinner, what has changed in the museum this week, and what community initiatives I'm leading up. I think this is an incredible position I get to take on after completing my Division III -- Elsewhere inspired and empowered me to create the community and the sense of play around the work I was able to produce in my Division III project. Where would I be without, "make Friends, not Art" ???

I'm here until November. At which point I go off into the world of unknown. Fortunately, I am armed with thoughts of artist residencies? educational outreach positions at art museums? forming a traveling collaborative troupe? seamstress extraordinaire that also somehow builds community on frozen lakes in minnesota? the it's-never-too-cliche-to-be-a-barista?

See you in other realms of the internet. And I hope in real life too. I really miss real-life a lot of times. Meet me there, here, (in blogs) elsewhere. (and beyond elsewhere)

love
aliya

p.s. I can't wait to include you all in my next collaboration and performance and presentation and installation... create community and art wherever you are! right here! right now! you! really!

Things Accomplished in the Last 7 Days

In chronological order:

1. Combated a pink-eye infection induced by sadness about leaving.
2. Gracefully introduced many extended family members to the many extended family members of my good friends and everyone seemed to get along and even enjoy themselves!
3. Designed and produced a fancy dress personally tailored and fitted to myself to wear to Graduation.
4. Made matching handkerchiefs for special people in my life.
5. Cleaned the living room after my sweat-shop dress-making-and-moving-out-of-art-studios hurricane.
6. GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE AND RECEIVED A BACHELORS OF ARTS DEGREE.
7. Moved out of my home for the past year, The Castle, Mod 66. With lots of assistance and patience from my mom (thank you).
8. Gave away and sold and distributed and pawned-off and threw away so many things I've accumulated. Starting out with a clean slate [except for the two boxes of fabric and project-pieces in the car right now...] so I can start collecting new things.
9. Said goodbye to Hampshire College.
10. Cleaned the Art Barn and found new homes for my enormously inconvenient sculptures.
    
11. Requested transcripts from Central Records so that I have paper evidence that I did something these past four years. As I turned in my papers, the lady behind the desk cooed, "Oh, it's our artist! I just loved your poster. It was just beautiful."
12. Began planning parts of our upcoming Ireland trip.
13. Found on Craigslist, Obtained via exploring parts of WMass I haven't been to, and Installed even without knowing how it actually attaches, a car bike-rack onto my car (and have successfully navigated with the bike on the car not hurting the bike, myself, the car, or other people!)
14. Returned a bottle of "Great Stuff" [please ignore the kinda-duche-y guy in the video] that I had high hopes for but realized I didn't need. Was reimbursed $4.49.
15. Obtained a new notebook and new organizational system for my new life.
16. Got the car looked at because of the rumbling I've been ignoring. Received an OK for Long Drives nod from very experienced mechanic.
    
17. Became 2/3 protected against HPV.
18. Fought a battle against the American Health Care System and lost.
    
19. Learned lessons about the American Health Care System.
20. Scanned all the notes and pieces left by people from my Division 3 show so they can be better documented later.
21. Found a maybe-awesome-but-maybe-it's-actually-hideous-I-can't-decide-yet? bridesmaid's dress for Kerianne's Wedding next week.
22. Went on adventures to Greenfield, Turners Falls, South Hadley, and Springfield MA. Was amazed at how green everything is in the summer.
23. Said goodbye to western massachusetts and all my friends and familiar things there. Began a new wander-y portion of my life.

I will post soon about the conclusions of my Division 3 project, and some photos and documentation! So much to say. Thank you all for your support and presence in my life this year. Thank you for assisting me to accomplish so many things and adventures and projects and beginnings and endings. I wish I'd taken more photos this past week. I wish I could hold onto more parts. I feel sad, but good. I went on just the right amount of walks in the Hampshire Woods, I packed just the right amount of sweatshirts, I said just the right amount of goodbyes, I kept with me just the right amount of projects, I left at just the right time.

love,
aliya

breath

As I am in the midst of making THE BIG FINAL CHART, I wrote down "make thank-you book" and immediately was hit in a big way by how grateful and thankful I am for all the amazing people that have guided me, talked to me, fed me, advocated for me, joined in with me, and been in my life this year.

