Tasks of early May
Any of these projects appeal to you? Help wanted especially Sat. & Sunday, May 10/11, 2014.
ATEN hours for compensation, or trade shop/workshop time for your own project.
Update: 12-10
For Weekend of 12-14 + 12-15: ( c o m e o u t s i d e a n d u s e y o u r h a n d s . . . )
bureaucracy baby pictures
I’m either just about to get this dream kicked into gear, or on the verge of realizing I’m totally nuts. Hopefully.
What is the dream? Well, quite simply it is a cooperative re-purposing factory (with functional and fanciful output) that also happens to be a school of creativity, a laboratory for scientific observation, and a relaxing outdoor environment for vocational therapy.
Getting the chalkboard up to facilitate the factory/school functions and Metal Alley constructed to house materials was super exciting this last weekend. Getting O-R-G-A-N-I-Z-E-D. Here is the current list:
All this and more…
Wanna help? Volunteers will be reimbursed with alternative currency (ATEN Hours), a pleasant experience, and good karma.
sounds in the dark
( >,< cricket, cricket >,< )
I have an Intention to re-become a blogger.
Here’s a little piece in the game of catchup…
This is I think my favorite recorded vocal performance (of my own), after Juice Song (chronologically):
(click picture)
SIDE SAUCE cover, 2009.
p.s. Recent Synaesthetic Experience Report : I was dancing to music by a band at Trailer Space recently, when I had a sudden vivid memory of the taste + smell of anise, perhaps triggered by the music, or the dancing… Yummy music!
The Art of Found:
mmm… this tangle of stuff just hits my aesthetic tastebuds in the right place.
I had a few helpers at the RE-aRT studio last OdD SaTUrdAy, and got them to take some Art of Found pictures, too:
Batman is fighting the scary purple tentacles, and dodging the dangerous metal spirals! (photo by Jennifer Jarding)
And here we have an obelisk with a face: the personality of the tree coming through, contradicting the squareness with a deep story… (photo by Shane Roach)
Took some photos in San Marcos last night
Yesterday (Wednesday, Sept. 19th, 2012) had a lot of cartoony details in it. Like finding a worm in the rice after eating. Like the smell of moth balls following me everywhere after not even touching them… like the family of skinny deer standing and staring at me. A big dog ineffectually, repeatedly humping a tiny dog. A field full of fragrance at night. And then of course the procession of grown children heading toward a tunnel for an underground concert. Then all the paranoias, like scorpions, flash-floods, gas leaks. Music/sound and ambiance so perfect- – snuggling with a cartoon giant. And finally, the painting-worthy closed Valero station, captured poorly but glowing nonetheless.
This is the cartoon giant (on the right) I found a comfortable place with and listened to George St. John play a song.
CURE FOR BOREDOM tour commences!
Next Tuesday is the trip to The Valley (… that’s the Rio Grande Valley, y’all).
I have been invited to make a big beautiful mess in a gallery down there (Feb. 24th). So, my brain has been in hamster wheel overdrive. Of course, as usual, I have thought up a project that is waaay bigger than what can be accomplished by one person, so I+the gallery are recruiting volunteers to help make my fantasies become real (like Pinocchio becoming a real boy).
Here are some examples, for you potential volunteer recruits reading this out there, of what I might have you do to help out. But remember, always be prepared for something unexpected (including but not limited to your own inspiration!) —
-Anyone have access to a P.A. or have an extra amp or 2?
-Scavenger hunts (tracking down random-specific materials) ** In fact, if someone would join this list-serve a.s.a.p., that would be VERY helpful. It is McAllen’s Freecycle group — an excellent resource for finding free materials… I can’t join because I don’t live there.
-I need a cardboard computer.
-sewing, and sewing.
-Leading stretches, yoga or other physical activity to energize in the morning or provide healthy breaks to the focused work time.
-Assisting with production (i.e. help manage schedules, meals, times+places, etc.).
-Making a 2-D (miniature) representation of a carnival ride out of bottle caps & other junk.
-Straightforward stuff like climbing a ladder to hang something or adjust lighting.
-Making signs…
-Assembling costumes (sewing, glue-gun, etc.); Inventing accessories.
-Trying on costumes…
-Setting up Office; sorting papers with writing on them; Helping make IDEAS book.
-Musicians! Especially those who like improvisation.
-being part of the think tank.
-performing a Role for opening night. **It would be awesome to have 3-4 people willing to wear a costume of their choice and to perform one or more roles for the benefit of the event-game-organism’s participants. WE will be video-recording as much of the event as possible.
If you’re wondering what I will be doing, I will probably be:
-sweeping, even though the NAAG is by far cleaner than the other places I show (it’s a grounding thing),
-moving objects and climbing ladders,
-spending QT in each of the different sub-spaces,
-teaching/ training/ guiding the processes
-making messes, taking pictures and cleaning up
But truly, it is the DOCUMENTERS (will that be you?) who will reveal and plant the lasting memories of what really happens, and how.
*
*
p.S. There will be a dog named Chips there, too, who is a sweet ol’ Schnauzer love-bunny.
