Summer Fellows 2014

         Hello my fellow summer fellows.  It's been a pretty busy summer down here at 406 Fitzwater.  I am helping out Shelley Spector, who is actually really cool.  Her art involves structures composed out of found or weathered wood and textile.  To me it seems like creating an environment reminiscent of nature, yet its weird because these are all materials that did come from nature at one point, it was either a tree or a field of cotton.  We actually share a common love for found materials.  I enjoy them just because instead of creating an idea solely from scratch, you sort of have a starting point, or a visual brainstorm.  And it's sort of like recycling stuff that will just end up in a dump if nobody removes it from the street.  I would rather pick things up from the street than from the dump.  I'm sure there are some treasures out in the trash heaps, and I am not even directly shooting down the idea of going picking at a dump, I'll probably do it once or twice.  But it's way easier to just walk around the quarter with a peeled eye and a quick yet quiet demeanor, just to avoid making a scene.
        Ultimately, I am assisting Shelley in an exhibit at the Perelman Museum.  It's supposed to occur in a little less than a year from now.  Some of the things I have been doing to assist Shelley are: ironing blank t-shirts, cutting them up into long strips to be used as yarn, cleaning and sanding all of the found wood, taking wood apart or putting it together, drilling, and gluing.  Honestly it's pretty menial work but somebody's gotta do it, and I do it quite well.  While I do that, Shelley is typically sewing or weaving; i.e the actions that require the most finesse and artistic thought.  I enjoy it though, Shelley can always keep a conversation going and it's just been a really good month so far. PEACE