Comments on: Art Group Reviews Public Outreach Effort

By: Andrea

Andrea — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 17:29:41 +0000

I kind of like the idea of a canoehenge.

By: Mary Morgan

Mary Morgan — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:50:20 +0000

Here's a link to the Zanesville vase project referred to in #7: [link]

By: TJ

TJ — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:20:57 +0000

Re #1: Canoes that are not too damaged to be dangerous are typically sold by the city at an auction – but I’ve never seen anywhere near 100 at the few auctions I’ve attended. Is this a special culling of the fleet because kayaks are needed for the Cascades?

The canoe project makes me think of the painted ponies / cows / etc that have sprung up in various cities. I’ve seen some that have had really nice pieces, but others that seemed to have run short of interested artists. And then there’s the Vasehenge project in Zanesville, OH – not very impressive at all. If you think you hear a lot of complaints about the Dreisetl piece, just set up a dorky looking canoe piece and see how quickly Dreisetl complaints fade. It could be fun, but it could be a flop.

By: Alan Goldsmith

Alan Goldsmith — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 14:50:13 +0000

Interesting entry on budget pdf:

Dreiseitl/Utility $30,799.24

The project that never ends.

By: Alan Goldsmith

Alan Goldsmith — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 14:37:24 +0000

“It is always refreshing to see someone exercise more ethical behavior than is minimally required.”

In Ann Arbor the past several years, this almost calls for a parade on Main Street in celebration.

By: Jack Eaton

Jack Eaton — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 14:24:28 +0000

The AAPAC should be applauded for their decision to separate their official actions from the political efforts to pass the Arts Millage. It is always refreshing to see someone exercise more ethical behavior than is minimally required.

By: abc

abc — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:34:09 +0000

A doctor’s diagnosis can hinge on something small and subtle. “Does it hurt when I do this?” “Can you cough… again.” We all know the drill.

Just the mention of ‘Canoe Art’ by those who are supposed to… well I am not sure what they are supposed to do. But I sure am thinking that they are supposed to have a background in, or at least a strong curiosity about, art.

Since the 1980’s an artist by the name of Nancy Rubins has been making sculpture with, among other things, CANOES; an example is located in Las Vegas in the understated location known as CityCenter. You can also find a few other examples scattered around the country. [link]

A brief search also verifies that there is indeed both a ‘canoehenge’ and a ‘boathenge’ already in existence in America. And which one of us has not seen boats / canoes chainsawed in half decorating restaurants, boat clubs, marinas, as well as man caves.

Maybe when the AAPAC coughed this is what was heard “. They could be painted, embellished, or transformed in any way – the common theme would be the canoe.” You see the canoe is not, and cannot be, the theme. It is the medium, like paint or clay. It would be the thing that the artist would transform. Not getting this right is a symptom.

Using the canoes could result in a wonderful thing or an awful thing but I am afraid that I cannot bet on the former. A very typical criticism that needs to be doled out to almost every sophomore artist / designer is, “what if your description of the piece is better than the work itself?” I know that this is true for the Dreiseitl piece, and I suspect that the canoe idea will take a similar path.

By: Alan Goldsmith

Alan Goldsmith — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 11:04:59 +0000

Speaking of safety and risk management. Perhaps the leftover fencing from Camp Take Notice can be used. Preferably twenty to thirty feet tall, with barbed wire. Something that will totally block the piece from public view. And toss in a a couple of metal detectors. And a guard or two with weapons. Now we’re talking. You know something that speaks to the cold cruel world and how it rejects statements of beauty ala our giant urinal art project. If you can find the artist, no doubt working on other projects China, perhaps he can assist with ideas used with other government approved ‘art’.

By: Kitty B. Kahn

Kitty B. Kahn — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 22:01:32 +0000

Just a thought, but perhaps there are some people who would like to adopt the canoes? How about collecting interest in that, if the canoes are not too damaged to be used, before using them as an art installation.