I wish I could make a thank you book that included everyone that has ever made a difference in my life, going all the way back to Jo from third grade who taught me to crochet, or every distant family member, or the people in my first hampshire class, or the online-teacher who doesn't even remember me probably who showed me that collaborative art exists or all the groups of people I've become a part of around any project I've done in the past four years.... but it would take too long and mom wouldn't let me do that and I'd leave someone out anyways.

But, please know, honestly and deeply, I am so thankful to you. Thank you. You. Really.

best quote of the year

"keep up the spirit of your creative force." - thom haxo

blogs are for telling people things, right?

Things I am currently thinking which I would like people to know for some reason probably pertaining to the fact that I am growing up in the age of the internet:

1. I put together a really kick-ass pajamas outfit tonight. Mostly, it's because of the addition of cowboy boots, which unfortunately I can't wear to bed. I want to wear this everyday as my uniform, except that wouldn't make sense because then I would feel schlumpy. But as pajamas, this is a great outfit. That's what's great about pajamas, they're like sketches for masterpiece outfits later on in your real life.
2. I really love friendship bracelets. I also really love art pieces that involve acquiring friendship bracelets.
3. I am very much ready for it to be so hot outside that all you want to do is walk around in a bathing suit and you don't feel self conscious about it at all cause you're so awesome.
4. Things are going and churning. My project is becoming clearer every day. It's like with each meeting and piece I sew and project I keep working on, one little part of the piece comes into focus a bit more. I just have to trust that it will become a high-resolution photo by the time may 2 comes along.
5. "sweet dreams" is such a nice statement.

Goodnight, sweet dreams! Are you ready for The Most Productive and Additionally Amazing Weekend of Your Life? Do you have your Special Pajama Outfit on?? (say yes! say yes!)

Joe followed me to work one day...

Aliya Div III Preparation from Joe Fenstermaker on Vimeo.

Art For The Family.

= my new inspiration and guide book.

Also, I've been listening to this on repeat and singing loudly (badly?) into the warm nights.

too many notebooks but not enough pink bathing suits.

ok ok ok ok ok!
I've put off blogging for so long that my list of things to blog has stacked up! and I really should be doing other things right now, but dammit, I need to tell you what's been going down! so many things! and now.... another Aliya Random List!

• I got a space! In northampton! Working through Commonwealth Center for Change and their storefrontART program, I get to use a currently-available office space, that's in the sorta-basement of a building in town, on the bus line, easy to get to, and so big! It's perfect. Really, I am so amazed this worked. Thom, my committee chair said, "Aliya, you just keep surprising us." Apparently, everyone but me had been freaking out about what would happen if I didn't land a space, and I had just forgotten/become too busy doing other things to be really worried, and then it just happened! Julia called me up and told me that the building owner read through my proposal and decided to go for it. And now I have the keys! Thank you Goggins Real Estate! I made a sign which I will put on the door so I don't have to keep sneaking around, thinking the neighbors will think I'm not legit or something. I'm legit!
• This was also really amazing because it showed me that I really could not have gotten this project done without becoming a part of a larger community. I have developed a relationship with Commonwealth Center for Change, and through that I've met so many amazing artists and organizers, and also just seen how I could be a big force, asking for what I need and believing in how it can make a difference. It's like Julia and David set me up to be really big and important, and so I'm living into that. wow. thanks.
• I've been working back and forth between thinking big picture things, and then thinking lists of materials I should buy at my favorite hardware store. It's making me kind of crazy trying to figure out what to do with THIS DAY, right now, in this hour or something. Because I could get overwhelmed thinking about all these small things I need to do, but then I get worried I'm thinking too specifically about one element, and so the rest of it won't hold together. My committee advised me that I need to "move in" to the space in northampton. OMG. They are so right though -- I need to be making work in the space that I am transforming, and responding to the specific spaces instead of inserting my ideas into this framework. But, AHHHH! I was getting so comfortable in the Art Barn! I made all these friends! I just finished organizing everything just right! Oh well. As Greg pointed out.... the space in northampton is like 10 studios! FOR REAL HOW DO ALL THESE AWESOME THINGS HAPPEN??
• when I'm not thinking that, I freak out slightly. Just to keep this blog realz.
  
