Ives’ lecture examined human interaction with the environment and the responses made to external stimulants. Reexamining his past, Ives is confident that much of the major artistic decisions he has made were influenced largely by his interpretation of interactions and of the environment.

One of his presented pieces was a video featuring a colony of ants swarming on a fallen lollipop. It looked like a sugar high feeding frenzy at first, but I couldn’t help but notice that there was a chaotic order to the teeming mass. My first impression was that the ants were doing what ants do. However, when I look outside the office window, certain similarities can’t be ignored. Hundreds of people are winding their way on Macadam Avenue every hour, not unlike ants on a scent trail to a high fructose feast.

Another presented theme centered on adaptation to a changing environment. Rather than relocating, or going extinct like most wild species do when humans move in, pigeons and kit foxes are doing quite well. They have adapted remarkably well to human influence and are enjoying city life and suburbia just as much as we are.

These are just a few of the many ideas Colin Ives brought up from his observations of the environment, which is refreshing. Art isn’t always about the abstract, the foreign, or the unknown. It can simply be the observation of life around us.

Next time I see an ant, rather than squishing the life out of the pest maybe I’ll follow it.

And see where it takes me.

Note: Colin Ives’ work can be viewed on his online portfolio at www.colinives.com.

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DAVID NG
QUANGO INC // WRITER

Kristin Wille // Designer

Why the need to talk about ants?  It was one of the many interesting topics breached during our last lecture series. It also happens to be my favorite part of the lecture; watching Cara and Sean’s collaboration come together through a video-study on our six-legged friends scurrying around sweetened-liquids, fortifying their ability to tap into the supply of food. 

What I found to be the most provocative point during the lecture [I'm not sure who to attribute credit to on this q/a conversation] was the juxtaposition of the colony of ants trying to secure resources and streamline their ability to ‘find treasure’ within another community’s deemed waste, immediately followed by a similar improvised colony trying to ‘find treasure’ within another community’s deemed waste. A structure that takes place at our own Portland Goodwill Bins.

We know from talking with Cara that any humorous tie-in was unintended, but I can’t help but find it somewhat humorous; and back to the subject heading, collectively these ants are a representation of another collaborative group. 

Marc Anteparra-Naujock // Art Director

BTW…Mark Woolley’s gallery provides a nice sampling of Cara’s work.

We had some fun clients—for example Jon programmed a site that Kate Pabst (an upcoming lecturer in the creative bridges series ) had designed for Hormel foods….www.SPAM.com. Yep, Spam. The quasi-meat product. Jon and Kate built their Web site (I was called “producer” on that one, but I think I was more like an “enabler”). Anyway, I digress—Jon and I met at Larsen, worked together for a while, and then professionally went our separate ways (Jon to B-Swing and then IDEO, me to Intel then QUANGO). Last night was a reunion—Jon reminded me (and my staff and the general public) that I used to call everyone in my midst “bonehead”. My staff then reminded me that this is still the case. It’s a nice feeling to know that there is continuity to my management style over time.

Jon spoke on his creative process—a collusion of music, math and programming as it relates to his current professional charter (he is a member of the design community at IDEO)—though broken into digestible disciplines and demonstrated by example: at one point Jon performed a Paganini suite (I think… I’m sure I got that wrong) on his violin and then presented the same piece performed by his computer in order to illuminate concepts such as the relationships between logic and voice, etc. Jon clearly articulated his opinion on creative logic and thought—and I encourage you to watch the video of his lecture , read the transcript of his talk , and participate in this discussion on creativity. Personally, whenever I talk with Jon (or hear him speak in this case), I reevaluate my own personal discipline of creative thought, logic and process and always walk away reinvigorated and inspired. Give it a go—and let us know.

~ Dave Anolik
V.P. // Creative Director
QUANGO