Day 2 :: Finish an Oil Painting

Kid Friendly: yes
Pet Friendly: depends if you like your animals in your 'space'
Cost: $0

Before I dive into the oil painting experience, I first want to bring you up to speed on the event that will occur on Day 21—Saturday, February 20th. I am including the exact date, because it may very well be the date that I cease living. I just submitted the registration form that now includes me as one of the many mentally challenged individuals who will 'plunge' into the frigid waters of Forest Lake on that sure-to-be-fateful day. I bring it to your attention now, because, despite it being so rewarding in and of itself, it is indeed for a bigger purpose... it's a fund raiser to support the construction of the new Polar Bear exhibit at Como Zoo. So, if you have an itchin' to send some funds the polar bears' way, then you could go to the link below:

http://www.winterplunge.kintera.org/adamturner

Otherwise, just to see what it's about, here's the link on Como Zoo's site:

http://www.comozooconservatory.org/support/special-events/#/winter-plunge


Now... on with the oils.

To be clear, I actually began this painting a week or so ago. The previous night, I got it into my head to try something new. I've always been a 'sketcher,' and have dabbled with various painting mediums... mostly acrylic and water paint. However, I've only once ever picked up oil paints, and I didn't care for them. However, that night not so long ago, I decided to give it another crack. And I did. I painted a portrait of my daughter, Addie. And although it wasn't a Michelangelo, I sort of liked it. I liked it enough to try it again the following night. And that's the night I began this painting. I painted for three hours. At the end of the three hours, I had a somewhat developed painting of a Chickadee.

So, in truth, my painting venture wasn't completely new, but within these 30 days, it is unique. And, somewhat new to me.

Here's the finished piece:

I still have much to learn about the medium, but all in all, I'm happy with it. For example, I'd like to see more variance in color with the flowers... maybe some blues or purples in the shadows. I also am a bit ignorant about the whole layering process, and the best use of linseed oil, etc. But, unlike many other ventures, I'm not discouraged. This will definitely be something I attempt again in the future. Actually, that future is a bit spelled out for me, as this Chickadee came as a request from my wife, Laura, who indicated that she'd love to see it joined by a 'few' other 'lovely bird paintings.'

I wish I had more for you on this one, but my novice status really doesn't provide me with a whole lot of insight. One might use this forum to suggest the best type of easel... I used a cardboard box weighted down by an old Photoshop Book. Or, they may suggest the best type of brushes... I used old watercolor and acrylic brushes on the verge of being thrown away because of the lack of care they received. Ah, and the workspace... well, I've supplied a photo of that for your eyes to wonder at:

You'll note to the right of my workspace, is a second workspace, occupied by a pink chair. That would be my daughter's art station. She blessed me with her company while I worked on this Chickadee. Below is her wonderful piece of artwork, entitled "Don't Chew on your dandelions, Mutsy!"

Tomorrow, I exercise. I can't say I'm looking forward to it.
Adam

Day 1 :: St. Paul Winter Carnival - Snow Sculpture Display

Kid Friendly: yes
Pet Friendly: yes
Cost: $0

It was a balmy 22˚ today, demanding a removal of hat and gloves once the blood got pumping. With these warmer temperatures, it was a perfect day to set forth on my maiden visit to the snow sculpture competition—held at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

I'm not sure what I was expecting. I consider events like this to be a 'coming home' sort of thing, where everyone recognizes me as an artist upon my arrival, and we exchange the secret handshake and the coded verbal message to be understood only by 'us artist folk.' And although I did feel a sort of kinship as I set foot on these holy snow-sculpting grounds, I was far from being 'one of them.'

I first noticed the attire common in the crowd—a red letterman jacket, black pants, and a black painted 'v' upon their cheeks. It seemed like a secret society was moving amidst the crowd, sharing secrets only known to them. However, as it turns out, what was going on was far from a secret. Apparently, this Winter Carnival has quite a history, telling tales of royalty, gods, minions doing bidding, and so on. This particular event was put on by Vulcanus Rex, the fire god, and his Vulcan Krewe. The red jackets throughout the crowd, as best as I understand it, are members of the Vulcan Krewe, both past and present... and possibly others who have been involved in this 'elite group' in one capacity or another. More on the history at http://www.winter-carnival.com/the_legend/the_legend_history/

Once I got past the sense of being a complete outsider, I was able to meander through the crowd, and start viewing the entries. I had arrived just prior to the announcing of the victors, so I had time to make my own assessment before being influenced by the judges proclamations. To provide a bit of background to the competition itself, each sculpture is worked on by a team of three people. My understanding is they are each provided a compacted block of snow that measures 8' x 8' x 8'. They began Thursday night, and had to put their tools down sometime before noon today. One woman I spoke with said that she and her team members worked 13 hours both Friday and Saturday. After speaking to another sculptor, they start off with tools as large as lumberjack saws, and then end with tools the size of a hair brush.

