Bending Widgets takes a personal perspective into answering questions about the human urge to create and the origins of that urge. Three unrelated people from vastly different backgrounds help to shed some light on these questions.
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What happens when you combine the creative forces of three young artists on a mission to explore the alien nature of erosion in a Utah desert? You find yourself watching an experimental film that gives you the feeling that you’re actually part of the rugged and remote landscape of this extraordinary place. These guys know how to have fun while getting an education! Join architecture student Sam Ankeny, filmmaker Rick Smith and musician Leif Routman as they show us what you can achieve at university if you really put your mind to it.
“The work is about something and it’s not casual. It’s not just an image. It’s not a horse. It’s not just a landscape . . . I actually think of the wilderness as being the soul. Our soul that we have cast aside. And in reclaiming it, re-integrating it, through honoring other species and not obliterating them and their habitat, we are revaluing ourselves and the wholeness that we can become.” Growing up in Montana, Jacqueline Riedel Hud didn’t want to be the cowboy or the indian – she wanted to play the part of the horse. Riedel’s paintings reflect her lifelong struggle to distill an understanding of the intutive connections between the human and the natural world. In her work, one sees swirling vibrations, drumming hoofbeats and, above all, a multifaceted reflection of the long journey – towards a full appreciation for wild, hidden, and untamed places and far away from the ordinary constraints of the modern world.
‘I just know what I was put on Earth for . . . and that is to commune with nature – have it work through me, be still enough for me to feel the patterns coming through to create as profound an image as I can.’ – Jacqueline Riedel Hud
When it comes to the art of making a yidaki (didgeridoo), Djalu Gurruwiwi of the Galpu clan in the Northern Territory of Australia is widely regarded as the best there is. Rising to International fame after making all the didgeridoos that the band “Yothu Yindi” recorded and toured with in the late 80′s, Djalu has continued to design and shape his instruments and they are now sought after around the world. He has a passion to spread the music and message of the yidaki and that of the aboriginal people and does so, not only as a world famous musician and artist, but as a respected elder. Join TERRA and meet Djalu at his home in the Gove Peninsula where he shows us the amazing art of “Making a Yidaki.”
THE TEN DAYS HAVE FINALLY COME TO A CLOSE! The final episode features the incredible algorroba tree – a true wildlife magnet! And, what are the economics of conservation? How can communities come together to protect wildlife? At long last, the finished artwork goes on display before local dignitaries and young Ecuadorians and Peruvians . . . hoping to inspire the next generation of artists and friends of the environment. Travel along with some of the world’s foremost bird and nature artists to the incredible Chappari Reserve, among the last remaining high-altitude dry forests of South America.
This is no ordinary biological field trip! Travel along with some of the world’s foremost bird and nature artists to the incredible Chappari Reserve, among the last remaining high-altitude dry forests of South America. Previously undiscovered and majestical species come alive at the tip of a paintbrush in this rapid biological inventory of this incredibly rich and diverse part of the biosphere. This film reminds us of the age-old partnership of art and science and highlights observation, expression, and inspiration in a strategic effort to preserve one of the most fantastic places on Earth. The artist Paul Klee said ?the painter should not paint what he sees, but what will be seen.” In this case, we hope such brilliant creatures remain in our sights forever.
We heard so much good feedback from the first three episodes in this series, it was a no-brainer that we had to bring the second half of the series for a rendezvous with the growing TERRA audience. IF you need a refresher course, check the original post from July! This is no ordinary biological field trip! Travel along with some of the world’s foremost bird and nature artists to the incredible Chappari Reserve, among the last remaining high-altitude dry forests of South America. Previously undiscovered and majestical species come alive at the tip of a paintbrush in this rapid biological inventory of this incredibly rich and diverse part of the biosphere.
The energy of Bioneers weekend is renewable – so it just keeps coming! Join us for Part Three of the journey and witness the creation of the “Boze-mandala” and hear vibrant sources talk about sustainable development, climate change, the “new” green movement, and the fusion of social justice and environmental justice. The Bioneers message is clear: the future begins today. Ride with us on the zero-gravity veggie-oil Zeppelin of imagination as we take you from today’s drawing board to tomorrow’s reality.
The Bioneers march on! Part Two of this series showcases the drama, the magic, and the beautiful chaos of the first half of Bioneers weekend. Is this a conference, a festival, or a “happening?” The Bioneers bring new meaning to the phrase “all walks of life.” Everyone is a participant. Kids pick pumpkins, legendary authors talk from the podium, politicians mingle with idealists and local activists. Meanwhile, the experience radiates via satellite from San Rafael, CA to over twenty disparate locations around the world. But the network as a whole is stronger than any single part. Some come for ideas, others for the music, and still more for the incredible local food. The Bioneers message is clear: the future begins today. Ride with us on the zero-gravity veggie-oil Zeppelin of imagination as we take you from today’s drawing board to tomorrow’s reality.
