Thesis Studio: Axon of Repose—Final Documentation

Axon of Repose

26ft. high

8ft. wide

6ft. deep 

connects from ceiling to floor

via hidden eye-hooks

entwined with the architecture

approx.  8k ft. of rebar tie wire

10 yards of tarlatan

all built by my two-hands

possibly 600 hours of studio time

cushion made of:

repurposed RV cushions

duct tape

my old sleeping bag

my old bed comforter

Ikea king-size sheets

RV cushions cut with

an electric bread knife

encaustic fabric made from ... my imagination

Ikea netting window panels

glued to

white tissue paper

painted with

beeswax

stained with

ink

view looking up

while laying inside

on the insanely comfortable

cushion

This project is complete.

So many more to go.

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I am in love with this band ... this week ...

Thesis Writing: Final Placement—Thesis-free

The final walk.

The final reach.

The final placement.

Walking away.

Deluge at Multnomah Falls, OR

Drive by.

Stevenson, WA,

 looking NE,

over the Columbia River.

Stevenson, WA,

looking SW,

sans rain.

Thesis-free option 1:

sit on Bob's Beach,

breathe,

stare,

grin.

Thesis-free option 2:

sit in front yard in speckled sun,

read for pleasure (whaaaaat?!?!?!) ...

Volume One of Anais Nin's Diaries,

with a cup of tea

in the grass weeds.

Thesis-free option 3:

walk around the house,

take photos of 

insignificant things.

(like teeny-tiny ceramic mugs in

a very dirty 1949 casement windowsill 

of the laundry-room). 

Portrait of a crazed artist

trying diligently to

move gracefully

through the chaos.

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meditative and mesmerizing (can they be the same thing?) ...

Thesis Writing: It's about that time.

I'm done.

I've sat in this chair for far too many hours.

I've thought of a thousand things to sketch,

coat in encaustic wax, 

and wrap rusted wire around.

The things I don't have time for.

I've sung (terribly & loudly) to too many Pandora stations.

I've forgotten how to breathe.

The kind of breath that

reassures the mind and body that everything is OK.

My legs have tingled and gone numb.

So what's left?

A final proof.

Submit by Thursday by 5pm.

Photo documentation this weekend.

Create my digital portfolio.

Wait to hear pass or fix or fail.

Upload portfolio and thesis paper

into PNCA's database.

Graduation rehearsal.

Graduation.

BFA Exhibition opening reception.

Then really, really ... breathe.

Now I'm not really done after all

am I?

Bridge of the Gods

over the Columbia River.

I cross it twice each day.

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a chic on a cello
+ a stand up bass
+ a Brit-kid singing his heart out
= I could listen to it

all

day

long...

Thesis: Studio Fin & Writing Finalé - wizzin by

Tweaking a thesis defense

on I-84,

the Columbia Gorge wizzin by.

Focus week

PNCA happenings.

David Eckard.

Calm.

My Data Coding Queen sister's 

observational portrait of me.

A sweet distraction while defending.

Inside my installation...

my lovely peers.

And there ya have it.

Thesis Oral Defense successfully complete.

So I was clear to...

 spend the weekend

formatting my thesis paper.

Almost...almost.

Thirty-years ago.

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Without art,

the crudeness of reality

would make the world

unbearable.

- George Bernard Shaw -

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Thesis Studio: Filth & Homesick

My studio ranks numeral uno ...

... in being a filthy ...

... mess.

Including myself.

Plan B.

As much as I

L O V E 

my studio time,

I miss my little home.

My studio-mate's thesis crying-chair.

I'm not much of a cryer
but it felt good to pretend
(and to sit still for a few minutes).

I need a nap ...

and miss my bed.

I see myself sunken into those pillows, it's almost like I'm there ... but not really.

Whatever that means.

I'm just going to stare at it for a while,

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remembering how

i  n  c  r  e  d  i  b  l  y

comfortable 

it is.

Almost ...
almost.

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so sweet ...