Words aren't Pictures

Before I start , I know there have been a lot of promises of pictures lately and NOT to say there won't be BUT what has been going on of late is MORE about words , or more to say the lack of them . As with any starting point its merely a beginning . What ensues is not always planned and I think this project is about what is not SEEN or not planned . So where was I , well yesterday I met with Anne Gorrick and Beth Wilson to discuss the possibility of other writers being involved in the project specifically Poet's Walk and hopefully the New Paltz project as well. 

As with many meetings especially when across or inter disciplinary there is a moment of WOW we are not seeing things the same way ...  and that is not a slight .. but the way we are wired and how we might express the SAME experience(s) . What was said was that the blog does not convey the dimension of the project does not convey the the excitement which is palpable when around an artist working at one of the habitat studios. The changes being made in real time,the realm of all possibilities in  a moment. In that moment I realized that there needed to be a change in what was being "blogged "about . 

Coming from a visual background we do not work with that vocabulary there is a sign language which is an estimation of a reality ,...   it's cryptic and a cypher is needed ....there are hooks to bring the viewer to the work BUT at that moment the artist anticipates the viewer to do a lot more work . What you put in you will get out ....   and I think this is how how I have been blogging in regard to this project . 

So over the next couple of evenings I shall be looking to try and encapsulate some of the special qualities that make this project ...exciting , engaging and worth a look NO which might rock your boat. 

Sometimes when you're in the thick of it you can't SEE .let alone catch the right words. SEEING may be believing BUT the right words can engender the right FEELING . Bear with me as I seek the right words to EXCITE and involve you in this , I am told enticing project.   Later SD 

Habitat News

Having had the day rained off I thought I"d relay some Habitat news . I was bound for the bucolic setting of Scenic Hudsons Poet's Walk Park near Redhook today , with the intention of moving the habitat studio off the site line to the field nearer the Pavilion . Whilst in the process of moving the studio I was going to make some changes to it so it would suit writers rather than visual artists . It is slightly smaller than the usual 6 by 6 and therefore more suited to the creative act of writing. I will be having a meeting this week with Beth Wilson and Anne Gurrick
to discuss a writers group using this particular studio .

In New Paltz , artist Molly Rausch will be setting up her "Lost and Found Drawing Booth". There'll be more about this when she has completed the necessary signage to inform passers by
on Main St . how the Booth works.

At Huguenot Street , Nils Kulleseid will set up his stone carving at the picnic grove opposite the museum .

On campus Mercedes Cecilia continues her work , and there have been some wonderful changes made to the habitat studio's exterior .

I 've noticed that the Habitat studio in side the Dorsky Museum is getting thoroughly covered with renditions and words that inspire folks , Thank you .

In Beacon one of the remaining Habitat studios will be leaving to take up residence in Kingston with the help of Scott Gibson , of Eco pioneer. The water collection studio will be reset up at a piece of property Scott has off of Rte 209 behind the Staples store . More on the larger plans that the Habitat studio will be part off , later.

For now stay dry , and YES pictures to follow . I have over stocked my camera and now have to download individual pix so as not to duplicate and create those awful crammed non specific photo files . Perhaps a rainy day activity ? Later SD

Closing Reception at Huguenot Habitat Studio

Try to see artist,Sarah Haviland and what she has been making at the Habitat Studio in the Picnic Grove on Huguenot Street. She is having a closing reception this Sunday July 19th 3 to 5pm. She'd love to share her ideas and the experience she's had which she refers to as her "incubation period". Join her for a light refreshment and share in the creative habitat !

Sunday also marks Ayesha Ibrahim's last day at the Main Street Habitat Studio. And remember to bring your best SMILE to receive a wonderful painting . Ayesha has had a blissful time at her temporary studio these past 3 weeks and please share with friends the time and exchange you have with this vibrant artist .

Mercedes Cecilia continues at the Habitat Studio on SUNY campus at the Old Main Circle.Though recently she has been suffering from some severe allergies at home so her time at the Habitat sudio has been hampered by this recent condition. She is seeking responses to a set of questions she poses based on the premise that most of us in the USA are IMMIGRANTS !

New Paltz Artist , Molly Rausch will start this week at the Main Street Studio. There will be a couple of days of installation BUT she assures me viewer participation is a large part of this new work .For those unfamiliar with Mollys usual work you can go to the Van Brunt website ,a Beacon gallery that shows her work.

We will be posting a schedule (SOON) for future artists taking resident at one of the four New Paltz Habitat Studio locations . And,..... YES we now have a MAP of their locations around the village , pick up at a habitat studio near you !

