AMoA

There was a section that resonated with me was his section on flying.  Being that we had two flights alone just to get to Austin, when I came across his work Jet Trails, 2007 It was hard to think of our return back to Los Angeles.  Below is the depiction of 11,000 jet trails which depicts the number of commercial jet flights in the United States every EIGHT hours.

Or this one that hit me really hard, it Depicts one million plastic cups, the number used just on airline flights in the U.S. every SIX hours.  So really this picture is just a quarter of the days consumption.

Detail below where you can see the lip of the lid as they stack around like snakes:

This made my return trip back from Austin quite uneasy for me.  I was contemplating the whole time how many cups I watched go back and forth across the cabin and how there is no recycling on the plane.  I was strategizingand scheming how one could convince these struggling airliners that they need to make a change on their beverage persession and and how the change can be inspired as well as received by their customers.  This of course was not solved during the flight (I'll have to keep you posted on this well needed change) but I did however manage to think about what I could do in that moment.  

The beauty of Chris Jordan's work is that it makes you understand your harmful habits and how they contribute to the whole, but when in a situation where you feel like the lone man out... it's hard to feel like you alone in your decision helps the issues at hand.  When I told the stewardess that I did not want a beverage that required her to give it to me in a plastic cup she responded, 

"Like a Styrofoam one instead"

which of course in my head I was thinking heck no!!! That is WAYYYYYY worse!  Then I got a confused look when I told her "I am off plastic." 

This lead me to the easier solution, save the cup and reuse it on the following flights.  I was just having water so this made better sense than the whole production- BUT it still was a production.  Multiple stewardesses tried to take my cup from me, or couldn't understand why I was clutching it to my chest cross country.  What I can't understand is what my option is for future travel plans... Or maybe I will just have to put this cup in the cupboard and embarrass Kevin even more when I tote this plastic cup with me each time we go on a trip.

Chris Jordan- Portraits of American Mass Consumption

More on Chris Jordan's Exhibit at the AMoA

Below is the exhibition card which highlights his piece Lightbulbs, 2008.  It depicts 380,000 lightbulbs which equals the number of kilowatt hours of electricity is wasted every minute in the US by inefficient residential energy use.  Can you imagine what the depiction would look like if it included all inefficient energy loss?

I like his idea of creating Portraits of American Mass Consumption.  In most of his works he lets the sheer volume speak for its self, but in his piece Cans Seurat, 2007 I think the clever usage of a pointillism classic is the perfect avenue for his masterpieces.

 Hard to believe that each point on this Seurat homage can be so many varieties of our favorite soda cans.

With how amazing the Seurat piece is, it is hard to believe that there would be anything else synonymous with Chris Jordan.  That is until you see his most referenced photograph of Plastic Bottles, 2007.

 

It reads:

Depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the number used in the United States every five minutes

The scary part is Plastic Bottles was created in 2007.  Who knows what the image would look like if it statistically pictured today's usage.  Maybe no scarier than looking at a close up of his work:

Even though these materials can theoretically be recycled, that is not what I left the exhibit thinking about.  I do my part in recycling but I feel like personally that is not enough.  Once the plastic hits my recycling bin I do not think twice about the waste anymore.  That is the thought process I would like to change within myself is the dialogue when I make choices to purchase things with added packaging and the decision on purchasing things when I happen to be away from home.  When you are out and about and you have an item that is recyclable but no receptacle... how often will you just throw these items away?  These are the questions I ask myself while emerging myself in his work and the questions will resonate in me to hopefully change myself for the future.

Chris Jordan: Running the Numbers

Chris Jordan: Running the Numbers

Austin Museum of Art
May 22- August 15th 2010

 One thing I really liked about the AMoA is their use of Cell Phone Audio Guide.  I listend along with the piece while I was there, but I am sure you could even call and check out the prompts above.  I hate when a museum has a big exhibit and you have to pay for both admission to the exhibit as well as buying the audio tour.  This system was really helpful and who doesn't readily have a cell with them to utilize the great info?!?!