• On other news, the stuffed animals have INFILTRATED AMERICA!!! They are spreading wide and far and I am SO EXCITED to have so many amazing people in my life making stuffed animals! From coast to coast, manatee-vacuums, big-butt-rabbits, blobby-bear-buffaloes, dinosaur-giraffes, and whale-fish are being created! They emerge from these old fabrics and wow! THANK YOU to everyone who is making an animal (or more!). One of my super-awesome Division II Community Service Assistants, Dorothy, is just TEARING UP THE PLACE making so many stuffed animals. She also discovered that the giraffe is a super-ergonomic new kind of sleeping pillow! If you want to jump on this super-cool band wagon, let me know and I'll set you up with a pattern and some fabric!
  
• Angela (from Elsewhere and who now works at ReproDepot Fabrics) called me up yesterday and asked if I wanted some more fabric, and if I could come by that afternoon....um, yes! ALL PLANS CANCELED! I got to climb around fabric mountain once again, and this time I was really drawn to all the hot-pink fabrics. So I have a ton of white and off white for making tents.... and then all different kinds of hot pink. I'm imagining a hot-pink room. Maybe. or at least my after-graduation plans have turned to: Extensively Exploratory Series of Matching Hot Pink Bathing Suits for Everyone.
  
• One thing I realized yesterday when I was being Very Serious and making lists and plans was that I needed to loosen up and trust myself. So the rest of the week is the last week of planning and testing. I thought about it like I was back in February, and I was making an installation-a-day, and it was no big deal if it was good or no good. So I laid out a really big piece of fabric along the floor (something I couldn't do in the art barn because everything is so dirty and paint-y) and realized it was a really weird piece of fabric. Then I rolled myself up in it, and then tied it to a pole to make a little fort. crazy artists...
• Allison and I are going to make our own Passover this year! I was for some reason whistling a Hebrew prayer one night in the Art Barn and she said, "Are you whistling Jewish songs?? We should make Passover together!" So we are! I'm making charoset, and she's making matzo ball soup, and all the cool kids are invited. I'm really excited because Passover is always a holiday that we actually did in my family, and I felt like it was something I could really "own" as something I identified with. My dad made a hagaddah in 1992 with his own poems and versions of the prayers, and every year we say we're going to update it and we don't. So I'm excited to bring it to this new Passover Seder and add some other parts. Micah said we have to have some scientific facts to balance out the religion we're bringing into his house. I think it will be awesome.
• Side Trip: Art-Barn Bus trip to Boston to look at Art Museums! Luckily, they rented a really strong bus to carry us all there: All the cool kids sat in the back and it was super fun. I had to adjust to thinking about art like a 14th century art critic instead of a crazy collaborative artist who is delusional and thinks everyone makes art, and then it was so great! I loved following Allison around because as I found out that day, she Knows A Great Deal About Most Things. She's also taking way more art-history classes than me. We spent a long time in this special exhibit which was lovely. I really enjoyed this part where they x-rayed a huge piece which was a picture of the birth of Christ, and realized that it had actually started out as a picture of the Crucifixion!! WOW! Allison LOVED this piece. I loved that all the women were wearing so many jewels and fancy braids in their hair. makes me want to braid my super-long rat-tail.... I also loved opening up to different types of art than I would usually look at. We also saw all these vases and ceramic pieces that had little pillows. It was weird, and I couldn't figure out why such a big fancy museum was presenting these pieces so lame-ly, and then we read a sign that said due to the vibrations in the building because of construction/renovations, they had to reposition some of the pieces. But look how cute this vase is taking a little nap! Also, Allison is Mad on Color.
• A trip down memory lane: I made Tofu Poppyseed Cake, the epic subject of the Most Told Story of Aliya's Macrobiotic Childhood. For those who haven't heard: When I was little my favorite cake was this Tofu Poppyseed Cake. Mom made it for Kindergarden birthday... Everyone sings me happy birthday and then I am shoveling it into my mouth because it's so freaking good, while everyone else scrapes it off their tounges; teachers are horrified. I decided to make it again, now, in my maturity as a young twenty-something (wow, that feels so legit) adult. Results: I liked it! It wasn't quite AWESOME, and needed some apple-orange zest syrup (also dairy, sugar free!), and could use some more ajusting, but the point is that I haven't completely crossed the line to the Dark Side of sheet cakes. Some reviews from Expert Testers:

• "It's kinda hard to swallow 'texture'"
• "It's very mild, like gummy bread."
• "I liked it, but my belly didn't."
• "I like the taste, but I don't like looking at it."
• "There was a kid my mom was babysitting, and his ear drum burst, and the stuff that came out looked like that. It was all over the patio."
• "I need to get some water."
  

