Anatomy of an "Art" Project (for Art for the Cure of Cystic Fibrosis)

I have always been interested in the creative process -- the conceptualization of an idea and the output that the idea generates. Because of this interest I have intermittently dabbled with "art."

I don't consider myself an artist. I create "things" -- also called installations. I have an idea, I roughly sketch it out and build it from soup-to-nuts. The installation usually ends up on a canvas in some fashion, so most people call it art.

Back to the creative process idea... My sister-in-law hosts a yearly fundraiser in honor of my late wife (Robyn Bennett). The event is called Art for the Cure of Cystic Fibrosis and this year is its third anniversary.

I resolved to create something for the event this year and had the idea to document that creative process in various stages of completion.

It started with this sketch. I don't exactly remember the date of the sketch, but the idea is at least four years old. Note that the sketch is on an Art News subscription card. I usually get ideas leafing through art magazines. I realize it's a little tough to read, but you can get a feel for how simple the process starts.
Next I build the stretcher from carefully selected 2x4's. I rip the 2x4's in half with a table saw and miter the ends.
The next step is to assemble the stretcher and cover it with a thin piece of board to provide stability for the canvas -- I tend to pour globs of paint on the canvas, and glue and bolt objects to the canvas.
Below is the assembled stretcher.
The next step is to stretch the canvas over the stretcher. The next three pictures show the canvas, canvas underneath the stretcher, and the canvas stapled to the stretcher.

Now it's time to make that sketch a reality.

The finished product - "An Abstract View of Michigan Stadium on a Sunny Day"


My purpose here is to raise awareness for the Art For the Cure of Cystic Fibrosis event, and better yet, awareness for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Please check out both by following their hyperlinks.

If you have a few extra bucks, please make a contribution to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. If you are interested in a fun evening, and happen to be in Ann Arbor, MI on 30 May, please join me at Art for the Cure -- and buy my installation for a good cause.

You can also follow Art for the Cure of Cystic Fibrosis on Facebook.