"Indopanska"

One thing that i do besides make coffee is make art, if those two can truly be separated. My most recently finished project is an examination of stratification, both in culture as well as through medium.

I started by using an old cedar shake (presumably from the Pacific Northwest) that was formerly atop a roof, and cedar scraps to build a crude frame.

Since the frame was only used to temporarily contain layers of acrylic paint, it didn't need to be very sturdy. I made the frame flush with the cedar shake, created a seal with some wood glue, and began layering paint inside the frame.

Each layer was allowed a day or two to dry, depending on the thickness. The colors were chosen to signify the national flags of different countries (Indonesia, Japan, Poland). From the top, the acrylic paint presents a glossy and reflective effect.


Once every layer had dried completely and evenly, i removed the sides to reveal the stratification. The effect upon cross-section is somewhat like the marbling of fat through meat.

The reverse, or bottom layer of the piece takes on the wood grain of the cedar shake.


The result is a very flexible and pliable substance, about 1 1/4" thick.

Some issues i am attempting to address through this first piece are my experiences in Indonesia on the Darmasiswa Scholarship. During my stay in Denpasar, i met a great many people from many different areas of the world, of many different callings in life. My understanding of that part of the world was underscored by my experience of life in the Pacific Northwest. My impressions were comparable within the confines of my life experience only. The cedar shake base and frame are my beginnings, both within the context of this project as well as symbolically in my choice of locally sourced materials. The binding glue/sealant, Gorilla Glue, was "first discovered being used in Indonesia on teak furniture." My experience in Indonesia was one of layered experiences, as a tourist, as a scholar, and as a person of no color whatsoever in a developing country. The first layers were necessarily thin and simple, offering less complexity and no mixing of colors. Later layers include thicker application and more complex patterns, analagous to my experience. It is significant that the frame is not a included in the final product, and has been broken away to reveal the layering. A common theme in my work is the notion of process overshadowing product; as an artist, i do not consider one more important than the other. The finished product can be viewed in the round, and offers different impressions on each side. The first layer is matte and its simple shapes are impressed with the grain of cedar shake. On the reverse, or last layer, glossy patterns include rifts between interspersed colors. Viewed from the side, layering can be observed in different proportions.

During my stay, some of the people i met made a great impression on me, and influenced my worldview considerably. Besides the obvious effect of Indonesian culture, i also spent much time with Japanese and Polish friends. The collective vision of our experience added further layers of complexity in everyday life. Language barriers, eating habits, musical preferences, and everyday routine all had affect on our perception of our experience. This was not a neat, orderly, or homogenous mixture of cultures. The result was that all of us broke some molds of our fomer lives.

This piece addresses these issues visually, and for me, in a tactile manner. The flexible feel of this solid chunk of acrylic paint tells me that my experience can be molded further into whichever shape i choose. However, i have chosen the proportions of a national flag to show my pride in our collective experience, and the creation of a new state of mind in regards to our place in the world.