I have long lists
…Of posts I want to post, and reasons why I haven’t posted.
One time-sucking convenient reason = Facebook.
Second really big reason = the time I spend keeping this organization going…
But I don’t really care much for excuses; just take this teaser photo and anticipate the deluge to come…
Got a new (to me) camera from my brother for christmas; see what it can do!
An Open House This Weekend ~ Get the Tour!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29th, noon ’til 5
2608B Rogers Ave. 78722
This Open House is especially for the Austin Time Exchange Network — members and new members. (We’ll do an orientation to ATEN at 4:00, so you can join up!)
I have long been dreaming of having bustling Work Days with all sorts of people using this space around the duplex I live in as a laboratory of creative exploration, documentation, and transformation. There’s just so much to do! It is a place of freedom as well as challenges, somewhere you can hang out until you find inspiration.
So, what is it again? Well, I have a hard time choosing one explanation. It’s a collection spot for certain kinds of “junk”. There’s a studio, a puppet stage area, a yard, a sweet dog, and lots of cats. The cats are semi-wild, as is the studio.
Some activities that take place here (past, present, future) include: stencil art, scrap wood construction, bottle-building, tinkering to invent, sign-making, garden-starting, mural-painting, stuff-swapping, wig-making, lamp-shade designing, quiet contemplation, cat observation, shade-structure inventing, botanical and other environmental studies, drawing 101, and videos galore.
What I really want to see is: different people learning and teaching, individuals transforming found materials, and video/photo crews documenting change.
Looking for collaborators of all skill levels who want to be part of the Odd Saturdays team!
And if you join the Austin Time Exchange, I can “pay” you in Hours.
Not knowing where to start…
One month ago tonight:
this photo taken by Stephanie Bonham :
And this was the end — 
Sean actually got some good documentation with his fancy camera and made a mini-documentary about it. You can watch it on vimeo. Thanks, Sean!
Untitled (Generic)
- GENERIC PERFORMANCE – CO-LAB – 5/6&5/7 2011
LAST (Odd) Saturday…
Gee-willickers, TIME is constant. tick-tock. Keeps on moving, just like this wind, here. (I live in the “Blackland Heights” neighborhood of East Austin, atop a hill with an almost constant breeze from the South. Across the street, just downhill a little to the South, is an elementary school. Behind us are the backyards of neighbors, some with shady trees and dense weeds, some with hard-worked garden rows, protected by solid fence. There used to be orchards here, some say… ) Anyway,
Here is our Documentation of APRIL 9th, 2011 (minus a video of a new musical instrument, which is coming soon…):
After Luke (our Participant #1 in the Social art Experiment which is “Odd Saturdays”) tinkered awhile to invent a fantastic use for glass bottles, he spent a lil time in the Studio, tidying up and doodling with the special treasures.
the objects in the studio have personalities and prefer sitting next to their friends
This guy's Surprised To Be Alive.
a pirate... (w/reflection)
An Albert Einstein cyborg.
Chad came out for awhile and SORTED. He managed to pop open some deep pockets of time-accumulation, and then he took some scientific-ish shots of these details:
As it was already a hot day, salad with hard-boiled egg and cran-rasp. spritzers were had by all.
In the afternoon, SIGN-PAINTING was undertaken as a serious motion to advance the cause of RE-aRT. Unfortunately for Luke (or fortunately, if he’s into action-adventure scenarios), the master list of JOBS changed
after he had already begun painting. The term palimpsest was discussed. The list continued to change long after Luke had to journey forth into the rest of his day.
...work-in-progress...
I enjoyed the day very much. I became re-aware of how much work there is to do, which is invigorating. And I made this picture:
** )_( ** =_= ** `+` in other news, CURRENTS is updated w/the current PRESS RELEASES. cHeck it oUT.
(check back later for video updates)
It’s Puppet Season Again
Yesterday Molly and Twyla made pretty good use of the puppet stage! I would have proof, but the camera ran out of juice.
dragons, birds, and grannys
April 16th & 17th is the weekend of our next Junkyard Casserole. So soon! The self-serve puppet stage will be open and eager for action, so pack your favorite small friend before heading over to 2608 Rogers for the most entertaining shopping experience you will find under the sun.
Recently Writing Related
Well I just finished posting this, and I’m feeling very accomplished. I’m going to tell everyone.
I really feel like rambling in a free-associative way, but I’m beginning to think I should funnel that sort of thing into performance art. (By the way, the next The Lost Art appearance will be a short thing at Emergency Casserole @ 4:30pm, and after that. . . May 7th at Co-Lab.)
On the other hand. . . why, where did that hand go? Hand? Hand?
Oh yes, I have GREAT NEWS! After long last, and after writing “I need an editor” over 20 times a month, on to-do lists and notes-to-self laying discretely all over the house, I have finally hired an Editor of my very own, Mr. Chad Hopper, who has so many good ideas he really ought to work as a “creative consultant”. As a result, I’ve gotten an Assignment! woo-hoo! Next up, we’ll figure out a deadline for that assignment.