My opinion of the sculptures is that they were fantastic. Both in skill and in creativity. There were themes that were regional... like the common Minnesota backyard scene of squirrels attempting to acquire bird seed out of the many feeders scattered throughout the region. And then there were sculptures with a bit more creative bent... one called "Hot Tub Time Machine" that, unlike the recent questionable Hollywood movie, represented a family of Mammoths being frozen in time in what appeared to be a tar pit. But in good creative fashion, the Mammoths were depicted more as a family enjoying a good hot tub in the winter, than large mammals fighting their inevitable demise. This sculpture, as it turned out, ended up being awarded first place.

So, what's my take away? I left with three main thoughts. The first being how interesting this whole 'sub culture' of the Vulkan Krewe was, and wanting to further explore how deep that goes. The second is a recognition of how many gifted people there are around, ready to find new and interesting ways of expressing themselves. I for one, would love to form a team of three, and attempt my hand at a sculpture next year. Lastly, as 'interesting' as it was, I believe it would have been more fun if someone else were able to join me. My daughter Addie was planning on being there, but alas, she has taken a cold, and needed to stay home and rest. I think I'll try and do a bit of both throughout these 30 days... make sure that I take the opportunity to share with other people, but also do some outings where I really have a chance to reflect on my own.

One final note... going to see the ice sculptures only lasted about an hour. Because I have committed to making each of these events 2 to 3 hours, upon arriving home, I continued the theme by going out into the front yard, and attempting to begin a sculpture of my own. Sadly, due to the amount of work to simply create the block of snow to begin with, I put 2 hours into creating a large slab of snow. And nothing more. Unless of course, you count this aching lower back issue I now have from transferring snow from point 'A' to point 'B.'

Adam

The Day Before

It's been decided. Sort of.

Being an incredibly patient person, I have decided to postpone the beginning of this philosophical, self-seeking journey until a later date. I find it necessary to allow for serious contemplation and consideration of factors both known and unknown. I have found, however, that all things considered, there is indeed a launching date that appeases the sensibility owed to the task at hand. And thus, I will set my sights on that day.

Tomorrow.

Yep. I have no patience. Why wait for the inevitable. Really, no additional preparation is going to sweeten this, or sour its taste, so, in true Adam fashion, I am going to wing it.

As it turns out, there are many events and opportunities in the Twin Cities that are either low cost, or no cost at all. That's how I'm going to get this party started... by creating a list birthed out of those opportunities, scattered throughout the 30 days. And upon further discovery, I have just been enlightened to the fact that we're smack in the middle of the St. Paul Winter Carnival. Who knew! This is the sort of thing that I'm after here... A city-wide event in full swing, tiptoeing behind my back as I'm stooped over my laptop streaming the next NetFlix viewing opportunity.

So, the journey begins with the Winter Carnival... specifically, an ice and snow sculpture presentation at the State Fair Grounds tomorrow afternoon (something I'd like to pursue as a participant in the following years). I'll be sharing this outing with my 8-year-old daughter, Addie. As far as the days that follow, I haven't figured out the specifics of who I'll be sharing those life-altering-events with yet. However, I welcome anyone to participate with me... friend or foe (let's make it interesting). If there's anything below that you'd like to be a part of, or would like to invite me to be a part of, I'm looking for... 'volunteers.'