I won't be doing a play-by-play of the whole exhibit.  You should go and see it in person, or purchase the wonderful book that highlights all of his works featured in this show.  There are a ton of pieces that range from SUV sales to boob-jobs... it's out there if your interested.

Also, he is speaking on June 3rd at the George Washington Carver Museum details below:

One CRAZY thing I saw was that Working Class Studio from my Alma mater Savannah College of Art and Design feature several products from their line in the gift shop pictured below!

Chris Jordan and the Plastic Invasion

So one of the best parts of our Austin Trip was getting to see the exhibit Chris Jordan: Running the Numbers at the Austin Museum of Art.

I bought the book pictured bellow, and look forward to writing a couple of postings to illustrate as best as possibly why I LOVE Chris Jordan's photos!

The picture above Plastic Bottles, 2007.  When studied super close is a sea of plastic bottles of all varieties.  It is a wonderful way to illustrate the choices and outcomes at hand. All of our choices add up together when it comes to the situation at hand, and I myself admit to have a weakness for buying drinks in plastic bottles when away from home.  I am anxious to figure out a way to empower the decision to resist plastic and disposable ways that our culture sees as essential. 

One great source for information and inspiration to cut yourself free from plastic is the Plastic Pollution Coalition.  My friend went to a great lecture and turned me on to their organization.  I love keeping up with them on Facebook, they post often and with a lot of great info!  Their mission is simple: 

"The Plastic Pollution Coalition was created with the vision of a world free of plastic pollution and of the toxic impacts of plastic on humans, the environment, wildlife and marine life."

The Un-GREENWASHING first stop- trying out BioBags

We are "Greenwashing" our Lives and trying all the GREEN alternatives.   Now items unfortunately get labeled as "green" or more Eco-conscious and sometimes aren't.  I am trying to figure out ways to change over to fully environmentally friendly products that both work and are even better than their counterparts.  For some people, the hardest part is starting... change is daunting.  But, I think its our duties to scientifically test (Who are we kidding, its gonna just be a trying things and figuring what we like the best!  Let us know if there is some questions you would want to know in using the product)

One thing I am super intrigued about is new Biodegradable bags. I bought some BioBags from Whole Foods before we left for Austin.  And, I am just now starting to try them out.  They are ~$7.00 here, and unfortunately my composting situation isn't as good as when I lived in NYC- soooo I don't currently compost.  I just can't rationally support plastic bags anymore so I would like to figure out an affordable and reliable way to dispose of what waste we do generate that can't be recycled or reused further.

There are really only 2 sizes it seems are readily available the 3 Gallon and Lawn & Leaf Bags.  The 13 Gallon size I didn't find in the store, may be online until demand picks up... I am planning on getting one of these composting buckets when I order the 13 Gallon size.  I am super excited to use the compost bucket in conjunction with the 3 gallon bags and pumping up my LA chapter of composting :)

Here is my first try without the bucket, and as you can see 3 gallons is tinier than you'd think!  We just bought a baby watermelon and this is ~1/2 the rinds in the bag.
 
I will keep some notes and keep y'all posted on the BioBags.  HOWEVER, here also is some other plastic bag things to think about:

 ***California’s law, SB 1749, maintains that bags should meet the ASTM D6400 specification for biodegradable product claims. Several other states are also instituting policies like California.***

I don't have a dog, but I have seen the new biodegradable doggy bags and I think everyone should HAVE TO use them every time.  The concept of hot contained, plastic poo sacks for up to a thousand years- Not appealing to me. I had no idea that there was a law set out in California about using bio-bags, but I hope all the stores only stock them or else this would be a moot point.

 
WHAT'S AWESOME is with the Biodegradable one's like these, Between 60-90 Days these suckers will no longer be "plastic" and will completely biodegrade or you could get some Flush Puppies and they would dissolve in water and put the sewage with the sewage; double bonus.

