Project #6: Collage + Flight

As I thought about flying, I thought of "escape velocity", a phrase I first came across via the book Hard Love, by Ellen Wittlingler. In the book the protagonist is fascinated by a zine titled "Escape Velocity", and we soon learn that escape velocity is the minimum speed by which an object must travel to leave the gravitational pull of Earth (Wittlingler 2001). I was struck by both the medium of zines, as well as the concept that flying, and leaving earth required an actual speed in order to escape gravity. According to Bailey (2005), "Rising above the earth's heaviness is an ecstatic jump to new heights. . . an expansion of horizons and consciousness" (p.123). I wanted to create an image that spoke of our inherent ability to fly by connecting to our ethereal spirit. I initially imagined myself using my wings to fly underground, but as I challenged myself to stick to Bailey's notion of traveling to new horizons, I thought of what it'd could mean for me to embrace the above as well as the below. And then I wondered what it'd take to leave the gravitational pull I've always known, and enter a new orbit of consciousness.

Margot TercMay 21, 2021collage, 52 projects, escape velocity, depth psychology, flying, tech + psycheComment

Project #5: Print + Poem + Essay (Dismembered No More)

This print and short poem were created as an assignment for my class on technology & psyche. The task was to flip through our book, Psychology and Alchemy by C.G Jung, land on an image or phrase, reflect on this image for an hour, and create something in response, also within an hour. The goal wasn’t to make something great, but simply to allow ourselves to sit with an artwork or text, have a dialogue with it, ask what it wanted to convey to the collective during this time (April 201), and make from that place. I found this container to be liberating and activating. I especially loved only having an hour to create something. The project was also impactful in that it allowed me to draw from material that has made itself into my inner world, and integrate it deeper into my psyche through image-making and creation.

Margot TercApril 23, 202152 projects, block printing, depth psychology, anima, essay, poemComment

Project #1: Block Printing

I’m obsessed with rubber stamps, and I have a plastic bin filled with ones I’ve collected over the past five years. My favorite ones are: a heart, a fish, a patterned square, a ‘thank you’, and a lil cloud. I go back and forth with the leaves and tiny trees. I use them on zines, notebooks and planner, and of course, stationary. For a while now I’ve wanted to make my own, and build my own collection of DIY stamps. I recently saw a few videos on Tiktok of linoleum printing that got me inspired, and a bought beginner's kit to try it out.

Project #1 goes to rubber stamps :)

The first thing I did when I opened the box was figure out how to set up the line cutters. Once I had that done, I grabbed a rubber block, and went straight into it. I knew that I’d eventually watch a tutorial or two, but I wanted to feel it out and see what could happen if I just messed with the different cutters. I wanted to see what kind of lines each would make, and how differently they’d feel. Right now #1 is my favorite. I made lines that turned into a pattern, and I used #1 to draw one of go-to’s: overlapping mountains. I drew lines below, and added more lines inside. That was one of the first ones I’ve made, and my favorite one so far.

Margot TercFebruary 19, 2021block printing, rubber stamps, 52 projects, prints Comments

Intro + Intentions

This blog is a project that will contain many projects. Hopefully 52 of them. Ever since I read 52 Projects, by Jeffrey Yamaguchi, I’ve wanted to embark on a creative ritual that I commit to doing weekly and consistently for up to a year (a project per week).

Margot TercFebruary 12, 2021intro, projects weekly, 52 projectsComment