Center for Craft Creativity and Design

(05/23/09): Day 13 - the last day - the finale

Tracy Kirchmann (WCU): The Frayed End..... This has been an incredible experience on many levels. Working with an artist like Patrick taught us so much. His generous spirit, kindness and work ethic inspired everyone of us. (These qualities were even observed by visitors to the project!) The CCCD staff and board members were as excited about this venture as we were. Looking back on all of our hard work, and laughter...I am a bit sad to leave...but the friends I have made are permanent. Having the chance to work with students from all of the other universities and community colleges was the best part. Being able to work along side other students, on a professional project like this was amazing. It was an opportunity that we do not often have. We plan to keep in touch, and to pursue multi school exhibitions and events more often. THANK YOU ROB, our incredible host, for sharing your beautiful home, and to all the studio residents of Marshall High Studios. THANK YOU CCCD for making this experience possible. Oh yeah...and a special shout out to JO-DAY....JO-DAY....yeah...yeah....yeah..

(05/23/09): Day 13 - the last day - the finale

(05/23/09): Day 12 - down to the wire

Jason Adams (UNCA): Water. Coffee. 2 cups. Splendid eggs and hashbrowns and then off to the studios! Today really was "down to the wire," in more ways than one. With only one day left our group quickly attacked the morning tasks of putting as much wire on the caravan as possible while a few others finished the glasses and Ben struggled with the LEDs. I have been really impressed with the work ethic of our group and today was no surprise - everyone crushed the work from the time we showed up to the time the sun went down. We took a break for dinner and then began scrambling to finish the piece. Not quite finished. Hopefully we can wrap it up in the morning. It has been a glorious day... good hopes for tomorrow!

(05/21/09): Day 11 - LED Madness

Ben Reid (UNCA): The view from inside the studio is great. Through the haze of solder vapor one can see that the caravan is really progressing along. Tons of fun, and tons of meticulous details. Oh yeah, don't forget the LED's, 300 of them , all just waiting for their moment to shine. Now if only I could figure out why they aren't?!?!? Curry for din-din tonight, and as the sun slips away at the studio I think that I can fairly say that we are all looking forward to that. Thanks Jody and Amanda for preparing the spread tonight!

(05/21/09): Day 10 - working late

Amanda Hart (ASU): The reality of how much work still needs to be accomplished set in about mid afternoon today and we did not stop working until about 8:30, at which point we were starved for not only food, but beer. Katie was baller enough to go back to the house early and make dinner for everyone. Amazing. It's a great time.

(05/19/09): Day 9 - Group 3 first day

Kelsey Anne Melville (ASU)- we, the final group, gathered around noon today on the front steps of the studios where we will be working for the next week; lending a helping hand and our creative output to Patrick Hall as he breathes life into his artistic vision related with the transient nature of our lives and time. it has been an exciting day, to not only see what our fellow students in the last two groups have accomplished, but also to finally be able to experience for ourselves the incredible opportunity to work side by side such an incredible and established artist, meet those we will share it with, and become immersed in such a beautiful and foreign area of our state!..i think all of us can relate in knowing and appreciating already how rewarding this experience will be...

(05/19/09): Day Eight - last full day

Jessica Andersen ( Appalachian State Uni.): Yesterday we all made a lot of progress. We started to paint the caravan in a flat black color. The lettering for the sides of the caravan is finished. That was an interesting process that involved melting the plastic wire casing together; it then evolved into using hot glue which sped up production significantly. Three sunglass panels have been started and we'll be able to see at least one completed tomorrow. They look amazing! It's sad to leave something you have been working on but it's time to pass the torch to the next lucky group members. I know I can speak for everyone in group 2 (aka Group M.I.A.) in saying that we've all had an amazing time, enjoyed Rob's hospitality and of course have had a blast working with Patrick. Group 3, get excited!!! Enjoying it until the last second, Jessica

(05/17/09): Day 7 - the day of rest

Steve Spurgeon (UNCA): Robs going home to start a fire, thats nice. We have been working in the rain all day. lucky for me there are plenty of flowers to be made inside. Were almost done with frame for the caravan. The text is coming along, so are the lenses. Oliver Strange Paws had a little incident with the electric fence this morning. He's still young and foolish. The goats did not look surprised. The river is really high and its looks like chocolate milk.

