"I don't even know where to begin.", one painter writes. "I was so intrigued by what you do [with #iThinkOutsideMyBox] that I needed to know more!! Art has always been a wonderful way to express yourself and now you are engaging the public to express themselves without even knowing it!!! Amazing!!!!!!!!!!"
And so closes our second full year with the project that even I have a hard time explaining. I'm always amazed that the letters and comments I receive from participants do so much better a job of explaining what we do than I. And so I've learned to collect those observations and impressions, like a third party researcher, to teach myself what the iThinkOutsideMyBox™ project does best - and that's beginning to help me structure a narrative for where things go from here on out.
In applying for the Artplace grants, a program that will distribute $10 million divided amongst 40 projects in 2015, I was asked to place our activity alongside the artistic community that currently exists in Chelsea and more specifically, the High Line, and describe what makes us unique and valuable to the community in a way that other public art programs do not - and the answer is simple.
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Highlights from 2013 - 2014: From remixed classics [The Scream*] to modern, street, outsider, landscapes character studies, surrealism to abstract expressionism, nary a day goes by when I'm not absolutely humbled by what people create.
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*Boudhas [Morocco] 09.02.14 Cecile 07.29.14 Anthony 12.02.14
Jestianna 05.20.13 Alden 08.30 14 Illiana 09.16.14
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We are the only community engagement program that involves the public creatively through the making of art - by encouraging anyone and everyone to express themselves in any way they like. And while the High Line and galleries in Chelsea occasionally present interactive exhibitions, 99% of their work is directed towards a viewing audience, not a creating one, not an interactively involving one. But we are.
That is why we exist. It is the only reason we exist: to further self expression in a world that increasingly suppresses it - by engaging the public in public art℠. But another thing I learned from our grant application process is that, for grants of this size [$50,000 and above], the grantor wants to see that you have already built a support base. And that's where the public, comes in again. With your help we need to show a steady public support stream through print orders and our other outside the park activities like museums, non-profits and schools to prove we're a viable operation that truly does serve a public need.
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Expressions & Affirmations: He wasn't really filled with rage but the humor inspired a painting:) Rarely having the opportunity to do whatever they want, people mostly opt for fun once they get over the idea that we offer no direction.
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Jon 11.10.14 Jocelyn [England] 10. 27.14 Alexa 10.19.14
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Saffron [#England] 10.19.14 Susie 10.25.14 Katie 10.19.14
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Each donation of $100 is also an order for two (2) prints of your choosing and a small step forward to building a future for this project in New York City. Our goal this holiday season is 10 donations of $100 each. Beating that goal will see us through to 2015 when iThinkOutsideMyBox™ begins its first museum artist in residence program.
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| Museum quality prints |
To order, just select from those shown on this post, or pick any from the galleries in the lefthand sidebar of this site. Then send me an email with the print IDs and pay through Fractured Atlas (tax deductable) or PayPal (standard). Please add $10 for shipping and handling in the US - $20 overseas. Orders will be processed and shipped the week of December 15th to make sure everyone has their prints by Christmas (with time for framing).
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Impressionism to Expressionism: "I don't paint what I see, I paint how I feel it makes me see." - Lysle
Saze "Brooklyn Bridge" 10.08.14 Yuliana 11. 07.14 Tanya 08.01.14
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Romi 09.30.12 Lysle 10.16.14 Jan [Australia] 09.06.13
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In keeping with our promise to never sell the original artwork, prints are a way to keep the ideas in circulation as well as provide an income stream for the project. From the beginning I knew the project would never work as a business. "What do I do? Charge $5 to make your own souvenir? Or try to get rights releases from 4 year olds?" No, neither, because treating it like a business takes away from the immediate lure of the project.
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Surrealism Explained: The first painting below was made by a woman in her late twenties named Olivia who described herself as a painter by occupation. She spent nearly 90 minutes on the work. The painting in the same row to the right was done at the same time by an eight year-old girl who simply watched Olivia and reframed the techniques she saw - taking the same time but without any instruction or conversation. Feelings are communication too.
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Olivia [Israel] 07.25.14 Denise 05.27.14 Lila (Qumathur) 07.25.14
Anon 06.21.14 Tao 08.28.13 Stephanie 03.28.13
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When people walk up and learn that all the paintings are made by visitors, and then see that they can make one as well, that's an invitation, an invitation to be part of something. Not a trick with a hidden price tag. Activities like this need to be priceless, because that builds communities - communities where all are equal.
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Hearts & Flowers: Of the items painted most frequently, hearts and flowers follow closely after 'eyes'. One might say these are not particularly imaginative subjects, but one look into each category (on left) proves exactly the opposite.
Jordan 07.11.13 Joyce 08.20.14 Dani 10.10.12
Annie 07.15.14 Morganne & Zoya 07.21.14 Abby 07.13.14
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Feel free to browse the categories on the left and choose any image to print. Click to stop the slideshow and see individual images. To order, just note the image ID below each one and send me an email with images and shipping info before transferring payment.
I'll be adding still images here in the next days to make it easier to see our best.
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New York: AS many our painters are visitors to New York it's entirely understandable that they paint the town red, or any of a million other colours if they like.
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Enolia 09.12.14 Cindy (Germany) 07.19.14 Jan (Australia) 09.06.13
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Javiera (Chile) 12.23.12 Stephanie 08.01.14 Vanessa 09.27.14
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