Free Fall: December 2008

Edit: I got the phone call yesterday, on Jan 21st, from Tammy informing me that I have been selected for Session 5 Work/Study program at John C. Campbell Folk School :D :D :D :D :D :D

clap for me :3

Personal statement describing my reasons for applying to the John C. Campbell Work/Study Program 2009 Session 5: September 20th – November 21st

Contact:
118 E Stadium Dr
Eden, NC 27288
336.392.7693
http://quitbutdontstop.blogspot.com
dtfloren@hotmail.com

There are two major reasons I am applying for the work/study program. Community is very important to me. More than almost anything else, I enjoy good company and good food. Climbing trees and cloud watching are two of my favorite activities. I may not be able to name every tree I see or every cloud that rolls by, but I'll bet you I can climb and admire both with the best of them. I also have no trouble channeling my creative energy into work. I approach challenges with determination and creativity, always making the best of every situation.

I have no doubt that I would fit in well with the community setting of the Folk School. I also feel certain that I would make a positive contribution to the community and those involved in it. I am a compassionate person. I say this because I would rather put the needs of others before my own. There have been times I have literally offered the shirt off my back to someone else in need. Honesty and sincerity are two of the most important qualities I strive to personify in my daily life. I do not believe in lying, cheating or stealing. Anything worth having is worth working for.

Last summer, in 2008, I worked at Rivers Finest in Wentworth, NC. It is an organic blueberry farm, where I picked blueberries and sorted them on a sorting belt. That was my first work experience on a farm and it was definitely something to remember. Being out in the intense summer sun all day, I learned the meaning of work. This past fall, I started helping out my classmate, Ian Gamble, around his farm. There I learned to split wood with both an ax, and a log splitter, start and maintain warm fires in the cold, as well as practice painting buildings on the outside of his house.

It was at Ian's farm also, that I began to realize how much beauty and serenity exists in nature and the outdoors life. I started helping him with his installation project Tent(ative). Tent(ative) is an interactive installation project involving Native American style tipi's. From this I have developed an interest in not only alternative housing, but alternative living that focuses on coexisting with the land and each other, while making the most of what we have. I believe that by working towards a balance with nature and our fellow man, we can all live much happier and fulfilling lives.

During my work/study at the Folk School, I would have the opportunity to learn a variety of skills that would help me achieve my personal goals. When I was in Sculpture 1 class, I took an interest in working with metal. Rockingham Community College does not have the facilities to allow me to explore further, so I have been confined to articles and forums to provide answers. I recently have been looking into the art of blacksmithing. The sense of pride one must get from working in a trade in which you make your own tools greatly appeals to me.

It is a goal in my life to participate in many work/study programs and artist residencies. I hope to one day open my own studio/collaborative for local, regional, traveling and resident artists and my experiences here would give me a good idea of how to successfully achieve this goal. From what I have heard about The Folk School, the environment focuses on community and fostering creativity. These are the two qualities I wish to exemplify in my own studio.

Most importantly, the education I would receive at the John C. Campbell Folk School would advance my creativity levels by leaps and bounds. I am more interested in a hands-on education than a traditional, institutionalized education and I feel JCCFS is one place I can get this kind of experience. The Folk School seems like a place where humans and nature live side by side and I feel that I would learn a great deal about living outdoors and the natural world around me. Even though I would only be there for 9 weeks, there is not a doubt in my mind that those 9 weeks would stay with me for the rest of my life.

Art is the reason Man was given eyes. From handcrafted pottery thrown from clay gathered from the muddy banks in Ruraltown, USA to the intricate, detailed patterns covering the quilts of rustic homes in the Midwest, to the simple, elegant, and warm log cabins standing in frostbitten mountain ranges around the world, art is everywhere. It permeates us and surrounds us and is involved in nearly every facet of our daily lives. My creative process is still growing. I am still looking for my voice in the art world. I feel that creating art is a constantly changing, constantly evolving, and constantly learning process. I will never stop learning.

I sincerely hope that you will give me the opportunity to continue my education at John C. Campbell Folk School. Participating in a work/study program is a goal I have set for myself and I know the opportunities would give me the chance to reach potentials I can only dream of now. With my fundamental knowledge of working and living outdoors and dealing with people on a friendly, personal basis, I would have no trouble adjusting to a community like the one found at the Folk School. Most important to me though, are the experiences and valuable lessons I would take away from my 9 week stay on your campus. These would tremendously help shape me into the artist and environmentally conscious individual I one day aspire to become.