The Winter Studio

The Science lab that never ends...a view inside my studio

An entire month has gone by once again. It was a productive month full of proposal writing, prototype creation and display. It was a time to gather all things: materials, research, books, and every ounce of wit that I could muster. It seems that all signs are directing me to just keep going forward in whatever increment possible. I find it very easy to sleep these days, drifting off to the sights of new 'creatures' floating above my head. I think I have created the world's scariest mobiles, but to me they are dreamy even if they are

comprised of taxidermy beasts.

The novelty of the sea never fades, nor does my love of objects. I have been experimenting with new textures while trying to be more aware of my simple palette choices. The stark nature of off white bone and shell seems right with the cast away spools of ivory wool. Just as they all complement the clean lines and minimal works that winter inspires in me.

After a big push of work and reflection, it is now time to refill myself with an infusion of culture. Jazz, classical, ballet and even sport are going to fill my mind and heart again after these very long days. I think it is a just reward for having worked myself through the holidays. Maybe my holiday is due.

Entropy and My Personal String Theory

It is now for the third time that I tackle the essay titled Entropy and Art, by Rudolf Arnheim. I was making headway during the first two passes on this small but potent book before I got the idea to give my copy to an artist whose work I adore. I could have left it at that and walked away from trying to figure out the discrepancies in the Second Law of Thermodynamics. I could have read a nice little fluffy novel over the holidays. I could have worked on my languages, grant writing, art production, or plankton research. I could have done a lot of things, but what I ended up doing was seeking yet another volume and I now curse Amazon for this.

Half way through pass number 3 on the essay, I come into a box of string. I should say a giant tub of hundreds of yards of yarns and string. It gave me a great chance to vent on something methodical. I decided that I would begin with constructing a series of totems, then proceeded to en robe that recent newspaper article (where I was misquoted) in several hundred yards of string. I felt quite liberated in the creation of this soccer ball sized time capsule.

Hudson

Stills from The River Holds the Memory of Light by Anna P.

With it being January once again, it is time for me to continue with my Hudson river video project. In January of 2008, I began documenting the Hudson river in dozens of short takes that captured the first few seconds when the camera was pulled under. These takes were then linked into a circuit, so that the viewer saw land fade away over and over again. I began this series with thoughts of the Hudson River Valley School of Painting and our mutual fascination with light. I decided to update the representation of the river by capturing the light from within the river rather than upon it's surface.

My New York Media Summary

Some of you may wonder why I am so concerned about my on-again-off-again relationship with the New York City media. I have compiled this brief summary of my appearances since 2007.

Anna's Wonky Costume Appearances

• One week off the plane in 2007, I appear on the Today Show and conduct an interview dressed as a 10ft tall fluffy giraffe. My Mother manages to miss that particular episode. I cannot sense any magical chemistry between Matt Lauer and I, so I leave NBC Plaza resentful of the costume for blowing my chances.
• 2008 me and my consorts nearly knock over the NY1 aerial cam while dressed as 11ft tall pink sea dragon and 12ft tall Puff the Magic Dragon; flanked by the before mentioned giraffe. Camera operator is partially to blame for misjudging our stature. Resulting footage makes it appear that we attacked the camera.
• January 2, 2009 a point blank shot of wonky me at Polar Bear swim is all over the Internet. I make a pledge to knock it off with the toothy grin.
• May 2009, my big chance with The New York Times critic and photographer, finds me slinking about a stage dressed as a sea anemone. Critic arrives late and tries to"figure it out" on her own...
• NY1 plucks me from the Halloween parade masses, takes me by the fin and walks me into the limelight. I find myself unable to move due to stage fright. I appear like a deer in the headlights then shout "Land shark" through three rows of Styrofoam shark teeth. They go to commercial and give me a strange look.
• January 1, 2010, Channel 12 and THE DAILY NEWS interview me while I am cranked on adrenaline after possibly 4 minutes too long in the water. I make giddy irrational comments that make me sound like a Polar Bear party girl all while dressed like the Flintstones Grand Pooba. More photos splayed on Internet. New photographer friend discretely notes that this year's point black shots of me are now going to the highest bidder in the Japanese press. I once again ode to knock it off with the toothy grin.

Meanwhile back in the islands...calm, rational articles about my artwork appear in regional newspapers and a magazine.

Better Media Relations in the New Year

It no longer comes as much of a shock to see images of myself splayed about on the Internet just one day into the new year. It is what happens when you elect to begin your year with the Coney Island Polar Bears. This year was my second year, and with the expected air and water temp much higher than last year I thought I was ready. But it should come as no surprise that you are never really ready for this event. It is an event that teeters on chaos. Slightly controlled chaos is the name of the game. No mater how many NYPD and NYFD they have sprinkled about in red survival suits or big boots, no matter how many rescue boats and binocular peering lifeguards are at your flank, it remains on the tipping point of a riot. That is part of the beauty of it all. But it is such a wonderful rumpus full of such memorable characters, that you cannot resist the temptation.

Most of us site Camp Sunshine as a major justification for doing it, as it is an important cornerstone that grounds an event that is otherwise like a hairdryer dropped into a bathtub. We are of course doing it for so many reasons, some personal while more obvious. I am a strong believer in raising charitable funds through public humiliation. I also still believe in these community tribes that rise up for one day and share something wonderful. The Coney Island Polar Bears are the core of that tribe.

So off my pal Hannah and I went to seize the day. We had our funny costumes and bags full of towels. We had a strategy that had been carefully worked out over several dinner meetings over the past weeks. We thought that we had considered everything, but somehow I missed an important factor. We had somehow overlooked that with an increase in air temperature, there is also an equal increase in the media presence. Last year's windchill left me with log legs before I even got to the water. This desperate temperature left much of the media task force at home snuggled in their beds. But not this year. The media had their rubber boots on and they were ready.

We arrived to a media frenzy where photographers were five deep the entire length of the swim. There would be no possibility of avoiding it. We would be documented from more sides than we wanted, and since I am still camera shy any angle is too much for me. But first we had to break through them to get to the water. The event had set up a sort of roped off corral where the Sr. Polar Bears would parade down, but we were unsure if us tag along Polar Bear wannabes were allowed behind the rope. So instead we decided to bust through the crowd like two rodeo bulls. It wasn't pretty to try to have an ounce of grace while doing this, but the end result was we ended up making friends with one of the NY photographers who shoots for the Japanese press.

But all of our friendliness could not keep us from the wrath of the tabloid. One would think that in a charitable event that has been going on for decades, the they would give up on trying to make it sound like such a scandal. I have learned that for the rest of 2010 I pledge to "zip it" while in the presence of reporters. I promise be wary of any swank skinny jean wearing notepad carrying charmers. I will work on my media relations in the new year so to be a representation of good, kind acts. I refuse to get chatty in the presence in the media. And finally I pledge to remain out of the tabloids for the rest of 2010.

In the end we are a bunch of great characters who come together for a great cause on a great day on the best place in New York City, Coney Island...and best of all, together we raised $25,000 for Camp Sunshine. Mission accomplished. Thanks Coney Island Polar Bears!