SoLA's Journal
(Latest 20 entries) (Calendar) (Friends) (User info)
Navigate: (Previous 20 entries)
Sunday, July 15, 2007
SoLA will not be going to Burning Man this year!
An idea just smacked me in the head: when switching from show to show, instead of overlapping the shows (1st year @ Burning Man) or suddenly changing from show to show (2nd year @ Burning Man), there could be a short period of blackout between the shows. Perhaps .25 seconds? This will prevent the mushy looking overlap (year 1) and the jittery back to back (year 2).
I would love to see SoLA with a smaller overall diameter--perhaps one that makes some sort of sense numerically--something that relates the size of the pods to the overall in a ratio that feels magical. Increasing density of the pods will enable the viewers and participants to grasp the patterning and shape more readily.
Other ideas: sustainable energy sources, touch pad triggering, removal of the middle Activation Disk, flower of life, infinite universe with its center everywhere.
Friday, July 21, 2006
OH the glory of hundreds of lightpods blazing in super-saturated hues of wonderfulness!!!
Pods got decanted from their trays and arrayed in parallel lines. Inventory was taken and very very few pods were malfunctioning. Then glory upon glory as they were reconnected to the activation disks and leapt into ROYGBIV illumination.
It's now easy to remember why we did this in the first place!
Monday, June 26, 2006
The madness begins...SoLA will be on the playa again!
First, the testing...
Out of 14 pallets of light(7 rings)
11 had no failures
3 had 1 or two pods out
All the lights on the pallet that were considered bad have been tested...
Out of these:
26 tested bad
The remainder need to be fully tested and cleaned out
16 are on the test rack running right now
11 are in wait.
Two full rings will be at firefly this year!
Monday, September 12, 2005
We are all back from Burning Man 2005 and SoLA's full debut. I could fill pages on the experience, but I am still in recovery and feeling what more than one person has dubbed "post-partum depression."
It is significant to note that there was massive pod failure en route: ~12% of the pods failed to function. I have little evidence to base an appropriate diagnosis, but I believe that the polyurethane spray foam that we used to seal the pod holes did not cure properly. In the heat and humidity of the shipping container I speculate there was corrosion of the circuitry, as I definitely saw in one pod.
To counterbalance the failures, our system of anchoring the connectors to the concrete base was a terrific success. Not one pod was dislodged or disconnected. None were stolen. Over the course of the week, there was only one 'bad' pod over the entire array. The activation disks held up just fine. There were some rewiring issues that got resolved on site. The capacitance sensors were very sensitive and there were times when the wind and possibly playa ghosts caused show triggering.
It was a delight to watch people interacting with SoLA. It was especially delightful to be anonymous among the participants. The enthusiam was honest. Overall, the atmosphere of the area was subdued, reverant, and playful. For those of us who watched the Temple burn from SoLA, there was no better place to be than sitting on the disks, contemplating silently while the wind whipped past. There are some photos on the website http://www.growingarchitecture.org/SoLA.html
For all our work, I wish we could have enjoyed SoLA another 7 nights, in harmony together.
I'm not sure what is next for SoLA, but a permanent installation might be ideal, as schlepping a ton of concrete, wiring, metal, and plastic is not something we want to do every few months. Perhaps there is a place for it at a sculpture park like Laumeier or DeCordova or perhaps Boston would like it for the new green space. It is time for the next thing. And this crushing blue will lift. It must, it must.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
There remain 10 shows to write on my docket. Reaching the end means beginning to be able to assess and answer the 3 essential questions:
1. What do we want to say?
2. Did we say it?
3. Was it worth saying?
Here, in the late night laboratory of the subconscious blinkie, the demons of q.2 and q.3 poke at me with their flaming digital barbs. Demon of 3 I can spritz with my metaphysics-be-gone super-goo. Demon of 2 laughs merrily as he taps on his infernal elemental pocketwatch as he wads up original project notes into a demented origami flying flaying saucer.
I have foresaken my bed and will remain at the studio until done. The sharing of the show load is an immense relief. Seeing what others come up with given the same software peaks my interest.
