Project 1: Ephemeral, Site and Social Space

Location: Rio Vista Natural Resource Park  

Exact location of art piece.

Location selected based on Walk #3 location as shown in map.

Artist Statement:

    When I think of Arizona, I think of home. And when I think of home, I picture the desert plants that fill it, from the towering saguaros and clusters of prickly pear to the height of jumping cholla. For this ephemeral work, I chose to fill in the shadow of a prickly pear cactus with the natural materials from the surrounding location I chose, such as the small rocks found nearby. It was a way of capturing a moment in time, a way of timestamping a fleeting moment of light and form that will never appear exactly the same again, as the tilt of Earth's axis, Its orbit, and the rotation about the sun cause it to naturally change. The shadow I traced was only one version among infinite daily variations. Inspired by Andy Goldsworthy’s practice of working with the environment’s temporality, this piece reflects the beauty of how earth both naturally and atmospherically changes. It represents the earth's natural rhythms, showing how shadows dance on the floor, animals play with the ground, and natural weather changes space. Although the materials remain throughout the day, the shadow will slowly disappear. Reminding us how, even in "stillness," nothing is fixed. And even as the next day's shadows appear, they will never fully match up, as the slight changes in the axis tilt, orbit, and rotation cause shadows to vary day to day. 

Process:

I first scoured the area for a potential shadow from a cactus. Although the initial idea was a saguaro, I realized, given the time frame and my motivation, I would not be able to withstand the 100+ degree heat earlier in the day. 

My chosen prickly pear. 

Once I collected rocks and found a potential shadow, I quickly used a stick to outline the shadow as quickly as I could. 

Tracing the shadow.

I then collected as many rocks as I could. I only had 2 hours before sunset to fill it in as much as I could. I used the rocks from the nearby path and found some in the surrounding area as well. I also used fallen sticks to help outline and leaves from a tree that I found on the floor. 

Rocks I used (I also used the ones around the prickly pear already)

I then started to fill in the shadow outline. It took over an hour to do this. I also didn't realize how many thorns were on the ground, so it was a struggle. Im thankful I chose to wear jeans. 

The shadow moved quite a bit as I filled in, causing my outline to be somewhat hard to see.

Final Piece:

Shadow Progression:

                                 10:35 a.m.                             4:04 p.m.                              5:54 p.m.     

6:38 p.m.

Reflection:

Overall, this was such a fun process. I definitely have some critiques of my own work, especially since I did not know what to expect going into it. The idea for this project came to me during my last walk, the one where I was comparing the feeling of being cocooned versus being engaged with my surroundings.

As a kid, I was obsessed with my own shadow. I used to trace it with chalk on the ground and play with how it shifted across different surfaces. My elementary school even had a sundial outside the cafeteria that we would explore during class projects. This process reminded me of those early experiences.

I think my project mostly grew out of that memory of the sundial. I wanted to capture a single moment, a still image of shadow on the ground, even as time continued to move around me. As I walked, listened to music, and snapped a spontaneous photo of my shadow, the memory came rushing back. That was the moment I realized it could become the basis for my ephemeral work.

As for the critiques of my own, if I had more time, I would have loved to use rocks of the same color scheme variation. If I had used white/lighter rocks, it would have stood out more, especially for the outline. However, due to the time crunch and the heat, I had to make do with what I had. 

I also wished I videotaped the process. I think this would have shown how the sun moved as I created the piece, emphasizing the timepiece. Unfortunately, my phone was already really hot from just being in my purse, and I didn't want to pull it out and have it overheat. Maybe if I had brought an umbrella to cover it, I could have done so. 

Overall, this project was a lot of fun and really allowed me to fully engage in Andy Goldsworthy's process. I thought this was such a unique way of creating an art piece and could totally see some of my future students doing something similar when I teach next year!