What is the practice or object you have committed to enact or create for your final project?
I’ve committed to working with one type of material and technique in order to practice the methods to make my final product.
In what ways DOES this practice/skill or object provide joy, functionality and/or good health for you over 10 years?
Working with ceramics is indeed a calming, meditative, and satisfying activity. By practicing the skill provides me joy as I am interested in ceramic works. Ceramic work also gives me a break from starring on screens and kept me away from the overwhelming noise pollution and stress from classes. If I were to practice this skill for the next 10 years, I am assuming that my mental healthy and body will be more healthy.
How have you planned to repair or allow your project to be renewed and change over time — making it more resilient (able to last/be useful) for at least 10 years?
If my pallet broke/cracks, I can put it back with ceramic glue. Although it would not be food safe, but it can be used as many other non-food related purposes such as a jewellery trinket.
How will your project invite more sustainable systems by preventing unnecessary/excess materials from entering the waste stream and support Environmental Justice over the next 10 years — and potentially beyond?
Since my project is quite versatile and durable, its life span would be longer. Also since I’ve glazed my work in food-safe glaze, this could be used as a food utensil which would probably last longer as it does not require much traveling and chances of coming in contact with hard objects.
The Set up for filming the video. Greenware PlatePlate cleaned and glazed.
I rolled out a slab of white ceramic clay, and cut the shape of the piece out. I waited for the surface to dry up a little before carving the indentations. The leg on the side is made to hold utensils.
Brewing the black tea, sugarLeaving it to cool down to room temperature, adding apple cider vinegar Apple cider vinegar and pure kombucha Pouring the Kombucha liquid into cleaned glass trays. Covering up the liquid with sling wrap. Secured it with tape and poked holes for the kombucha to breathe.
Discussion Prompt
1) Why do you feel it is important to create and use natural materials (as an artist or designer, and also as a human)?
I feel it is important to create and use natural materials as an artist and designer because not only do we set a model to influence the community to be more aware of carbon emission and waste, but also to create a healthy ecosystem that would last and sustain. As humans, we should enforce the use of natural materials. Natural materials reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint and other burdens to the environment.
2) Which project will you explore for your mid-term project? Please note, mid-term projects are considered a “test” and exploration. You will be assessed more on your approaches and process than final outcomes (it might fail, but you will learn along the way). Have fun, try something new and enjoy the process!
I will be exploring kombucha leather for my mid-term project.
3) What materials do you need in order to conduct the test? Is there anything you need to learn before starting or specific questions about the midterm you’d like to share or ask?
According to the PDF, I will need black tea bags, white sugar, kombucha drink, and apple cider vinegar. Before starting my experiment, I need to learn how to use the PH level chart and learn how to analyze PH testing papers.
MIDTERM STUDIO OUTCOMES
1. Do you consider your exploration successful? Are you happy with the results?
No, I thought it would. No
2) Is your outcome more beautiful/interesting/healthy than a store bought design?
In my opinion, yes. If it worked out.
3) What did you learn through the process, did you encounter unexpected challenges or successes?
I learned that following instructions are important, we must be aware and plan things well so we can meet the time requirement. When I was looking for kombucha in the store, it was somewhat challenging to find unflavored kombucha, I had to look in several supermarket to get the unflavored ones. Since I dont have any ‘exact’ measuring cups, I had to try my best to measure for example using a 16 OZ mug and measuring the height of the mug in order to find out how ‘tall’ 2 OZ should be. and it seems like a 2OZ volume.
4) What would you do differently next time? Are there other/better ways you can approach the process that you realize now?
I might purchase more measuring equipment for the project. I think I would have to monitor it and keep record of the experiment just so that I can have more information for my LP.
5) After completing the project, do you consider working with natural processes/materials as a valuable skill? Why/why not?
I am still growing my kombucha, for some reason it is growing extremely slow. I will update this part when I’m ready.
1) Do you often feel rushed? Do you feel like you have time to observe changes in your self? Environment? Other people?
2) Do you feel like you have the time you want/need or do you wish you had more time? What would you do with it?
3) Do you feel like you move quickly through the world or slowly? Would you like the pace of life to be different?
4) What is your experience of time in daily life? What is your ideal pace of working and living?
5) Do long spans of time (geologic time) feel incomprehensible, irrelevant, interesting?
Post a reflective paragraph below (addressing the questions above) sharing your current relationship with time, illustrated through specific example(s) from your life this week.
2_ CONDUCT A SLOW OBSERVATION
Then, choose something to observe at the pace that you want. Make this long or short and say why. What did you notice?
1. Select your subject for slow looking
Choose a physical object or feature of your environment, home, a person or a group of people, or an interaction or event. This will be your observation “subject.”