The project has reached its gel time and is rapidly setting.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
There was a test and the Activation Disks are definitely switching between programs when touched. There seemed to be a number of ghosts in the house. I think at the time the test was going on I was thinking about other software issues and missed the magnitude of the sensor success. Stated here: YAY.
SoLA got loaded onto the container going out to Black Rock City. The perimeter markers are stunning. They will look great at Firefly too if we choose to show them there. 9V.
There are about 80 shows still to write. But I took today off and I bet everyone else did too after the last minute push. It was exhausting. Truck loading was very different from last years' stressfest. I hope everyone is feeling great too and that artists finishing their projects find flow.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
*sigh*
There are 14 pallets of lightpods. There are 7 activation disks. There is a shoebox computer. There are thousands of feet of wire. There are perimeter markers. There are 7 power supplies with controllers and quantum sensors and motion detectors.
But there is no time.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Brilliant Day! One of my favorites so far. Period.
Automatic Subconscious had their final meeting concurrent with SoLA's final volunteer work night. The synergy was beautiful & the people were in high spirits. The task list I'd had in my mind got completed. Our friends Ted and Juliana showed up with 5000 feet of Ethernet cable and saved us. Perimeter markers are totally painted and Ryan was making great progress on the boxes for the generator and the hardware.
The pods are trayed up, 14 chains of 33. Spray foamed, cable tied, spliced, tested. It is strange--there aren't very many spares. Certainly less than I expected. When the extras come off of the harness to make room for the overlaps, I believe another 30 will become extras. Yes. This makes more sense. That will give us closer to the 60. A few are duds.
It's been great getting to know people who come to volunteer. I'm so shy and working with others speeds up a process that would ordinarily have taken me ages. And the late night work sessions also have their pleasures...the drive we all share, the compulsion that pushes us past our comfort. I resent having to go sleep. Last nights' dream was of being on the playa, full-on Discordia possession, with some of the SoLAtantes careening and cavorting. The excitement is building and I am glad for the ritual purification and the way it is playing out. I fully expect the next 14 days to be the most challenging and tempting and TRIUMPHANT!!!
Still Being grateful for every opportunity to embrace duality/negate duality.
Giggling while sitting in consensual reality.
The way to the mountain is to push through the fear. The fear is the clearest indication of the right direction. I'm astounded by the beauty of systems. Sometimes, everything works exactly the opposite of how one would expect it to. Or it works just right but not how you quite expected, but even more inexplicably or beautifully.
Friday, August 5, 2005
No one is sleeping much.
Cris called me in from the SoLA office to the loft next door. "Come Quick!" He'd changed the resistor on the interface board and the chain of pods was going through automatic sequencing. We all had our first look at what the Light System Manager programs would look like. He ran some simple Chasing Rainbows and then he put the Streak, in white, over it. Gorgeous.
This is one hard core dedicated bunch I have the honor of working near.
I have some reworking to do on the groups for the maps. I hope to get through it systematically and quickly in the next 2 days. There are two more strands of (33) pods to cable tie and ALL the pods need to have the holes filled with polyU foam for water proofing. 7 of the 14 strands need extra wire (15? 20ft?) spliced on. I am hoping volunteers will come in force but EVERYONE is getting busy as the container loading is imminent.
Tuesday, August 2, 2005
I feel guilty over the amount of pleasure I am experiencing while creating the programs that will be triggered by the activation disks. Now, finally, I am getting excited.
I am near tears over the ecstatic satisfaction of translating vision to the material world.
emotional update: beloved, ecstatic
Saturday, July 30, 2005
I found my hands demolding lenses tonight, as I have hundreds of times before. That familiar ache in the wrist, that satisfactory first CRACK of the vacuum seal breaking, that tactile pleasure of brushing my hand over the smooth polyurethane dome. But tonight, and quite suddenly, my hands discovered they were cracking out the final lens. I nearly missed it, in its routineness. Time slowed down and I experienced every last detail of the final demolding. I felt tears well up in my eyes. The lens slid into my palm and I rubbed it with my thumb and then brought it to my face and ran it over my forehead, check, eyes and lips. I found myself kneeling on the floor, head bent down over the lens, waiting for tears that never quite flowed.
They were not tears of joy and they were not tears of sorrow, but something in between and of both. Perhaps mostly relief and acknowledgment of all that had come between this moment and the beginning of the process.