(05/16/09): Day Six - Group M.I.A

Molly M. Jones (UNCA): Today we had a lot of obvious progress. We finished cutting the framework for the caravan and will complete welding it together tomorrow. There was a problem with the printer and we found that the process previously used for attaching photos to the sunglasses was VERY time consuming. So, Katie Lee, from the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design, helped us work out these issues and now we're back on line pumping out photos on label paper which can be relatively quickly stuck onto the frames. Katie also brought us more wire which is blooming beautifully, thanks in part to a few of the members of the local youth baseball team. We worked while listening to their parents and fans cheering them on on the field! Downtown Marshall had a art fair today we were all able to enjoy. Lunch at the delicious pizza joint and back to work! It's great getting to know each other with this common goal and focus.

(05/16/09): Day Five - Group "Milkcarton" arrives

Rainbow Sipe (Blue Ridge Community College): What a fabulous experience! Arriving at Marshall High Studios I was able to meet group 1, who had worked hard on wire flowers and starting framing the caravan. I have really enjoyed working with Patrick, who has energy that is fantastic and contagious. I feel very lucky to be in the 2nd group and am able to see the progress coming together. I look forward to the grand reveal…and an extra word for our host Rob, wow! What a space! Thank you.

(05/14/09): Day 4

Britney Carroll (WCU): Well, it is our last full day to work with Patrick. More glueing and beading! But today I was able to grind on metal!! Two sides of the caravan frames are almost complete and it looks great. I cannot wait to see the project completed and rolling down the parkway. I have had a great time here working with all my new group of friends. It has been a wonderful opportunity. Good luck to the next two groups!!

(05/13/09): Day Three

Mike Polomik (Western Carolina University): I bounced around between electrical wire plant making and gluing images onto sunglasses. Welding the trailer frame was temporarily postponed due to a wire clogging in the welder. A lot of effort was put toward creativity in the plant making area. Overall, vibes were great and despite our funky welder, plentiful ground was covered. During down time, we shared scar stories, messed with Oliver, and put banana peels on our faces.

(05/13/09): Day Two

Sarah Martin (resident assistant): Ah, Marshall. Living up at Penland, while wonderful in it's own right, can be a bit isolating. The first thing that really struck me upon driving to the school is that it's centered in the middle of town, making it both easy for people outside of the studio community to access the artists, and for the artists to get out of their studios for a little while and actually do something else. It's a different kind of community. Bringing in a group of strangers to work together is a new experience for me as well, most of the time I work alone. Until now. I just got a dog a few weeks ago which fortunately everyone here seems to have fallen in love with. His name is Oliver Strangepaws and he certainly influences my work day. It will be interesting to se how my studio practice is changed and hopefully improved over the next few weeks as I make room for new people.

(05/12/09): Day One - "Group Strangepaws" arrives

Although it was gloomy outside, there was excitement in the air as "Group Strangepaws" arrived. Brent Skidmore (UNCA faculty) and Patrick Hall made a trip into Asheville for supplies, while the rest of the group got to work. Group Strangepaws includes: Britney Carroll (WCU), Mike Polomik (WCU), Nicola Mousa Bajalia (ASU), Anthony Deal (ASU), JC Brew (UNCA), Claire Oliphant (UNCA), Julie Merrell (Haywood CC), and Audrey Muldoon (Haywood CC). Also, Sarah Martin (Penland resident) is the official resident assistant with her side kick Oliver Strangepaws. [Image: Patrick Hall's sketch of "In Sunshine or Shadow"]


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