I was watching my twitter stream this week and saw a post about Artist and @Platea founder An Xiao heading to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena from NYC. The tweet was humorous and I tweeted to An wishing her a safe journey… A joke response. She smiled. Then another post… I direct tweeted @joanie_s_c who asked me if I wanted to play too. Play? Of course I wanted to play. That lead me to being part of this live no rules twitter performance.

One of the collective members had made an Flat An-vatar and shared it with us. We would take Flat An on a journey. It was a whirlwind adventure and a circuitous route. It was great fun, spontaneous, and loosely structured; performers were from both side of the ocean. I was thrilled to participate in my second piece with @Platea.

Enjoy Flat An-vatar’s circuitous route to LA.

These are photos from the flickr group. You can relive the performance by searching twitter for the hashtag @FlatAnvatar

I look forward to the next chapter of @Platea.

@Platea is a global collective of individuals interested in the power of public art carried out in the digital megacity of social media.

@Platea is founded and directed by artist An Xiao (New York, NY), a photographer and digital media artist exploring issues in contemporary social media. Recently listed in The Guardian’s “who’s who” of the Twitter art world, she has shown her social media art projects with the Brooklyn Museum, Yale/Haskins Laboratories, The New York Times, ARTNews and others.

I rediscovered the image of this drawing while archiving some files. But finding the actual drawing has been a bit of a challenge. I was thinking of revisiting some of these processes… especially for the larger drawings. Scaling some of the vocabulary to 4 times the size.

Thinking about how to make the tools to make these large marks. Photos of tool making next week. Looking at industrial felt. Many sketches of these ideas. Now to try them.

It was 9 am and already 82° when I headed out to my studio sunday morning. It’s a two mile walk or so. I usually break it up with a stop for a cup of coffee or breakfast on the way.

This sunday Margaret walked with me to Philadelphia Java Company. We had coffee, tea, and some breakfast buns and I ordered a sandwich for lunch. It was a refreshing stop — I headed the rest of the way to my studio alone. The sun was beating down on South Philly a place bereft of trees and almost impossible to find a sliver of shade.

I arrived at the back of Factory 1241 and came up the loading dock fire stairs. I walked up to the third floor.

Opening my huge sliding door let some heat escape, I walked to the fridge and took out a bottle of water. Looking a the thermometer it read 90°. Time to turn on the Vornado and the air-conditioner, put my feet up a bit, stop dripping and change into my studio clothes.

It was really wonderful how quickly my mind emptied of any thought but the series of marks I was making on the bright white rag vellum. Making the marks continued almost nonstop. Just a break for my sandwich. I made three new drawings.

I always carry a camera and a sketchbook. Sometimes I carry a set of colored pencils or aqua pencils and a water brush. These are a few small pieces done by the seaside last fall. I was revisiting them since I have been working on a new series of egyptian waters.

I’m doing sketches like this now by the riverside. Experiencing the rhythms and light.

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These are a few of my moo cards. Almost all are gone except for a documentation set that I’ve kept. It’s almost time to make a new set. Pull out scans of more recent drawings and make another limited set.

Its wonderful to look at them in these grids lined up arbitrarily. They create a whole new retrospective of sorts. New cards on the way this autumn.

Back in the studio — finally.  It was a most excellent day of drawing on Sunday. I lit the incense, put on my ipod, and drew almost nonstop for five hours.

Stepping back into the groove with a limited vocabulary, ink drawings and iconic marks, made it easy to lose track of everything else but the memories of the ocean. I could taste the salt and feel the breeze blowing off the water. My mind was empty and the drawings came.

I was able to complete four drawings. Here’s one.

They come from a time when the tide is shifting. It felt as though I had been waiting for that shift — when the wind is still.

I’ve been living in the space between. There is so much art in my head and no opportunity to be in the studio. The ideas are beginning to take up every last bit of empty space in my head.

Having a little bit of trouble getting my new theme to work with the old image data uploads. Working on it. I’m into process and you’re getting to see the ugliness of it right here. I was using some odd hacks to make this all work before. Much retrofitting going on for back posts but the new ones should be fine.

It will all be fine – soon.

At last a full day in the studio. It has been difficult getting in a rhythm since our move to Old City. Unpacking, settling in, and working have kept me from establishing a time to get to my studio and make art.

Saturday I spent the whole dang day in the studio. Cleaned up the mess I had left before we moved; creating space to make some new work. Lots of time putting away drawing supplies and clearing surfaces for some new constructions I have in mind.

It’s terrific to get back to making art with my hands not just my head. So many ideas that my head was in overload. Now my hands can make the ideas into something visual and tactile. There are many dimensional projects in the works and some objects which I have in mind. The space is ready for my next project.

Did I mention I’m really happy for my air conditioner?

Just found a supplier for some plastic wheatgrass. I’ve been looking for it for awhile. The plastic bldes are just stiff enough… yes, I am excited and have devious plans for my 6 x 6 inch squares.

Each 6 x6 square will be a distinct piece.