I found the concrete base that I wrote my last prayer on and I will join the lens and base, sealing them both with THANK YOU FORGIVE ME even though I know that there is no giver or receiver and no mistakes possible.
As I spun off for home on my pink bicycle, I couldn't help but smile at how a lazy girl like myself could have possibly just spent the last 5 months working madly for no pay at all. I suppose it is all about the motivation. Being stressed about something you love doing is just fine. I am reminded of a snippet of audio that I heard once, perhaps on Gary Geiserman's old show on WZBC. The gist was that there are 3 people trying to accomplish a goal. Person A works hard and keeps up a positive attitude and achieves the goal. Person B works hard and has a negative attitude the whole time and achieves the goal. Person C works but never achieves the goal, regardless. The thing is, BOTH A and B achieve the goal. Their attitudes make no difference. All that is important is perseverance.
Vessels of ideas, repositories of the dream...
Uh oh, I made the mistake of streaming Gary's latest show. I'd completely forgotten how trance inducing it is. Checking out now. Help.
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Volunteers and I counted pods and parts last night, so I finally have an accurate count:
485 bases
471 lenses
Then about 21 more bases were poured. We are done with bases. I etched my final prayer into the one of the last bowls and Ryan filled it. I will share the message:
Heal me on every possible level.
Mostly what remains is gluing lenses to bases, a task I prefer to do on my own, and also connecting the finished pods to the wiring harness, zip-tying them in place, and filling the hole with foam. I intent to have all the pods made by the next worknight. Cris seems to be getting nervous, while I seem to be relaxing (to the extent I have ever relaxed on this project). I have a good feeling right now, even though we will be cutting the whole thing close. Could it have been any other way? What am I forgetting?
Liza is in the midst of a terrible SoLA induced rash, much worse than the one I had. Mine took about 5 weeks to clear, and a 5 day trip to the woods.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Making 505 lightpods will give us enough extra for a full ring.
Current: 488 bases and 448 lenses. There might not be enough polyurethane to do 505. But there might. I came in late tonight, but only got a little work done before there was a power outage in the entire building. Nstar is replacing transformers below ground in a messy situation. I hope power is back by tomorrow AM. I could really use a full day of uninterrupted lens-making and affixing lenses to bases. I'm glad I wasn't doing using the manager program to make groups when the power went out; as it is, I am saving frequently.
I got to see a demo of the activation disk last night. Looks good. Ryan has got the construction well in hand. Activation still hasn't been solved, but there are plans B and C in case the quantum sensors won't work. I'm not active in that part of the project, so I can't report too much on it.
I need some new strategies for making lightpod groupings. It is time to consider the activation disks and the 63 original combinations of disk occupation. It was fun using the many groupings to make cool patterns on the whole; but now I am ready to make patterns of meaning. After seeing it at Firefly it would be tempting to just have most of the lights on most of the time. But I still desire to have some metaphoric meaning involved. I am wanting to connect meaningfully with the themes of the project. I am privy to random infusions of intention. I am waiting for that moment to come.
Will other projects speak through me ever again? I had to wait 8+ years from my last good idea until this one hit. Even so, purgatory will be filled with learning about new tools: electronics. Fate has me in her hands now, cupping me like a firefly as I buzz and light up. Which way will I be flying when she opens?
Sunday, July 24, 2005
2:07AM
Amid the controlled chaos, all numbers now suspect, but I believe we have ~422 bases and ~438 lenses cast. There are likely ~300 finished pods, plus or minus 60. Wiring harness is almost finished and looking very orderly. Ryan and Cris are working on both the techie and physical parts of the Activation Disks. Other than about 20 minutes of tweaking, the map for the lighting programs is also finished. Despite all these gains, there is still a fair amount of physical work to do; I suspect affixing the bus to the wire loops will take a huge amount of people time.
Last night's Psyforia proved how important the affixing will be: pods were being kicked and connectors loosened. People seemed to like them, although there were a few complaints about the Chasing Rainbow sequence with the .06 second cycle time. It is an intriquing pattern as weird geometrics are generated within the lens and strange outlines of color appear on objects that pass over them. This is the pattern that is the closest we've had to the dream machine, alpha-inducing ideal. I still have not found the exact cycle that produces the 3-D spaces behind my eyelids that other toys can.