And here is an outline for the 30 days, as of today (it will ebb and flow as time passes, based on others' input):

Day 1 (Sunday, Jan. 30, 2011) :: Vulcan's Fun Day in the Snow - at State Fair Grounds (part of the Winter Carnival)
Day 2 (Monday) :: finish oil painting I began last week
Day 3 (Tuesday) :: some sort of exercise... possibly walk home from work (2 miles)
Day 4 (Wednesday) :: ??
Day 5 (Thursday) :: Minneapolis Institute of the Arts
Day 6 (Friday) :: poker tournament
Day 7 (Saturday) :: host a friends' get-together
Day 8 (Sun., Feb.6) :: ??
Day 9 (Mon) :: live music at 331 Club
Day 10 (Tue) :: ice fishing? (don't have the resources yet... but, will inquire)
Day 11 (Wed) :: ??
Day 12 (Thur) :: Walker Art Center
Day 13 (Fri) :: chaperone 3rd grade group visiting Wildlife Center in Forest Lake
Day 14 (Sat) :: puppet show and workshop
Day 15 (Sun) :: snowshoe at the Arboretum
Day 16 (Mon) :: make a romantic 5-course meal
Day 17 (Tue) :: write a poem
Day 18 (Wed) :: volunteer at a soup kitchen
Day 19 (Thu) :: ??
Day 20 (Fri) :: make homemade pizza and dessert pizza
Day 21 (Sat) :: Como Zoo and Conservatory
Day 22 (Sun) :: Minnesota Children's Museum
Day 23 (Mon) :: make igloo
Day 24 (Tue) :: winter camp
Day 25 (Wed) :: tour the Guthrie Theater
Day 26 (Thu) :: ??
Day 27 (Fri) :: ??
Day 28 (Sat) :: ??
Day 29 (Sun) :: ??
Day 30 (Monday, Feb. 28, 2011) :: ??

And so I begin. Today marks 'the day before' I set out on this new experience. As of now, the list above doesn't seem that exciting, but I have hopes of it evolving as I receive input from others. One final thought... although it may not seem so, I'm on a budget of $50. Not sure how I'm going to pull it off, but I'm going to. So, when I set on the path of 'beg, borrow and steal,' you may want to stand clear.

Until tomorrow,
Adam

Venturing Forth

Today is January 29th, 2011. I just returned from dogsledding up at the Wildlife Science Center in Forest Lake, MN, and I have been inspired.

I have it in my head to set out on a new adventure. However, as often is the case, my resources are fewer than my ambitions. Therefore, today I begin the preparation phase for a 'controlled environment experiment' (the controlled environment being the resources of time and money).

The experiment will be 30 consecutive days of something different each day... similar to today's mushing extravaganza. Granted, each day will continue to produce the elements that daily make up my life now: meals, sleep, time with family, work, etc. But, contrary to my presently established patterns of filling in free time with movies, poker, and general slacking, these 30 days will each produce an experience unlike any other day within the 30 day period.

Because I'm still in the preparation phase, here are some specific ideas and broader categories rattling around in my head:
1. snow shoeing (physical activity)
2. winter camping (physical activity)
3. cross-country skiing (physical activity)
4. downhill tubing (physical activity)
5. oil painting (art expression)
6. stone sculpting (art expression)
7. ceramic sculpting (art expression)
8. write a short story (art expression)
9. make an igloo (physical activity/art expression)
10. ice fishing (physical activity/leisure activity)
11. read a short novel (leisure activity)
12. movie marathon (leisure activity)
13. visit an art museum (culture)
14. see a play (culture)
15. attend a symphony (culture)
16. go to a poetry reading (culture)
17. see an art opening (culture)
18. cook an all-natural meal (cooking)
19. bake an over-the-top dessert (cooking)
20. host a dinner party (social)
21. walk for three hours straight (crazy)
22. wine tasting (culture)

So, there are the seeds to this venture. Here are a few guidelines:
1. include my family as often as possible
2. set a budget for the entire experiment, and don't exceed it
3. all activities remain within the law... both enforced and personal ethics
4. all activities occupy a 2 to 3 hour time slot every day (the activities themselves can exceed that time, but can't replace a new activity in any of the other 30 days... no 'part 1' and 'part 2,' so to speak)
5. try and include friends and 'new friends' as often as possible

And here are my goals:
1. get off my can
2. open my eyes to affordable activities in the Twin Cities area
3. teach my daughter the value of trying new things and effort worthy of unexpected gain
4. broaden my appreciation of others and activities and pursuits that others value

I invite the two or three of you who may be reading this to share your ideas, or even better, I encourage you to invite me to participate in something with you or beside you that I otherwise would not have. I often find it easier to say "no" and choose the comforts of the couch and the familiar, than to say "yes" and infringe into your lives and the things that add spice to the otherwise ordinary.

Here's to the adventure,
Adam