Spring 2024 Newsletter
spring greens
Dear Friends,
I applied to a variety of residencies last fall, resulting in plans to attend two different programs in June and July – both of which involve the natural world in their own way. Since applying, I mixed a portion of Explorations of Extraction and Decay (merlinman.com/quarry) and generally wintered down to hibernate and attend to my muse and voice in the slow motions of a rainy winter.
in this issue:
+Residencies
+EED now mixed into Quad
+I recommend David Shaff’s new piece at Audium
CAMPBIENT/in Washington State
CAMPBIENT is an annual sound art residency that brings together 22 people for 44 hours to conceptualize, produce, and record 44 minutes of sound art compositions, all while camping in a state park.
The residency includes sound-related workshops, creative activities, and a start-to-finish audio production process, the results of which are pressed on vinyl records and distributed digitally. Participating artists camp out, share meals, and collaborate in field recording, sound-making, and creative play. CAMPBIENT is held in a new state park every year, and all audio production and activities are off-grid and battery-powered.
BANFF/in Alberta Canada
I have been awarded a residency in one of the Leighton Artists Studios at BANFF art center, home to nine distinct, architect-designed studios suitable for individual artists working in a variety of disciplines: writing for stage and screen, composing and songwriting, literary arts and translation, visual arts including photography, and critical and curatorial writing.
EED now mixed into Quad
Over the past number of months, I have enjoyed the process of mixing the “Landfill” section of the Explorations piece into Quad sound. Though there were some small changes made during this translation, I believe it is still comprehensive as a work of spacial sound art even without the particular frills of its original version from the Audium premiere last fall.
I hope to present two sections of EED, the Quarry and the Landfill (40 minutes in total) in Quad sound in a home listening session at some point in the future. If you are interested in attending please let me know.
The Depths at Audium
I recently attended the premiere of Audium Director Dave Shaff's new work, a lovely sound sculpture crafted in a singular way from the person who knows the space inside and out. The piece is minimal compared to other works presented there (such restraint!), yet “deeply” intelligent and a breath of fresh air.
The Depths runs Fridays and Saturdays through June 15. I highly recommend that you get tickets.