SO. In Conclusion, I am very blessed, I have such an amazing team around me, and thank you. Wow. Division III season is blooming with the spring, I'm getting Div III invitations in my mail box all the time like a really good valentine's day, and there are flowers and grass emerging and I know this is all super cliche, but I'm just so excited. When I'm not busy being freaked out or eye-twitchy.

Thank you so much for being a part of what I'm creating. I can't wait to see you all at the show.


(p.s. send me your address and I'll send you an OFFICIAL REALLY IMPORTANT GLOSSY FANCY invitation to my show!!)

(p.p.s. the website is still IN DEVELOPMENT so don't judge too hard....)

(tiny post)

(a very small post to keep you slightly updated, with a promise for a longer update soon soon soon documenting the exciting, overwhelming, promising, and side-track-ing happenings of the past two weeks)

my fingers (thumbs) are sore from hand-sewing. I haven't hand-sewn this much since third-grade when Amelia and I made an under-water landscape needlepoint together. It had a mermaid and plants and fish and shells and so many other things. I wonder what happened to that.

THIS latest embroidery/quilt project still exists, however, and will soon become my official Division III Invitation (to be sent to YOU dear reader, granted you supply me with an address). I've been secretly (not really secretly) thinking about my invitation to my Division III show since I realized my first year that it was something Div 3s did. I am so excited to go into the mail room and stuff mailboxes of all the people I respect and admire and enjoy with this beautiful card and invitation...

What do the shapes/design remind you of or what do they look like? Or if they look like nothing in particular, is it an interesting composition of nothing? I'm not sure if my original idea really comes through... but it's not terribly important I think.

Also, I wish I had a really big scanner.





p.s.:::: MAY 2, 2009! 6-9PM!! Northampton, MA!!! Sullivan Square Building!! Suite 108!!! OMG!!! FOR REALZ!!!!!

artHAPPENING

Conducting, processing, recruiting, mapping, drawing, carnival-trucking, dress-uping, art-ing, poeming, eating, spinning, newspaper-hatsing, censusing.... so many things happened at last Friday's event and it was a success I think. It was kinda weird because it just started all of a sudden, and even though I wasn't totally ready it was already going without me. And the flow was happening differently than I thought, and everyone was interpreting the event as they would, and I suddenly realized I had to let go of some of the control, and just let the event happen as it would. It was hard to remove myself from the role of organizer and overseer of the event, and actually participate or do some of the things we had set up. I had to keep letting go of how I thought everything was going to go.

BUT. I had a great time conducting, and entering people into the event via the HEIGHT CENSUS. I loved seeing the beautiful sashes and newspaper hats walking around the room, the amazingly official Conductor's Badges shining on the Conductors' chests. People dressing up was a great highlight, seeing the costumes change as the night went on.

So many people from my life showed up and it was so great to see you all -- thank you. My advisor came and stayed for almost an hour and left with a big smile. My reslife family came. Hampshire friends and people I'd been wanting to catch up with for a long time came. And new friends came and brought their energies and excitement. Thank you to my conductors--- I can't wait to work with you again soon. Thank you to Julia and David and Haley for supporting me so much in making this event happen and trusting and believing in me even when it meant wearing a newspaper hat and for making me bigger than I can be even while wearing high-heeled red cowboy boots.

Pictures by Derek Goodwin.

ANNOUNCING....

A Very Exciting Event!! Orchestrated by yours truly and some awesome people, and featuring YOU!

Friday, March 13, 2009; 5-8pm; Downstairs of Thornes and along Kirkland Avenue

totally legit procrastination

• month-long daily installation project completed:

• girl-time lunch bonding had:
• art barn water cooler installed:
• art barn calendar of time:
• mysteries solved:
• shoes decorated:
• journal decorated:
• christmas/birthday/hanukkah/equinox/new year presents (finally) given:
• friends made:
• vicious animals warned:
• oh, and some real stuff too (including kicking the SHIT out of PHOTOSHOP!):

(problem: I am now in love with a very expensive computer program)