It remains about 95 degrees F in the studio at all times. The dedication of the volunteers astounds me.
Emotional Update: relieved, surprised, liberated
Friday, July 22, 2005
Yay! The lighting map of SoLA is done today. It looks great! I am giddy with excitement about programming. This is truly the day I've been waiting for. There is something about this sort of light programming that makes me feel like my visualization skills are being used to their fullest. It is absolutely amazing to be able to bring the ideas into reality.
Pod update: there are ~422 concrete bases and ~418 lenses finished. The wiring harness is nearly finished, although the ethernet wiring still needs to be done. I'm out of the loop on Activation Disks, but they appear to be cut and some sandblasted. Quantum sensors in the house. Shoebox in the House. Lots of amazing volunteers in the house! Here is a link to Dave's pics from two different volunteer nights, complete with some lit pods: http://www.2008documentary.com/SOLA.htm It is about 100 million degrees in the studio; everyone's dedication is amazing. I keep saying amazing.
We're thinking about taking some pods out to Psyforia on Friday night. It is an outdoor one and I would love to see them in the field of grass.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
We had the 3rd of our volunteer pod-making-madness nights yesterday. 18 people came and cranked it out! Martin is competent and cognizant to train and assist others in concrete, mold making, and more. So awesome--empowered people empowering others. We are cycling through it and we are cycling higher!
I don't have a hard count, but at this date, there are over 2 complete rings. There are enough parts for probably two more, although the pods aren't complete. 330 lenses are done; 170 to go. I made the large map I've been aching to make. I am looking forward to working with Carl (and anyone else) to getting the software to address the pods properly; despite our best efforts Liza and I were stymied by the process. The power supplies are ordered and activation disk design is underway.
There is so much happening, I feel like I'm exploding in a vacuum. Tomorrow, we have a pregnant friend coming in to help. A pregnant woman will be working on SoLA! What a blessing! I have found a way of incorporating personal messages into the pod design--I don't know if the first batch will come out as the concrete mix was a bit dry last night, but I'll try it again and show it to others.
SoLA's showing at Firefly was lovely. There are pictures linked at http://www.growingarchitecture.org/ManifestSoLA.html On a personal note, I had some major epiphanies at Firefly regarding SoLA, oil, ownership, and control. I've come to see that we each have an area of the project we consider 'our baby'. For me, it is the lenses. It is interesting to watch myself stepping back from areas of the project and being guided by faith and trust. There is something going on that is very difficult to name or substantiate and I am constantly surprised that I can be who I am and still experience this synergy and connection. When I get down again, I will remind myself that I've been good enough to warrant this service, this role, and to know I can just be me, as I am, without striving and still be this close to the .
Perhaps the most important thing I've done for myself this year is to stop the 2nd tier critical voice that scolds me for what I'm feeling. Now I just feel what I feel without guilt or judgment. If you haven't tried living this way, I highly recommend it. Hey, you could always try it for 5 minutes and then revert back.
So this brings me to MAPPING. When I saw the map of Black Rock City, I felt an extremely strong sensation about where SoLA would go. You may notice that there are TWO circles on the map in the 12:00 axis beyond the man. One of them is surely the Temple. What is the other one? I don't know what the other one is, but I know that SoLA wants to be in that axis, into the playa. When some of us discussed where we'd ask for it to be placed, I held back. I held back because I am being superconscious of making group decisions. I held back because details are less important to me now than they were. I held back because I want to be accommodating. But there was simply one place where I felt SoLA wanted to be. The next day, I got an email from LadyBee and is it any surprise where SoLA will live? 12:00 axis, past the Temple. I know something I didn't know before. What SoLA wants will manifest. I can relax. Firefly took me around the corner. And when I crash out again, I hope I'll read this and remember whose palm I sit in and how many I hold. The beauty of what I do and the system behind it astounds me, especially when I can just get above it for a second to see it all.