IN ADDITION , visitors will notice a NEW sculpture at the Main Street site . This is by New Paltz's very own Richard Gottlieb , known by most as owner of the climb store ROCK and SNOW. Well it turns out he's a sculptor too . I believe he described the piece as a SELF PORTRAIT. Check it out ,.....

We will be posting photos from the CITYSOL event from last week .This studio will continue there some time and still has the Shed Pavilion as part of it , so if you're in the City stop by !

There's more stuff brewing at the various locations and for those not in the know pick up the NEW card which has all current locations plus a dazzling tapestry of Habitat studios past and present . I'll post this card on the blog as its a good-un !! Thanks to Todd Sargood for getting that together .

Enjoy the week end and try to stop by one of the MANY habitat locations . Oh , by the way the habitat studio in the Dorsky Museum is looking great . AND we still need images of other peoples studios !! (large or small) for the interior collage. Email to me at habitatforartists@gmail.com

Habitat @ Citysol features shedworking.co.uk

Habitat will be displaying a sneak preview of the new book by the folks who bring you shedworking.co.uk - "The only daily updated guide to the lifestyles of shedworkers and those who work in shedlike atmospheres." Gotta love that!

JOIN US at CITY SOL at SOLAR 1 E 23rd St NYC

Please join us at the Habitat Studio which now resides on the banks of the East River at 23rd St,
Stuyvesant Cove. The studio is part of a three day festival , see details below , starting this Friday July 10th through Sunday July 12th . Programmed events start at 6pm , but there will be some of us there before setting up a second pavilion habitat which is celebrating the SHED. For those of you who didn't know the UK has been giving pride of place this week to this most idiosyncratic and democratic structure . With the generous gift of many images of all things shed by Alex Johnson of Shedworking .uk.co , we have been able to give a brief preview of images that will be appearing in his new book on the varied uses of the common and not so garden shed .

Over the course of the event I and others will be repurposing material from other habitats inside this pavilion , including old artwork and a mix of off cuts that have been made in making habitat studios. Drop by and join in or pick out a piece you might like to have reside elsewhere,....and make a bid , every dollar counts ! This pavilion will only be here for 3 days so make the effort to see it . Amy Lipton, of ecoartspace will also be there so do try and come by and see what else we 've been up to.

This small pavilion will evolve into the square foot garden which will accompany the original studio first seen at ecoartspace this past Spring at their Mercer Street project room .We hope to have the CSA ,Common Grounds at Stonykill join us in the weeks to come ,so stay posted.

Other artists will be using the habitat studio at Solar 1 during it's stay on the River banks , so make a note to stay posted on upcoming events.

More news from other habitat studio locations will be posted over the next few days , including sightings of artists at Poet's Walk , en plein air ...... NEW artists in New Paltz and new habitats
sprouting up at Common Grounds CSA near Beacon NY .

Lots to see and do , hope to see you sometime ....... best SD

Habitat at Citysol 2009

Solar One hosts - learn more here.

CURRENT NEWS , WE HAVE MOVED !!

A random selection of habitat studio pix, which one is which ?

Lets start by saying Saturday's performance was pure magic ! Those of you who were there witnessed something unique and sustaining . Dar's final song "Hudson" is the track that accompanies the video short on "Marnie's Shed" (link) .Which has now moved to Poet's Walk Park and has been our poster habitat ! It 's those tie ins which make this project meaningful as we don't have some design team working on stufff like that , it happened organically ,....

More to come on the Concert.

This week the Habitat Studio at the project room of ecoartsapce MOVED . It is now residing on the banks of the East River ,at Stuyvesant Cove , home of Solar 1 . We are in our second day of install and will be eventually building a 6 by 6 ft raised garden in front of it . For the week of the shed I will be posting many images of sheds supplied by Alex Johnson Of Shed Working /UK and images of Habitats , past and present. I am calculating that with a 12" by 12" format we'll get 48 images on a habitat studio side. Calendar NOTE ...... CITY SOL event JULY 10 /11 /12 th .

We'll be there .

Changes in New Paltz today , we have artists starting at Main st and on Campus ,and there will be a writing performance piece at Huguenot Street . New artist starting there next week July 6th. We will be posting links and schedule dates very soon . There are a number of artists who will be taking up residence over the summer and once we have dates confirmed we will link to a schedule . This week is particularly nutty as many folks have left on vacation for the 4th , but HFA never sleeps ,....

. Back soon with more news and opinion .SD