Have you Received a Drawing?

The drawings have been mailed! If you have received a drawing in the mail, please let us know by posting a comment to this post! We'd love to hear what you think of the drawing you received, and the project in general. Thanks!

City Paper article!

A great article on the project came out today in the Philadelphia City Paper!
If you're visiting from the article, or if you've participated, please leave a comment to this post with your impressions. And come by on Saturday night!
The A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave West Philly, 5-9 pm.

In related news, a friend I had dinner with alerted me to the presence of one of the drawings on the Septa Watch Blog.

And, this post as well from a Philadelphia Weekly blog. not sure if this is good press or not...

May 26th at the A-Space

wow! what a night. Ken, Rebecca and I collected about 20 drawings this evening, the most we've ever gotten at the A-Space. Lots of drawings to the Mayor and the President, along with some great drawings by children for their families, and the usual assortment of fantastic and wonderful ideas that people come up with on the street when invited to make a drawing... the A-Space is getting full up of drawings, and the response to the show of drawings has been great.

May 25th at the A-Space

A lovely afternoon on the sidewalk with Isaac... a first-time facilitator who did great! Lots of interesting conversations and connections. People really took their time making their drawings today, and generally seemed more interested than usual. Lots of our friends were out, making it easier to attract people we didn't know. The room is really looking like an art exhibition now, with the walls full of drawings for people to come in and look at.

May 24th at Clark Park

Jenny, Leigh and I had a party at the Park! Lots of friends and new acquaintances stopped by to draw, and then hung around chatting and enjoying the sunshine... wonderful children, a couple making a drawing to the UN leader together, and great farmer's market snacks. yes.

May 19th at the A-Space

This was a special night at the A-Space- a writer for the City Paper was with Mary and I for the evening, chatting with us and with the participants about the project. Look for the article in the May 29th issue! It was a somewhat quiet evening, with time for more in-depth conversations with the people who did participate. Issues included affordable housing, owndership of land, and gun control.

May 18th at the A-Space

With rain forecast for the afternoon, I arrived at the A-Space thinking flexibly... which was a good thing, because there was another event that had been scheduled for the space at the same time as our project's time-slot. Leigh and I set up outside, and had a bustling amount of activity for a while, before the rain started to fall. Not being able to set up inside, we held an umbrella over our table for a little while before packing things up...

May 17th at Clark Park

Another glorious day at Clark Park! Jenny was with me, and as a first-time facilitator, she did great! She decided to try standing closer to people and approaching them more personally to ask them to participate, which worked nicely. ( at the park, I tend to hang back a little from the crowd of passers-by, and announce the project loudly so that more than one person can hear me)
Despite the good numbers of people at the Farmer's Market, we didn't get as many participants as in the past. But we had some interesting interactions, which is also one of the main goals of the project...

May 12th at the A-Space

The first rainy day at the A-Space, and a chance to try out the rain plan: I put a sandwich board sign outside the door, with my umbrella propped over it to keep the sign dry. Liz was with me, and we set up a table inside with the clipboard and markers. Then I posted myself at the door to invite people inside to make drawings. Much to our surprise, we got two very interested people right away! They turned out to be the only takers... I chatted with a good number of folks passing by, and handed out a lot of postcards with the information on when people could come back. Liz and I packed up a little early once it became clear that we weren't going to be getting more participants, but had a nice chat. And Liz made a great drawing too- I didn't take a picture of it, so you'll have to go to the A-Space to see it!

May 11th at the A-Space

Rebecca and I flagged down quite a number of participants on this grey day... in between running across the street to check out the porch sale there. As usual, an interesting mix between personal and political, whimsical and specific. The room at the A-Space is really starting to fill up, and I think by the end of the month, we'll be displaying drawings up to the ceiling!

May 10th at Clark Park

Another great day at the park! It was the annual Clark Park May Fair, with lots of folks out enjoying the music, market, and food. Lots of old friends were about, and we had three children participate. It didn't seem to take much work to encourage people to participate, or maybe it was just that Nava was doing such a good job. We collected about twenty drawings in the two hours! Readers, participants, and facilitators, please do scroll down to the bottom of the posts and let us know what you think of the project!

May 5th at the A-Space

Mary and I enjoyed the lovely spring evening together on Baltimore Ave, along with lots of friends, acquaintances, and passers-by who stopped to make drawings. It worked so much better at the A-Space with two of us there- one of us could be inside putting up drawings, while the other stayed on the sidewalk.