Sunday, June 26, 2005
A very good evening at the SoLA HQ. There is a ring of 66 lenses hanging overhead, glowing vividly. The color is saturated. It is pure. I disciplined myself enough to cast 25 more lenses, re-coat 66 boards with silicone conformal coating, and begin to affix lenses to bases. And then did much sage burn. I listened. What I heard was early decisions asking 'why did you decide on an 80' diameter when you knew that the truth hadn't been revealed?'
Now that we have the lights, I want to see them in different configurations. It would be so delicious to have them all piled up in one throbbing, blinking, cycling mass. I would throw myself upon it to be consumed in light. I would like to to completely inside of it. We played with a fast alpha-inducing pulse that made hallucinations, eyes-open or closed. I saw colors so intense they make regular life seem flat. Tonight I feel unstoppable.
The new bike is coming in handy: I got to see friends mere minutes before they were about to leave the scene, even though it was 2:30am. When I came home, I checked the dumpster as I'd seen moving trucks earlier in the day and furniture being thrown out. Much to my delight, there were two clean rubbermaid containers (a burner can always use these), and even more surprising, a clean 8' fiberglass folding ladder. Blink. I almost think it is too good to be true. I hauled it up to my place and promptly changed the lightbulbs I'd been unable to reach (all four track bulbs were burned out). I'll check tomorrow and see if anyone hangs a sign asking about the ladder, but it clearly had a moving sticker on it and was with a pile of trashed stuff. BTW, there is a wood dresser there and a large tabletop with borco covering it, probably worth around $40-$50. I might rescue it tomorrow. There is also a mayline, although it looks like it got mistreated. Anyhow, the ladder was an amazing score. And the bread I like at the grocery store was twice as big as it usually is for the same price. What a day!
Crossposted in ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.1) michigansundog's personal journal
Friday, June 24, 2005
Here's what the dedicated cadre of volunteers accomplished in two nights:
First Night:
-Trimmed edges of 195 lenses
-Cast around 60 concrete bases
-Made many concrete base mold forms
-Disconnected re-usable connector, perhaps 200
-Cut chain for concrete bases
-Got software to recognize board addresses
-Got software to run simple program of lights
-Better assessment of power needs per ring (2 dmx/ethernet per ring, 200W in order to get 23-24V)
Second Night:
-Cast around 60 concrete bases
-Cut the rest of the chain
-Made many concrete base mold forms
-Disconnected the many of the rest of the re-usable connectors, perhaps 250
-Measured, marked, and labeled wire for a ring
-Inline wire stripping of a ring
-Attached connectors onto a ring
-Attached 33 lenses (half ring) to wire and hung up and ran simple group programs
Both nights: met some really cool people and got to work with them and others we know on SoLA. Faced challenges, shared food and beer, nearly ran away twice, got new perspectives.
I'm feeling a bit less nervous now about getting it done. Today, I painted conformal coating on 66 boards to protect the electrical works from dust and moisture. It took a long time. I am filled with gratitude for the selfless help of others. This project has become so much more to me than beautiful lights. It's been a way back to my soulful self, reacquainting me with the divine. The compulsion to serve (Right Action) is something I can't expect others to share...but we each have our reasons and missions. Respect and patience are part of collaboration. Compromise is extremely difficult for me because my boss is demanding. I am prepared to face the consequences of my choices as I trust myself.
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Lenses cast: 129
Picked up some polyurethane spray coat from the hardware store that claims to be a protective finish on metal. It has some solvents in it too. I just sprayed a lense to test it. I've started coating the sharpie-written board numbers with the liquid polyU as I cast the lens. This is good because the solvents in the aerosol polyurethane blur up the sharpie pretty good.
I tried the local hardware store for chain for the concrete bases, but it was .89/foot which is absurd. I would really like to get going on the pod bases though.
I've got a cold! Rare! I think I'll call it a day and maybe find something like hot soup to consume.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
11:48PM
Laid out a square of 66 lights in the software program for the lighting. Poked around for the first time. I might have to RTFM. I seem to have forgotten to load it onto my home computer. I almost miss ColorPlay. Both programs suffer from poor cut n paste. Perhaps I can figure out if there is anything to figure out. Maybe learning to use groups better will help.
I started making a to-do list yesterday and I ran out of paper.
Navigate: (Previous 20 entries)
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif?v=92.1){kind=small}
