above - art installation

"Above," installation by Karl Marxhausen, on CES campus, Miss Jan's art room, Carrollton, Missouri. First addition, week 1. Yarn, tissue paper, buttons, colored string, beads, and pliable netting.

A large red button becomes the weight and the circle at the end of a ribbon line.

Taut yarn strand tethers the edge of the netting to the ceiling.

Delicate embellishments dangling in the air. Colored beads, knotted on a strand of plastic.

A single yellow line woven across the top that bends and goes down.

A bright neon pink cord woven bowtie shape.

The dangles just out of reach. Or to be ignored, to resist batting it, and give the art its own space, at your eye level.

One minute span of the ceiling from one end to the other. ----------

I proposed the installation idea to the art teacher, my wife, Jan Marxhausen. Using the materials the Lord provided, that is, hay bale netting I found rolled up along the road to Bosworth. Then, carefully untangling the long roll, taking out snagged sticks, and soggy hay strands.

Up and down on ladder to secure the ceiling ties. Stretching and twisting it to create a spiral shape above the tables below. Lightweight materials. Three separate sections. 8 x 4 feet. 10 x 4 feet. 6 x 3 feet. 

2nd additions were made during the third week. Tissue paper squares seemed suspended in the air thanks to the transparency of the netting. More pink cord looped and knotted along one edge up high. 

 

Three minutes. During my additions, the installation of the construction paper butterflies were going up in the outside hallway. Students were not present in the class room.

The strength of mylar band knotted at the edge of the netting. Wire wrapped around the band and knotted. Glued tissue accents in the air -- floating. That was excellent.

Over the weekend of the fifth week the 3rd addition was made. I love the materials Miss Jan keeps in her closet. A bag of metallic mylar streamers caught my eye. Air filled bag gave volume to the crinkly wrapping. 

It looks solid and heavy, but it is light weight on purpose. Anything heavy would pull down the structure. The elongated shape was tried in different places without success. At last while standing on the table I was able to place it way up high and used the wires to secure it to yarn tethers. I was very happy with its precarious position. Secured, yet mysterious presence. 

 

---- One minute. ------

butterfly - installation at CES

With the netting installation still stretched high above her art students, my wife shared a power point of a variety of art styles last week. She shared the installation Carlos Amorles created for The Phoenix Art Gallery. Where that artist covered the gallery walls with swirling swarms of paper butterflies. Twenty-five thousand to be exact. Cut out from black construction paper.

Three minute video. "Black Cloud" by Carlos Amorales, at the Phoenix Art Gallery

During the course of the work week, as she met with her art students, second through sixth grade, Mrs. Marxhausen showed them the butterfly templates she had cut out. She gave them ideas how they might decorate them. Then, each class got busy cutting and crayon coloring their creations from the construction paper at their table.

On Monday and Tuesday I began installing the box of finished student butterflies. Crayon and marker on backgrounds of yellow, light green, purple, red, orange, and black papers.

Three minutes. Paper cut butterflies on exit sign, on walls and ceiling to immerse the viewer in a cloud of butterflies. Installed by the art teacher's husband, Karl Marxhausen.

 

Two minutes. Butterflies were put higher than netting installation in the Art Room. A long pole, my height, and tape helped me attach class-made construction paper butterflies to the ceiling.

Butterflies were placed at the edge of the teacher's desk, along the top edge of the dry erase board, on the side of the room clock, and on the side of the disinfectant dispenser.

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string arrangement

The theme advances in the art room of Carrollton Elementary School, in Carrollton, Missouri. The classes that began on Wednesday in Ms. Jan's art room have something NEW to enjoy. Compare Vertical Color Tab #1 (2014) and Vertical Color Tab #3 (2014) to "String Arrangement (2017)." You will observe similarities. This time I am interested in putting thin colors end to end. Diagonal strands floating across vertical lines appears again.

 

Two minutes. First strand was red. Soon a dozen red strands. Then a yellow. A second yellow. Thin tied around thick. Standing back to see the whole arrangement. More trips to the bin of yard in the supply closet. Some lines attached with Tacky Glue. Sticks fast, quick. Easy. Then strands placed up high as I could reach while standing on a chair. Creating depth - placing some close to the wall, still suspended. Others hung from the ruffles of weaving that leaned outward. A gentle embellishment.

North wall behind the teacher's desk. Kraft paper weaving (2013) 5 feet by 10 feet. String Arrangement (2017) is the lower fringe.

Will the students notice it at all?

Ms. Jan tells me they will.

Excuse me. 
She has asked me to
dangle the cloth fish
and the colorful paper fish
from the ceiling in her art trailer
over at the second building.

Yes, I will.