May 4th at the A-Space

I was mostly on my own today at the A-Space, and it was certainly more challenging than yesterday's friendly throng at Clark Park. More of a passer-by situation, and more sparse. But still some interesting interactions and drawings, and as always on Baltimore Ave, a wonderful diversity. Images below, including my partner Ken posing nicely, and the wall of drawings made just in the first two days!

May 3rd at Clark Park!

The May 2008 series of Show Someone How You Feel About Something is off to a great start!

Nava and I were out at the Farmer's Market at Clark Park today, and many wonderful people took some time to make some great drawings. Images are below, and all the drawings will be displayed at the A-Space as of Noon tomorrow.

Despite the conducive location, we still had our share of amused and uninterested passers-by... but lots of people took a moment to stop and find out what we were doing, even if they decided not to make a drawing.

Hope to see you out in the neighborhood!

Show Someone at the A-Space in May

Come to the A-Space or Clark Park in West Philadelphia in May
to make a drawing and address an envelope.
Your drawing and envelope will be displayed on the walls of the A-Space,
and then sent to their recipient during the Postage Party at the end of the month.

Here's where we'll be, and when, all during the month of May:

Mondays 6-8 pm at the A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave
Saturdays Noon-2 pm at Clark Park, 43rd and Baltimore
Sundays Noon-2 at the A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave

Viewing and Postage Party:
Saturday, May 31, 5-9 pm at the A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave

future plans for Show Someone...

In April, I will be participating in Everything Must Go at the Flux Factory in Queens, NYC. This amazing collective art space is closing up due to the immanent demolition of the building it inhabits... I'll be conducting Show Someone How You Feel About Something with the current residents of the space, as well as with visitors to the opening reception on the evening of Friday April 4th, 2008. Participants will be invited to make a drawing and paste onto the wall of the ill-fated building... photo documentation will preserve the drawings for posterity.

And, back in Philly:
For the month of May 2008, I'll be doing the Show Someone project at the A-Space in West Philly- literally around the corner from my house.
Exact times to be determined, but I'll be out on the street encouraging people to make drawings to be mailed, a few times a week during May. The drawings and addressed envelopes will be on display in the A-Space throughout the month, and the project will culminate in a Postage Party when all the drawings will be put into their envelopes and stamped.
Hooray!

feedback from the office of Michael Nutter!

After having mailed more than forty drawings, we finally got a response from a recipient!
here it is:

Hi Zoe,

My name is Katherine Gajewski, I work with Michael over here at the Nutter for Mayor campaign. I just wanted to drop a quick note to let you know that we received a drawing the other week that came through "showsomeone." It is a drawing with skulls drawn next to a handgun with a bullet coming out of it, with the image of the gun circled and X-ed out. At the bottom it says, "Mr. Nutter: More Gun Control! Less Death!" Michael wanted to contact the artist directly with a thank you note, but there is no name included with the drawing. Anyhow, I went to your site and I just wanted to say thank you for engaging citizens in these issues and in this election...through art and otherwise.

Best,

Katherine

the drawing in question:

Sunday September 30

coming soon...

Sunday September 23

A pretty good day, with Leigh helping. Photos coming soon!

Sunday September 16th- the slow day

On the 16th, I was out at the Powel House on my own, from Noon to 2 pm. This was a different time from normal - I'm usually there from 2-4 pm. Two hours make a difference! Since it was so slow, I took the time between interactions to take actual notes. Herein:

12:10
a woman says: "I was walking by noticing how closed i feel so i don't feel like i can do this project right now, isn't that terrible? maybe on my way back"
12:15
a woman: "I'm on my way to the churchyard committee at St Peter's- maybe later"
12:26
I think I might leave early. Feeling tired and discouraged. Not feeling like I should give up on the project as a whole, but this location at this time is not great. As before, many more people on the other side of the street, but I'm on my own so I can't go over there.
12:30
More than once today, people sneer/laugh without even looking at me when I ask them the question. ( "would you like to show someone how you feel about something today?")
not right now, thanks
maybe later
12:40
art student not sure what to draw about. she's having the same problem in her studio practice. doesn't feel like she has any juice in her.
12:45
a man says, " Oh, No thanks, How about yourself?"
I explain. He says, leaving, " I'm not that good a drawer"
12:50
two participants!
12:55
"i just came from church"
1:20
other people seem discouraged from participating by the two punk-looking people who are drawing now. the woman tells me about her plan to make a full-body chain mail out of skeleton keys that she collects on her travels around the country.

