A study of Coastal California parks through photography, interpretive collage and stories.
Fifty percent (50%)* of the amount raised over the funding goal will go to California State Parks Foundation.
About the Project
I'm Levonne Gaddy.
I'm the author of several blogs. My blogs are about my family's three-year relocation adventure from the U.S. southwest to California during the Great Recession. During that period, we volunteered as park caretakers and campground hosts and lived in some of California's public parks.
The idea for this Kickstarter project came from readers requesting a book based on the blogs and from my desire to share my feelings about the experience through stories, photographs and art.
The book project "This Restless Life" is a study of people, events and places from my three-year adventure. California State Park closure threats gave me an intimate appreciation for our valuable shared public spaces.
The book will consist of approximately 130 pages of photography, images of my interpretive collages and stories.
How I'll Work
1. I choose one of the photographs that I took of a significant place, person or event.
2. I explore my feelings and memories as I integrate the photograph into an interpretive collage.
3. I review and revise the story related to the particular place, person or event.
Here is the story associated with the above photo and collage.
Again?
1. The Picture(s)
2. The collage
3. The story
May I have Your Support?
I'm feeling really excited about this project. I would love to have your support.
When you share this project with your social network, I hope to increase the awareness of the value of our shared public space. Specifically, I would like for people to understand the ongoing threat to the California State Park system. With your support I can I can finish this project, I can publish the book and I can produce rewards for those who contribute to the project.
Some of the awesome rewards contributors will get are:
- acknowledgement in the book for project support
- signed copies of the book
- greeting cards made from pictures in the book
- limited edition prints of pictures
- personalized computer mousepads
- a phone call with me about the process
- an museum mounted original collage made for the project
(See reward details to your right.)
Why I'm Right for this Project
I started taking pictures when I was a child back in Star, North Carolina. Star is a rural town of about 700 people. My love for roaming in wide-open spaces and photography started there.
Throughout the years, I have written and published newspaper articles, professional papers and non-fiction works. When I was in the southwest, I created a photography exhibit that was displayed at the University of Arizona.
I have all the photographs and written stories that I need for this project. I have created several of the interpretive collages.
There is more creative work to do to finish collages and sharpen words before publishing.
I am ready to use all my skills and talents to create the art and the book. This work will culminate in the creation of a useful tool for bringing attention to the tremendous value of our shared public spaces.
My Kickstarter project will not get funded though if I don't reach my funding goal. That is why your help is critical. Thank you for visiting.
*up to $1,000
Risks and challenges Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
One challenge that I anticipate with this project is completing everything by the deadline for sending out rewards. I plan to use time management skills and meditation to help me stay focused and moving through internal barriers that I may encounter.
Of course, there is always the challenge of technology, whether its hardware or software. I will have a learning curve with the design and publishing software that I will use as it is new to me - Adobe InDesign. I'll use the tutorials and will call on friends with expertise in this area to help me overcome this challenge.
FAQ
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Yes. Kickstarter allows a creator to rerun the project at a lower funding level. Backers then need to make their pledge again to the reran project, as Kickstarter only gives pledges to a creator when the funding level has been reached.
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Yes. I researched the cost of making rewards. Publishing, printing, mailing materials and postage, art and framing supplies, memory cards and ink cartridges, a class on collage making, and the fee for professional editing of the book make up about sixty percent of the budget.
Fees to Kickstarter and Amazon make up about ten percent of the funding total while taxes will claim another twenty or so percent of the total.
The remaining ten percent of the budget goes towards 1.) shipping the collage collection to places that agree to exhibit them and 2.) printing books and making giveaways to use at public events where I will speak about the book and the issues raised by the project.
There are two more years before a new California budget is finalized and before park closures could occur unless there is continued public support to keep them open.
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Though we have no "share" button per se, under the project view are two different social media options, the Facebook "Like" and the Twitter tweet button. Both will allow the user to share the link to the project. I hope this helps a bit!
42
Backers
$2,365
pledged of $12,000 goal
Funding Canceled Funding for this project was canceled by the project creator on November 19, 2012.
Funding period
Oct 22, 2012 -
Nov 21, 2012
(30 days)
- 2 created · 2 backed
- Levonne Gaddy 444 friends
- Website: levonnegaddy.com
Pledge $10 or more
4 backers Limited (6 of 10 left)
You will get a bundle of 3 desktop wallpapers for your PC or Mac made from photographs used in the project.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Pledge $25 or more
14 backers Limited (36 of 50 left)
You'll get an electronic (PDF) copy of my book plus a bundle of 3 desktop wallpapers from photos used in the project.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Pledge $50 or more
3 backers Limited (92 of 95 left)
I'll send you 10 postcards made from pictures in the book plus an electronic (PDF) copy of he book and a bundle of 3 desktop wallpapers.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Add $15 to ship outside the USPledge $100 or more
8 backers Limited (7 of 15 left)
You will get a finished copy of the book along with the $50 rewards above.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Add $15 to ship outside the USPledge $130 or more
0 backers Limited (5 of 5 left)
I'll send you a signed copy of the book, a mousepad with picture from the book, and bundle of 3 desktop wallpapers from photos used in the project.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Add $15 to ship outside the USPledge $250 or more
1 backer Limited (5 of 6 left)
I will acknowledge your support in the book, will send you a personalized signed copy of the book, a 16x20 poster of a photo from the book, a mousepad with picture from the book and 15 postcards made from photos in the book. (see $265 for same reward shipped internationally)
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Add $15 to ship outside the USPledge $500 or more
0 backers Limited (3 of 3 left)
You will get a 18x24 canvas print of one of the photos from the book and a thirty minute phone call with me so that you can ask any questions about the project that you might have. You'll be acknowledged in the book and will get a personalized signed copy of the book.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Add $15 to ship outside the USPledge $500 or more
1 backer Limited (2 of 3 left)
I will send you a package of 12 greeting cards made from photos in the book, a signed limited edition print from a picture in the the book, will acknowledge you in the book and send you a signed copy of the book.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Add $15 to ship outside the USPledge $1,000 or more
0 backers
You will get 2 signed copies of the book with an acknowledgement of you in the book, an hour phone call from me, a limited edition print of a picture from the book, and a package of 12 greeting cards of photos from the book.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Add $15 to ship outside the USPledge $2,500 or more
0 backers
I will send you a museum mounted originial art piece that was used in the book and will acknowledge you in the book. You will get a personalized signed copy of the book, 2 packages of 12 greeting cards each of photos from the book, a mousepad with a picture from the book, a bundle of 6 desktop wallpapers from photos used in the project, and an electronic (PDF) copy of the book.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Add $25 to ship outside the US
