coming soon...

Well, there it is - a semi-magical double-digit number.... "10" backers so far!

A special Thank you to "Tye Huggins" for the double-duty award of not only pushing the total project backers into double-digits, but also being my first unsolicited backer - Thanks, Tye!

When I first setup the deadline for this fundraising goal I tried to give myself enough time to research, test and figure out ways that would reach out to others that will help me achieve my goal. With 32 days to go, I am nearly half way through the 60 days I gave myself and hovering just below that magical 25% funded number that keeps showing up in blogs as the first measurable 'hill' that, once surpassed, will provide more momentum as the deadline approaches.

Remember, every pledge, no matter how small, will help me achieve this artistic goal and I can't get there without your help so any extra effort on your part to spread the word would be greatly appreciated.. .a mention to a friend at lunch, a link in an email, a retweet of my twitter account @zendolphyn when I'm pitching my project to the twittering masses, etc.

So let's talk about the project a bit more...

I've begun collecting locations of current construction projects and heavy equipment dealers so that once my goal is reached I can hit the ground running and get into the field as quickly as possible. Luckily, living close to Atlanta will provide me with so much raw materials for photographs that I could spend a month endlessly going from one location to the next. The goal has always been to attack the sites within a couple hours drive in any direction from my home and populate a database of images as quickly as possible so I can get back into the studio and start creating - but the more I think about the execution, the project has already begun to evolve a little bit on the different ways I can create each digital artwork.

At first I will work as I did when I created the first two pieces that have inspired this project to move forward - which is take a ton of interesting pictures and then disassemble them digitally before bringing them back together to form the artwork I envisioned. These assets can range from many different sources from many different locations and that will be fine because I already know that method works.

If I wanted to add another level of complexity to the project, as well as significance to each individual artwork, it would be to only utilize the assets from a specific location to create each individual design. For example, a piece of digital art created from only the pictures I took on the site of a bridge reconstruction near my home could be simply titled after the location "Bethlehem, GA Route 11 Bridge Replacement". I think the simplicity of this unfeeling naming mechanism can quite magically contradict the intended beauty of the final artwork. Especially when viewed as a collection in a book or, < fingers crossed > a gallery showing.

It's something to think about - but since I went to the effort of hashing it out here in this update blog, then I'm probably leaning toward location-based titles. The more I think about it, the more I can't help feel it provides that canvas of contrast, a way for the audience to ponder the cold, muddy, rusted building process that lies beneath the beauty I intend to create. Kind of a "Beauty and the Beast" approach to design...

Talk to you all again soon. I think the next update will be a video so that I can open the window a little bit more about me, my studio, and probably tug at the cute strings by holding my 18 month-old little girl on my lap while I chat your ear off...

- Michael

First of all, thank you so much to everyone that has made a pledge to date. This project is going to be an amazing creative journey that wouldn't be happening if not for your generosity.

I'd like to start by saying that I do believe I am a blogger at heart, but I have only been using this format to communicate with friends, family and others for about 6 months. For most of my life, however, I have been a writer at heart so it will become quite evident that I like to get my hands to the keys and just jabber away.

To stay on task, I will limit my ramblings in this forum to things that relate to the Organic Industry project. The one thing I'd like to provide now, in case you don't make the trek to my personal site, are examples of the final prints that will be created and included in the book - and possibly selected for use in the postcard collection.

The first one is a freeform study of a backhoe, using only parts and pieces from it to create the final design. The circular shape of the wheel became a strong element in this piece and is reinforced throughout.

The second piece is a tribute to Piet Mondrian, using the grid structure of his 1918 painting "Composition with Gray and Light Brown". I substituted like-colored sections within the framework for elements of earth pre-excavation - stone, gravel, dirt, grass, contrasted by the muted gold steel of a front end loader bucket. The grid lines are black grease.

So you can see how this project brings together two very different worlds that I have lived in as an adult and I can't wait to start photographing construction sites and equipment, textures, pieces of hardware, etc. before sitting down at the computer again.

I'll try to post some thumbnail sketches of future layouts while the project is in the fundraising stage (although it will be taking up some considerable time to promote).

Talk to you again soon.

Michael