On the road again

I am getting ready to settle into my drive to Michigan. I look forward to that time to mentally prepare myself for the conference ahead of my and brainstorm new ideas. Since moving to Chicago, I don't spend as much time in the car commuting. I grew up in a car culture and I kinda miss it – sometimes. It's kind of like your best ideas that come to you in the shower, only you are in the car and have longer to develop them before having to rinse.

I am member of the International Sculpture Center, a professional organization for sculptors and those that like them or their art (that's a watered own definition). We also have a local chapter in Chicago I am a member of, Chicago Sculptors International. The conference I am going to in Grand Rapids is about art in public spaces.

Last year Part I of the conference was held in Seattle at the Olympic Sculpture Park on the water downtown. It was beautiful and had a nice collection for just opening. I learned a lot about behind the scenes of public art and maintaining sculptures after the works have been sold and the artist is gone (and so is the brand of paint used to paint the sculpture). Things like this are learnings to plan for when I am designing a piece.

I hope to make new contacts and learn more about the field that I am emerging to be in...bringing art to the people, rather than bring the people to the art. Keeping art approachable and not stuffy in an out of doors environment.