I didn't know they had cat liners for the litter box so I will have to put those on my list of things to green-up when it comes to restocking the house.  We already use biodegradable and flushable World's Best Cat Litter, so at least we are in the right direction. 

Jimmy Kimmel Live: Aloha to LOST he showed a ton of hilarious sketches and pitched so many hilarious ideas.  I totally love a talk show so I can utter this wonderful phrase:

"I'd like to be attached to it if it happens..." 

-Jimmy Kimmel

Off to Austin

We are off to Austin, TX for the weekend and I am looking forward to it being the new beginning to posting when we get back.  I am still trying to evolve my thoughts on what we need and want from our blog.  Seriously, I know that's like knowing the meaning of life, or what we're supposed to do in life...

BUT, I organize my thoughts best when I have an outline (WAY too type A) and I think my lack of structure is always what I crave.  I am going to soak up all the fun in HOT- Texas, and I look forward to sharing all our adventures next week :)

WOW! The day has gotten the best of me, and I am amazed that I am posting so late today...

Here is some of my How-To Musts:

This one is more about writing.  I must admit, even in childhood spelling wasn't my strong point... And to be honest, when I write I am so busy trying to illustrate a point usually I don't care- the thought is what is important to me. I must remember that to others it is a nuisance  so I am making sure that these TOP 10 Words You Need to Stop Misspelling are correct!

Louise of Warpe Design did a project on Decor it yourself of a New York City Skyline... AND you know how I still think I am living in NYC so this tutorial is where it's at!!!

Some other helpful info, if you didn't receive/ look at your e-mail from Blogger- Here is how I got my super sweet background for this blog 

Will keep posting!

XO

kc

Fave Finds

Besides the ominous unpacking that is dominating my life at the moment, I have been trying to peruse the internet for some of my favorite finds on-line.  Here are some great things that have peaked my interest: 
Mushrooms are totally not within my flavor favorites, but these mushrooms are visually delicious!  

 I am in awe of Absinthe and Orange's blog and am so excited to check on their great tutorials often.  Make the mushrooms above with this great tutorial-

THANK GOODNESS we don't live in the Bay Area because I would accumulate even more great stuff than I have already at The East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse! I am overwhelmed and excited about all the possibilities to be held within all their great materials, and just glancing over their What's New list gets me pumped up for the day I can get up there for a visit :) 

I really like the way they have organized all their supplies in these two pictures and I think I am going to strive to start the organization to our NEW studio in this great fashion

I have been collecting tons of cans to put to good use and I give great props to the top example of using them for a great storage solution-

We have been busy trying to figure out which on-line endeavors are the best to suit our needs and there are so many new things to "help" you out and maximize our time...  It takes time to figure out how to navigate each new thing.  Flickr is one of the programs that I LOVE the community and the opportunity to use and find great pictures.  I don't think we are using it to the fullest potential possible, so I will be posting tons of finds as we grasp all the possibilities!!!

I came across an amazing Flickr user Seaotter22.  I am going to bookmark her clever info and great pictures that illustrate and depict the great messages that we all should be mindful of- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot and her Environmental set are awesome!

I love the way she can carry the message so perfect in one picture

On my perusing of the Daily Green website I discovered the "Ecopedia"- the A to Z of everything GREEN.  I love the idea that they have an Environmental Glossary and I am bookmarking it for reference. 

I haven't figured out a great tutorial for tomorrow, I think we will share some highlights of some that have given us inspiration- and highlight some great artists we enjoy :)

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO

Happy Cinco De Mayo  Everyone!!!  We are still getting settled in to the new studio- 1st message today ;) The internet is up and running.  Hopefully everything will be full steam ahead next week, and the blogging will continue as usual.

This amazing 'lil hat is from To Scarborough Fair. Great Sombrero! I will have to get some on Miss Cali soon!