2. Observe your subject
Look closely at the subject for at least five minutes and note down as many features as you can. Try to look at the place and/or people you’re observing as if for the first time. You might want to make notes about:
Everything you see and hear
Anything that is familiar about what you observe, and anything that seems unfamiliar orsurprising to you
A close, “zoomed-in” view of a specific aspect of your observation setting
3. Record your “wonders”
Write a list of questions or “wonders” that you now have about your subject. How would you describe the “time” of this material/object or event?
4. Consider your subject within a bigger system
Think of a bigger system connected to the subject (e.g. the surrounding conditions, weather/temperature, movement, what is shaping this event or object). Try to imagine the bigger system in action and how your subject fits into it.
5. Visualize the system
Sketch a diagram that shows the different parts of the object/person/event with a system and how they might interact.
6. Reflect
Were there any new insights you gained from doing this activity? Did it feel like it was a good use of time? Did you enjoy it?
Upload your responses and image/sketch below and bring them to class next week to discuss.
3_ THE TIME OF DAILY LIFE IN THE ANTHROPOCENE
After conducting independent research online, share a short description below about the materials and events that you feel define the Anthropocene. Include why it might be important for artists and designers to engage the topic of the Anthropocene. Given the IPCC report summary (see our ANTHROPOCENE lecture from class for a reminder), what do you expect that you can do/experience today, that might not be possible in 2050?
1_ CREATE A TIME INVENTORY / FIND YOUR PACE
During the first week of the second semester, I felt time progressed slower than usual. At the same time, the stress and the environment are continuously changing and shifting. I felt rushed when peers or people around me were rushing and going past me so fast that I couldn’t keep up and had to check in on myself constantly. Consequently, I needed more time to observe objects and people surrounding me, including myself.
If I had more time, I would work and concentrate on my mental and physical needs, such as going to the gym, eating healthy, and maintaining a six-ten hours sleep schedule. I would also spend more time calling my parents. The irregular sleep and class schedules have taken away communication/interaction with people I care about and love.
The pace depends on the environment and society. I adapt to the atmosphere based on my location. In this big city, everyone is rushing towards different things. For instance, when I walked into the subway station, I felt pressured because of the crowd and because everyone seemed rushing, as if they were almost late to work/class. At that moment, I thought I was unwillingly moving quickly through the world. I would change the pace of life to become slower. I want to move slowly through the world and appreciate things more than I do now.
My parents and I are so far away from each other. They live on the other side of the world, which to me feels incomprehensible. They are one day ahead of me. They are experiencing my future if I were there. Living in a parallel universe but experiencing different time zones is really interesting.
2_ CONDUCT A SLOW OBSERVATION
Select your subject for slow looking
Tulip
Observe your subject
Everything you see and hear
One tulip is bent towards me
Some yellowish leafs
A small bulb on the side is growing but looks unhealthy
All the leaves are relatively soft, it doesn’t look healthy.
There is one tulip that is taller than the others
Two tulips are hidden behind the leaf and it look almost identical
On the left the tulip is growing outwards
Almost all the leaves are growing and pointing upwards
All tulips are white
The leaves are velvety looking
The leafs are lush green
The tallest tulip is starting to bloom
There is a label on the bottom, it says “white, tulip”
The plant is wrapped in a piece of brown paper, it looks like muffin wrapper
From the side the bottom looks pretty empty, I can only see the stems
From the side the middle is mainly covered and intertwining leaves
I can hear the cars honking and passing through in the background, it sounds distanced and muffled because I closed the windows.
I can hear my own heartbeat as I was concentrating
Anything that is familiar about what you observe, and anything that seems unfamiliar or surprising to you.
I used to work in a floral shop, tulip is one of my favorite flowers, which I work with them alot in the floral shop. I can see that I wasn’t taking good care of my tulips
A close, “zoomed-in” view of a specific aspect of your observation setting
Record your “wonders”
How long will it take for it to completely dry out?
Write a list of questions or “wonders” that you now have about your subject. How would you describe the “time” of this material/object or event?
Consider your subject within a bigger system
I don’t have enough time and energy to care for my tulips, I haven’t watered it in such a long time. Because of the weather, the tulip isn’t getting constant sunlight and enough nutrients from the environment.
Visualize the system
(see below)
6. Reflect
Were there any new insights you gained from doing this activity? Did it feel like it was a good use of time? Did you enjoy it?
I realized how much I’ve neglected the care of this tulip. I bought this tulip when I just got back from winter vacation and away from my family, I wanted to shift my concentration onto a living object and care for it. Ever since school started, I totally neglected the importance of care and attention I have to give to this object. I saw so many details, flaws, and beauty on this object, things that I’ve never seen before. I felt like it was a good use of time and I really enjoyed it.
Diagram:
3_ THE TIME OF DAILY LIFE IN THE ANTHROPOCENE
I think cotton is the material that defines the Anthropocene. Cotton is one of the most critical crops related to human, labor, economy, technology, and paradigm shift themes. Cotton is so versatile. However, humans are exploiting natural resources, so the pure cotton product might not be possible in 2050.
