Began working on the N8-CHICAGo works this weekend. The bases are 18"x10" and take approximately 50 pounds to create. I have proposed to make eight pieces for the show. Each one will represent one of the members in the show. After doing some simple math, the pieces will cost $480 just in clay! I plan to wood fire some, raku fire some, and electric fire the others. One work will represent me and it will be unfired raw clay. Viewers can leave their mark by dipping their fingers in a slurry and add to the surface as they view the show. I plan to coat the floor in one section of the gallery with a thin slip so foot prints will spread out of the gallery. After discussing installation art with a few other artists they generally said how are you engaging the space? How can you leave an impression on the viewers? And what are you wanting to get out of this show?

To answer these questions I had to marinate on them for some time. I finally came up with these solutions: 1. I plan to engage the space by directing gallery traffic with the arrangement of the peices. 2. I plan to leave two impressions on the viewers- one by asking them to help decorate the surface of my piece; and two when the viewers walk around the show their shoes will be collect thin slip from the floor and they will leave their impression on the floor marking where they have been. 3. I am wanting to get some larger scale pieces out into world and tackle my first installation. This last question also has another perk in the fact that this show will allow me to test out these new works for the Foundry group show in March 2011.

So, lots going on and I have one month to pull it all off. Wish me luck and speed!