Bird on a Wire

I began working with the Art House Co-op a couple of years ago as a way to take a break from my conceptual art practice that didn’t utilize any one particular medium. They started their slew of fun projects by offering up a sketchbook, a theme and a deadline –and I loved it! The object of this project was to fill a small sketchbook with drawings loosely based on a pre-determined theme. My first sketchbook theme was “inside/outside”, and my niece chose “nightmares”, which I thought was rather brave for a 6 year old. We had about 3 months to fill it, and it was a way for me to get lost in the materiality of pencil and pen. Before the deadline, we send the sketchbooks back, and they go on an exhibition tour around North America. They have a whole bunch of online options too, you can have your sketchbook scanned and included on exhibition, and all of the books are barcoded, so you can see who is looking at yours and if they leave any comments on your work. It’s pretty fun. But mostly I participate because, like knitting, I find drawing a fantastic way to initiate stream of consciousness thought that adds to my conceptual art practice in ways that “thinking” cannot. When new projects are announced in my inbox, I get excited because they signal that it is my time to play with art.

As the years have passed, the Art House Co-op has expanded their fantastic programming, they offer up a plethora of paid programming, from the Sketchbook Project to various painting projects. But last week they started whole set of programming that offered free projects to play with. Every week they send out a new project scope, and this week’s is The Map Project. I invite you to participate, and if you like, post your reactions, thoughts and if you send me photos of your work, or of you working, we’ll do a follow-up gallery post for fun!

Here is the scope taken from the Art House Co-op website:

The Map Project challenges participants to create depictions of both physical and invented locations. Map your backyard, your fears, your personal history or your favorite book, then mail us the results. The only requirement is that your map folds down to a size not larger than 4” x 6”. We’ll exhibit every map we receive in our storefront space, transforming a single location into an atlas of our world. Whether you’re inspired by the precise detail of a geological survey or the whimsy of a childhood treasure map, The Map Project is a chance to translate your world into ink, textile, collage or print.

Rules:

• Sign up by March 15th, go here.
• Any medium is acceptable, including drawing, sewing, collage, printmaking or photography.
• Please make sure that your map can fold into a flat rectangle no larger than 4” x 6”.
• Please print your name clearly on the back of your map.
• Please do not submit a sculpture or 3D object. All maps must fold down flat to be included.
• Please do not use glue, glitter, or other materials that could fall off your work or damage other contributions.
• Please note that submissions will not be returned.
• Please mail your map to:
  Brooklyn Art Library
  ℅ The Map Project
  103A N. 3rd St
  Brooklyn, NY 11249
• All entries must be postmarked no later than April 30th