Lordy Lordy Lordy

OS32 has been enjoying their time with Artist in Residence, Lordy Rodriguez. Lordy's own work is steeped in mapmaking imagery and the idea of fashioning and recording one's place in the world. For Oxbow, Lordy designed a large scale group project that will hang in the school's dining hall upon completion. Each student was assigned a "state" to construct, incorporating personal symbols and landmarks. A few regions banded together to form local geographies, histories, and, infrastructure while others opted for a more independent track. Below are some reflections on the workshop by Bonnie, Stefan, and Camilla as well as photos of OS32 and Lordy at work. 

 It was really fun to be able to create a self portrait in a new kind of way, instead of just in the most traditional way. Lordy was really nice and supportive and it was great to get to know him and get his input on my artwork. Overall, this project was a new approach and it expanded my outlook on art.  

Bonnie

I had a blast representing my favorite activities in a map. I used foam and pulp to construct mountain ranges with a neighboring state and decided that my land was infested with wizards. Lordy was very supportive of my project and he appreciated the style that I threw on it. He encouraged us to interpret the assignment in our own way which I found to be empowering. 

Stefan

When I first saw Lordy's work, I loved it. It was something I had never seen before, so it gave me a huge amount of inspiration. I was really excited about this project, and I knew exactly what my state was going to be called, and what it would look like. Lordy really helped me along the way with improving and perfecting my work. I thought this was a really cool project and I was really impressed with how everyone was able to incorporate pieces of themselves into their states. 

Camilla

photos: Pattiann Koury and Megan Broughton