Sunday September 9th at the Powel House

A warm day in old city...
Rebecca joined me today, and brought new energy to the project as a first-time facilitator. At some point I asked her about how she was asking every single person who walked by, no matter how apparently un-interested, or unstoppable. She explained that unless she asked absolutely everyone, it would feel like she was in some way discriminating against some group of people. I noticed myself feeling this way when I was presenting the Listening Station in West Philadelphia. But after while on that project, I realized that I had been attracting every kind of person- young, old, students, parents, and of all represented race and ethnicity... I'm not sure how true this is for "show someone"... but I guess I'm just not as diligent as Rebecca! also, I was tired.
Regardless of the sleepy hot afternoon, we attracted a lovely group of participants, who made drawings about all sort of things, including drawings sent to dogs, nephews, and a whole slew of elected people...

First Friday at the Powel House

First Friday evening, Liz and I were ready to help passersby and visitors to show someone how they feel about something... until about 7 pm, folks were generally in a rush on their way somewhere. I almost always approach people with the question "hello, would you like to show someone how you feel about something today?" and then follow with a brief explanation of the project. One fellow walking quickly told me that he was on his way to do just that. Presumably, in a romantic fashion...
We ended up with a great response and lots of drawings and interest in the project. I spent some time on the opposite sidewalk to attract people walking there, and coaxing them across the street when they expressed interest. Our last participant was totally engrossed in completing an intricate drawing/text letter about the politics of the Middle East...

at the Powel House: Sunday September 2nd

I had a lovely afternoon at the Powel House on my first day of the series there. Beautiful weather on a wonderful colonial-era old city street.

This location is a very different context for Show Someone from Rittenhouse Square. The potential participants are more likely to be tourists, and if they are not visiting the house, they are less likely to stop, as they are on their way somewhere else. People seemed to need less explanation for the project, since its association here with a house-museum gives it a more typical context. Also, for the first time, I put out a donation jar, to help cover the costs of materials and postage. Enough people donated a dollar to cover the postage for the day. I even ended up with a few people donating who didn't participate.

Those who did participate were enthusiastic and prolific! Almost everyone on this day made very political drawings, sent to mainly national and international elected officials.

See the drawings and the people who made them below...
And as always, please post your thoughts on participating, receiving a drawing, or reading about this project!

Show someone at the Powel House!

the second series of
show someone how you feel about something
will be at the historic Powel House in old city philadelphia
as part of their Contemporary Projects series!

Sundays in September, 2-4 pm

( with one exception: Sunday September 16 is Noon-2 pm)
and
First Friday, September 7th, 6-8 pm.

Rain or Shine!

The Powel House is at 244 South 3rd Street.
Come on by to make a drawing, bring some friends, and show someone how you feel about something!

July 30

It was just me and Jodi today, but we still managed to collect 7 drawings!

I had my first "hostile" response today- a man shook his head and said "no thanks" just seeing me walk towards him while he was sitting on the stone wall. I took a friendly approach and said "but you don't even know what I am going to ask you!". He actually got up and walked away from me, saying " can't you people just leave people alone?". As it turns out, Jodi had already asked him if he wanted to show someone how he feels about something. oops. well, I guess he showed me!

Photos of today's drawings coming soon. Please post your comment as a participant or blog-reader!

July 24

Liz, Leigh, Lisa, Scott and I were out in sunny Rittenhouse Square, inviting people to draw, with a total of 9 drawings mailed to the White House, Michael Nutter, Barack Obama, the EPA, and friends and employers.

Please post a comment with your thoughts on being involved in this project, whether you were a participant or facilitator!















Liz chats with participants.















Leigh makes her pitch...





























a participant, and his drawing for his employer ( below)



































two participants draw while a friend looks on, encouraged by Scott, and their drawings, below, both sent to the white house:






















































a participant draws about her feelings on education:





















and five more!

July 23 - not today

Apologies!
Due to weather and other last-minute issues, we will not be in the park today.
Please come find us tomorrow, Tuesday July 24 !
We will be out in force to encourage you show someone how you feel about something.

July 19

Jodi, Michael and I met up last Thursday for our first Rittenhouse Square action. We discussed approaches to approaching people, and then went to it. I alternated between approaching people who seemed likely, and unlikely, to participate. Jodi and Michael spent time talking with a man who made a drawing for his mother.

Here are the results! All have been mailed