Subversive acts of artistic joy

A couple Iowa releases

2006-09-18T06:43:00.000-05:00

The last of my cheesy hula girl cards was left on a counter display for discovery at the Yellow Bird Quilt Shop in Lansing Iowa. I gave another ATC to someone who attended the storytelling retreat I was hosting there, so that one wasn't exactly found art.

Another controlled release

2006-09-02T13:54:00.000-05:00

Not exactly Found Art, but I created these ATCs using a photo taken last winter of many of my friends serving with me on the Board of Northlands Storytelling Network. These people have been very supportive of me at times of extreme distress and I wanted to show my appreciation of this at our last Board meeting.

So, like it or not, they all got one of these! Thanks, guys!

Releases outside my area

2006-07-29T17:02:00.000-05:00

I just returned from traveling for three weeks in the UK. Along the way, I set out one ATC to be found at O'Hare, one at a hotel in Dungarvin Ireland and another at the Golden Lion Hotel in Stirling Scotland. Hope whoever finds these enjoys these little gifts from Wisconsin.

Geocaching--a new twist to Found Art!

2006-06-28T16:21:00.000-05:00

My husband and I, both way too independent for our own good at times, have started geocaching as a shared activity. Today we hunted down a couple of close ones near the local airport, and I left a mushroom card at this cache, and a cheesy hula girl card at the Spillway Special just down the road from the first. They are a great item to place in even small containers, and I'm hoping that since geocachers are busy logging their finds, they might take the extra step to come here, too.

I hope. If you found either of them, I hope you enjoy them.

Another mushroom heads out into the cosmos

2006-06-16T06:13:00.000-05:00

Waiting for my son to finish work at the mall, I left another mushroom card on one of the tables in the Food Court. A man returned it to me, but I still managed to leave it on a different table. I hope someone enjoys it!

A couple more pieces set free!

2006-05-05T20:10:00.000-05:00

I gave blood today. Literally. I'd run to the post office to mail some packages, saw the flyer on the announcement board and realized I still had time to get in. After being drained of a pint of blood, I left a Woodpecker ATC for someone to find.

A little later, after Friday fish, I left one on the table. This one was the last of the mushroom cards. In a droll little "found art" story, we'd run into a former coworker of mine and got into conversation about the fact he'd turned in his notice of retirement from teaching after 32 years this morning. During the time we stood and chatted, the waitress caught me to return my card. I just smiled, handed it back and said, "Nope, that's for you!"

A little cheesecake for dessert!

2006-04-21T20:17:00.000-05:00

Tucked one of these in the payment folder after we finished our delicious meal at Manny's Restaurant tonight. Don't know if the waitress, the cashier or someone else got her, but when the change came back, she was gone!

Aloha!

A mushroom at the bank

2006-04-21T17:37:00.000-05:00

While taking care of my banking business, I surreptitiously placed one of the remaining mushroom cards on the counter. Hope someone finds it and enjoys this little surprise! Even better would be hearing from someone who's found some of these.

One of the "mothers" was left for the taking!

2006-04-04T18:08:00.000-05:00

I left one of the cooking disaster mother cards on the table at Elm Grove DayCare/Preschool when I was there this morning to work with one of my little students.
I figured that would be a great place for someone who could relate to find one!

Not exactly a random placement, but....

2006-04-02T10:21:00.000-05:00

I should have been leaving next Saturday for Arkansas, where I was to have been part of the Cornell Ornithology Lab's search for conclusive evidence that Ivory Billed Woodpeckers still fly in the remaining shreds of southern swamp forests. But I'm not. I resigned my position earlier this year for reasons not worth explaining.

However, I just sent an ATC to one of the fellows with whom I'd originally planned to split car rental expenses from Nashville to the Cache River Wildlife Area. We've been emailing back and forth, and this search period is the final one for the season. The pressure is huge to come up with *something.* This project has come under heavy fire in recent months.

So, even though I can't be searching in person, I'll be there in the form of this quick and useful pocket reference, should my friend I've never met be faced with the need for quick ID help!

Go get that bird, searchers!

More mushrooms in strategic places...

2006-03-09T20:37:00.000-06:00

Another of the mushroom cards was surreptitiously left in the newstand inside the entry to BeanJuice Coffee in Jackson Plaza.

And I enjoyed a wonderful cup of Guatamalen roast and a chocolate chip cookie in the bargain! I highly recommend them for the best cuppa around.

A little unexpected joy at the dentist's office

2006-02-22T19:35:00.000-06:00

While waiting to be called in for my six month checkup yesterday, I left one of these cards on the end table next to my chair. Though I did not experience a whole lot of joy---first cavity in years!--it looks like someone did, because when I left, the card was gone.

Enjoy!

Requesting your collusion!

2006-02-20T09:30:00.000-06:00

I have five more of the mushroom ATCs to share with the world, and must add that when I "released" one yesterday with the teenage male athletes, it was pronounced "really cool" by aforementioned athletes. Ultimate praise, I'd say.

I have a new set of cards that needs more consideration as to their release site. I have three like these, knock offs of some I did for a swap some time back called "Oh sh**, I've become my mother?" You see? These need to fall into the right hands to be fully appreciated.

So, if you have some great notions as to the type of locale where these would best be discovered by an appreciative finder, comment away. I think at least one will go to a favorite coffee shop, one that has many customers who'd fit the right demographic.

Getting subversive with my art

2006-02-18T08:12:00.000-06:00

I have one of those 43 Things lists, so the blame falls squarely on that. When editing some of my entries one day, I looked at the box of things others want to do, and saw one that read "wants to leave little pieces of art for others to find." What a cool idea! I added it to my list, and mostly forgot about it.

Until the other day. I was cleaning my workspace and there are piles of leftover photos and images from ATC swaps sitting there. I'd made all the cards I needed for those swaps, and hating to throw anything away, I left the extras sitting to collect dust.

Not any more. So far, I've made 16 ATCs, all ready to go out into the world. My husband and are I treating ourselves to a night out, going to a concert with Peter and Lou Berryman at the Pump House in LaCrosse. I'm pretty sure there are information stands near the entrance. I'm hoping there are. I still haven't picked up the February issue of Tapestry magazine. When I do, I'll leave a card or two inside the magazines in that stand.

This is such a fun concept. I hope if you have the least bit of artistic inclination, you'll join me in this fun. You can read more about the concept at the Found Art website. Now, go make some art!

ETA, 2/19/06 Four of these cards have now been put out into the universe. One was surreptitiously placed on the counter in the restroom at the Pump House, another slipped into a brochure near the front door. This morning, one was left on the counter of the athletic center at Viterbo University near the indoor soccer courts (guess who had carpool duties today?) and the last at the Hardees where the teenage sports heroes had to refuel after the game. I hope they brought a little lift to whoever found them. It gave me one to leave them! If you're here because you were the lucky finder, I'd love to have you leave comments.