Outside the Gallery:A Down to Earth
Kind of Art
Caitlin Griffin, Staff Writer
On Wednesday, January 27, one
Honors art class had the opportu
nity to meet renowned land artist
Patrick Dougherty. Dougherty
weaves regenerative sapling tree
branches together to make large-
scale three-dimensional structures.
Although Dougherty makes stick
sculptures for a living, he humbly
claims that he doesn’t do it for
the final product or the profit, but
instead for the spiritual connec
tion with nature that he forges
through his work. “It’s all about
the rightness of being and the level
of emotiveness that is achieved by
interacting with nature,” Dough
erty remarks. “Often we don’t
know how to place ourselves in
nature and begin to establish a real
relationship with it. But nature is
healing. It’s resolution”
When asked how he generates
ideas for new projects, Dough
erty claims that he rarely plans a
specific structural design before
beginning. “One learns how to
be creative with materials just by
handling them,” he states, “More
repetition helps me gain a deeper
spiritual connection with the
materials. Handling sticks takes
me to a different plane of being
where I have profound clarity of
thought. In this plane I can blend
the imaginative with the practi
cal; I start weaving without think-
Campus
Announcements
The Office for First Year Experience is
now accepting applications for Student
Ativisors. Applications are available in
the Office (1st Cate) and are due there
by 2/23 at 5 pm. Intcr\de\vs will be held
between 3/1 and 3/11. Contact Chrissie
Bumgardner at bumgardner@meredith.
edu with any questions.
Want to request that a book be added to
the Library’s shelves? You can request
books, movies, and music via the "Add a
Book” link on the left side of the
Libraiy's \vebsite (mcrcdith.edu/library)
or fill out a slip and put it in the sugges
tion box on the Circulation Desk counter.
You can also tell a library' employee or
email libraiy^^'mercdith.edu.
ing, and I see what my hands can
actually do.” Also unlike most
traditional artists, Dougherty em
phasizes the transcendent process
of completing the seulpture over
the final product. “I don’t think
about making mistakes while I’m
working; instead, I try my best to
channel that hysterical energy into
produetivity.”
Perhaps the most refreshing
change that Dougherty brings to
the art world is his emphasis on
the message of his work rather
photos courtesy of Patrick Dougherty
than the work itself. “Since I use
living materials, all of my works
are temporary; the structures don’t
usually last more than two years. So
I don’t care about what happens to
a structure after I finish. I just hope
that while it stands, it provokes
thought.” If you’d like to know more
about Patrick Dougherty and track
his progress on future projects, visit
his official website at http://www.
stickwork.net/.
Upcoming
Events
gathered by Kri.sten Gallagher
Psychology Club: February' 15th-
21st- Pig Pickin’ Tickets on Sale in Cate
Center
Kabuki Lady MacBeth through Feb
ruary 21 in Studio Theater
Meredith vs. Averett University bas
ketball: rescheduled for February 18
Communication Club Meeting,
Thursday, Feb. 18 at 3:30pm in the
Comm Study Lounge
History' and Politics Club - Monday,
Feb. 22nd at io:OOa.m. in Joyner 202
Convocation: Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. in
Jones: Ellen Goodman Lecture
Canaday Math and Computer Sci
ence Club. Join us to eat snacks and
watch the hit show “Numb3ers” in the
Bit Lab (SMB 264) on Wednesday, Feb
ruary' 24th at Tpm
MEA meeting. February' 26th, 10am,
204 Harris
Alumnae Art Exhibition Opening
Reception: rescheduled for Februaiy 28
It’s time to start thinking about Eng
lish Club t-shirts! Get your order in by
I March 1st! Contact hubereri@mercdith.,
edu.
email any campus events to
herald@meredith.edu for
inclusion here
Show the Earth Some Love After
Valentine’s Day
Erin Etheridge, Staff’Writer
Wondering what do to with your
used Valentine’s Day gifts and
packaging that serve as thought
ful reminders of your beau, family
members, and friends? Do not
worry, for you are not alone! Ac
cording to the United States Cen
sus Bureau’s Valentine’s Day fact
page, located at http://www.cen-
sus.gov, approximately 180 million
cards will have been exchanged on
Valentine’s Day. However, instead
of viewing this statistic in terms of
the number of Valentine’s Day par
ticipants, think about it as millions
of opportunities to keep spreading
the love by recycling.
Meredith College Sustainability
Coordinator Laura Fieselman af
firms, “Leftover Valentine’s good
ies can have so many reuses!” She
suggests placing treats in a con
tainer in your room or apartment
as welcome gifts for visitors. Also,
Fieselman encourages re-crafting
cards and gift wrap for future use
as packaging.
If you are the recipient of a
ubiquitous gift card, check out
Jasmin Malik Chua’s March 23,
2008 article titled “Upcycle Your
Gift Cards.” In the piece, which
appears on Planet Green’s Web
site, http://planetgreen.discovery.
com, Chua recommends cutting
used gift cards into small sections
and gluing them on corkboard to
make coasters.
On the other hand, the World
Environment Organization’s 2009
Valentine’s Day tips concerning
candy boxes and candy,wrappers
are perfect for those of us possess
ing a sweet tooth. Found at http://
www.world.org, these suggestions
include recycling used candy boxes
to wrap gifts, store craft and office
supplies, make Valentine’s Day
decorations and cards for next
year, and hold pictures and loose
change. This organization also
proposes assembling a festive lei
out of candy wrappers that have
been threaded together.
No matter how you chose to
celebrate Valentine’s Day, make
sure to follow Fieselman’s advice
to “remember the ‘ole reduce,
reuse, recycle slogan.” Our planet
will thank you, and you may just
discover some new green tradi
tions in the process!