Ive Been Taking A Hiatus From Participatory Art Because Im Tired Of The Success Of A Project Being In

I’ve been taking a hiatus from participatory art because I’m tired of the success of a project being in the hands of other people. I have to rely on unreliable people enough in other parts of my life, I’d rather not have to deal with that in my art, at least for now. I’m a social person, so I’m naturally inclined to make social work, but for now I like the control of having a project that I can do all by myself.

I whipped this up the other day to celebrate the fact that I’m back in the etsy game. Check out my shop if you’re curious!

New items all this month.

Top two photos: July, 2014. 35mm. Shimabara and Amakusa, Japan.

I do miss Japanese life and the beauty of Amakusa/Kyushu a lot lately, but with each good experience in Grand Rapids, I'm reminded of the reasons I moved back. Last night I joined the Avenue for the Arts (GR's art district) advisory committee and on Friday I'm going to my second meeting for their spring art festival planning committee. They've lined up so many spaces for exhibitions this year, anyone who wants to curate one can. That never would've happened in Chicago, though, come to think of it, the Amakusa pop-up art festival last year had similar opportunities. 

Beyond that, I'm starting docent training soon for the contemporary art museum's new exhibition and will probably be signing up for a new artist-focused business course in the spring. None of these resources existed in Amakusa. Even in Nagasaki and Kumamoto, the biggest cities near me (2.5+ hours away) the art scenes were very weak. 

I just hope I can go to some of the Michigan dunes soon to get my nature fix. Everyone's stories and photos make them seem incredible.

Two more shots from the Silver Lake Dunes.

Zachary Trebellas. Summer/Natsu, study. Scanogram. 2015.

This is a study for one of the pieces I have planned focusing on the Japanese habits that have replaced my American ones. With this one I wanted to focus on the Japanese custom of wrapping a damp towel around one’s neck in the summer to keep cool. It is so tricky to get the composition right when scanning yourself, though. I’ve done other shots where I simulate sweat by spritzing the scan bed with water. It works sometimes, but it’s a lot of trial and error. I guess I just have to keep at it. —— This is part of the series I’m working on, Nippo Greco American, exploring my relationship with the three ethnic groups I in some way identify with.

My current job is being partially funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The graphic novel I’m currently reading is funded in part by the Canada Council for the Arts. Here’s what those budgets looks like in comparison to each other and to military spending.

US arts funding per person in 2014: 45¢ Canadian arts funding per person in 2014: $4.08

US military funding per person in 2014: $1,945 Canadian military funding per person in 2014: $455

The US government gave more money to the arts in 1979 when the population was 225 million than it does now when our population is 318 million. I wish things were different.