Blade

Build A Model

In hindsight this seems so obvious... I did not realize how useful the original concept model would be in the process of executing this piece. I ended up carrying it with me almost everywhere, using it as a talking piece, geometry reference, and personal inspiration throughout the project. With the model to show, others instantly 'got it,' and became excited about the project. Without it, it was difficult to communicate what the piece was all about, let alone what it would look like. A good model is small enough to carry, detailed enough to give you talking points to point at, and looks good enough to make the mental leap to large-scale inspiring.

Make it Collapsible

This being my first large-scale, re-useable piece, I did not realize what an asset its collapsibility would be. I was surprised that I hadn't thought ahead much to what would happen to the piece after its initial installation. I now have a newfound respect and awe for the logistical effort it takes to maintain an active art-production and deployment capacity, due mostly to the space requirements for large sculpture. I made this piece collapsible so that it would fit into my already loaded Volkswagon Golf for its trip to the desert. I thanked myself over and over for having a small car, because it then meant I ended up with only a small piece to store, ship and transport for the rest of its life. It would be a good thing to find buyers, or galleries, for my larger works, if only to make room for new construction. The studio-space requirements for this type of work, at least for an independent, beginning sculptor really makes a sculptors path a lifestyle choice, due to the requirements that the art demands of its housing. A good warehouse space, with tall ceilings, industrial electrics and lots of room made this piece possible, and I had to move to West Oakland, and live with no heat, to find/afford it at the time.

Go Solar

The choice of power (gas-powered generator) made for a labor-intensive, and expensive nightly gas-up in remote installations of this work. Next time, I will choose solar, design for lower-power needs, or somehow achieve a longer run time (larger gas tank?). Indoors, this was not an issue, though depending on the bulbs I used, sometimes I required a separate circuit to connect to.

Support is Awesome

I had originally planned to do this piece solo. The biggest surprise of the project for me was how excited others were to help, and how rich the experience became as it changed to teamwork It offered me new learning in how to let go, motivate, and manage a team of volunteers to accomplish much more than I could do myself. This experience will forever change how I approach my artistic endeavors, and is why I am attracted to larger-scale installation work.

Throw Money

While I certainly didn't have enough to use this strategy everywhere (and if I did it probably wouldn't have been as fun), sometimes 'throwing money' at a problem is actually the best approach to overcoming a road-block. I found this especially true when forward momentum was threatened by a challenge. It was quickly apparent that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't anticipate everything, and changes in course were going to be required. Simply biting the bullet and buying the right part, or tool, was the only thing that enabled the project to move forward sometimes -- no matter how much it costs. Allowing the momentum to be lost, could often cost more in the end, especially in time, and worse, could threaten the project's success altogether, including all of the costs already sunk. Anticipating this "$ factor" in future endeavors will probably produce art more efficiently, with less stress, and less cost. That said, this lesson goes neccessarily hand-in-hand with the next one... (Constraints are what makes a project interesting).

Constraints Are What Makes A Project Interesting

This is a counter-point to the above lession (Throw Money). If you simply threw money at everything there would be vastly fewer design challenges to solve, and less emotional and artistic growth would come out of it. Heck at that extreme, you wouldn't even have to do any work yourself. If that's the attitude, why be an artist at all? A project's constraints are usually some of its most interesting aspects. In the case of Blade, learning how to budget, and adapt financially, has given me a great appreciation for the importance of grant-writing, fundraising and patronage for the arts, especially large-scale endeavors. Other constraints that arise make project planning and execution such an interesting, and I'd argue, worthwhile, endeavor! Solving the challenges they pose is highly satisfying and a primary growth opportunity as an artist.