I think this means I’m headed towards some sort of self-publishing project cycle (until my giant boxes of paper scraps are obliterated). See, it is a matter of health. I can’t hold onto things forever, or I’ll be buried alive. Plus, the beauty within these collections is worth sharing, in some way or another.
For now, the bi-annual Journal will go under the name suggested by my editor: ARTFORMATION.
see you soon.
Recent Writing
I think I wrote an updated “Artist’s Statement“. Oh yeah, I did. And I rewrote my bio for the Austin Time Exchange Network + a longish post about what I’d like to do as far as a free school kinda thingy.
ATEN Bio
I am an aspiring artist via amateur community arts activator…
I have lived in Austin since Jan. ’05 and have been performing, living creatively, and collecting skills from my many part-time jobs. (nanny/babysitter… cook… personal assistant… shopkeeper/art center co-organizer… pedicab driver… carpenters’ apprentice, clothing mender..) What I love most about Austin= family, friends and the adventurous music and art scenes.
I joined aten (finally) in the Summer of ’09 and became a (volunteer) board member in January 2010. My interests as a member of aten are: enjoying productive interactions within a community; sharing in the wealth of knowledge available from the people around me; encouraging friends and neighbors to join; and manifesting my visions via managing helpers. My activities/interests as a board member include: helping new and potential members to follow through in the joining process by attending an orientation; doing what I can to keep the blog changing and the e-news flowing (…with Karen); and facilitating communication among members and volunteers, always with the goal of increasing aten’s overall functionality and effectiveness.
I have a blog (https://amandahbjones.wordpress.com) and a goal – to establish a back-yard Recycling Center (/vocational arts school / tourist attraction)! I will be trying to keep it updated so that you can find out what services I need and what’s going on at the site.
Teachers and Learners Forum post
I have a lot of thoughts/ideas for the Teachers & Learners of ATEN, and anyone else in Austin who wants to be involved in cooperatively increasing opportunities for free learning exchanges, as a model of an equitable framework for education.
My goals are three-fold:
1= short-term, with the aim of getting people together at one time + place to share thoughts, feelings and ideas
2= middle- to long-term, ongoing
3= potentially far-reaching
#1 A fundraiser for ATEN (“Timeraiser”?) / A day of free workshops and classes
Here’s how it could work:
We secure a space for a day-long event, such as Space12, Carver Library, or somewhere else, depending on needs of classes offered.
Participants take workshops offered by Teachers and pay ATEN for the experience (Total Hrs Attended). ATEN pays Teachers for teaching time + prep. (This could be expanded to service-providers as well, if they are able to offer something to more than one person per hour. For example: chair massages for ~10 minutes, etc.)
#2 a. Teaching:
My background is in site-specific installation art and improvisational performance. Some of the subjects I would enjoy teaching include: recycling arts (a student-inquiry based course), paper mache (puppets, masks, sculpture), earth arts, drawing from life, costuming for performance, creative brainstorming techniques, and dance and creative movement (for health, expression and amusement).
b. Learning:
I am interested in learning more about so many things, so whatever others have to offer is probably of interest to me. At the top of my list: earth sciences (chemistry, environmental science, etc), green building techniques, html basics, drums, conversational Spanish, Alexander Technique.
c. Fostering a nurturing, educational, and creative environment:
I have a large yard, a good landlord, some friendly neighbors, and the starts of a functional workshop space. I would love to host workshops and demonstrations on a regular basis!
#3 Research Institute
Some auxiliary educational activities could take place, such as small groups of people taking on specific topics to investigate and documenting their findings. For example, two+ people may choose to interview someone else about that person’s area of knowledge, and to create a video from the exchange. Others may be studying a subject such as chemistry and decide to create an educational demo about soil-testing. What distinguishes this “Research Institute” idea from classes and lessons is the added dimension of creating some sort of record of the knowledge so that it can be shared and built upon.
Ta da! That’s all I have to say about that, for now.
2011 Intentions
(preface– I need a laser-pointer mouse that attaches to one finger, so I can gesture at the wall and click like a castanet player. Has anyone invented that yet?)
Introduction – –
… Excuses, excuses …
We are observing the duality of existence
via a tussle between The Urge to Organize
and The Stream of Consciousness.
PROCLAMATION: “Then Hereby Be It Known That This is Amanda’s Year To ”
and now I will Elaborate slightly on Items 1 & 4 & 6.
Column I: Column II:
make books focus on writing cohesively
art objects writing with goals in mind, such as a grant
collaging notes organizing thoughts
write letters blog= structure, format, place to deliver installments of meaningful words
ITEM OF BUSINESS #1: List Of Various Blog Topics and Sub-Topics
Luckily, I can come back to this post later and add that. For now, Good Night!
(afterword– Or, how about a keyboard-device that is wearable and allows you to swing your arms while typing? Someone, please invent that, too. (Thanks!))
Random Post for the Helluvit
So, basically, this is what my art is like. Take it or leave it, world.
Synaesthetic Breakfast 