Peter Howells

Yesterday I went out looking for supplies and inspiration–at the hardware store and the thrift store.

The general idea behind Instant Artshow is to bring a bunch of people together for the afternoon to collaborate on art and install the results immediately thereafter. I held the first such event about a year ago. Ten artists showed up and almost everyone was able to make a piece, but it was definitely a challenge to create a sense of collaboration. I found I actually made the constrains too restrictive, so this year I plan to have people work together on a number of projects that have a seed of concept and execution in mind.

I went to the hardware and thrift store with my friend, Mark, looking for items that participants could incorporate into their projects or otherwise turn into art. I ended up buying a limited number of items, because I want the pieces to be mainly constructed of found objects and recycled materials. We bought some light-weight mesh that will be used to create structure for a ceiling-based sculptural installation. I also bought a really cool, retro floor lamp, with flat, translucent sides that would be perfect for some silhouette work.

I have a number of other projects in mind and will spend the rest of the week gathering materials and supplies and setting up.