Monday, August 18, 2008

Welcome to moly_x_42!

Moly_x_42, founded by Anna Denise van der Reijden (Netherlands), is an extension of the Moleskine Exchange. This blog will follow the adventure of a group of artists around the world, in a Japanese fold Moleskine sketchbook exchange. Our current group includes the artists listed to the right, including contributors in the US, Germany and Belgium.

Each artist will set off with a small Japanese (accordian) folded Moleskine. Creating a drawing, collage, or painting, then send on to the next artist. Each artist will draw on a couple of spreads (3-4 pages) then send it on to the next artist. When the artists book is filled, it will be returned to the owner with images created by artist around the world. Each artist has a month (give or take) to make an entry. The outcome will be a pleasant and surprising adventure, as artists are encouraged to interact and merge their art with others.

The concept:

1. The artists start with the Japanese fold Moleskine - Name, address, email address written in book.

2. Each artist gets 1 month (give or take) to make a sketchbook entry, and mail it to the next person. The order is listed to the right -- for participants in this exchange, look at the list of names under MAILING ORDER. If you ever need to update addresses, please feel free to contact your partners directly! An important part of this project is to discuss and exchange information and ideas.

3. Each artist will do 3-4 pages each round.

4. Artists are encouraged to interact with other images in the book. Please be respectful, but also don't hesitate to meld your art with earlier entries.

5. When the book is full, when one side of the unfolded book is filled, the book will be sent back to its original owner. That artist may continue by buying a new book and sending it to the next person.

6. If a person decides not to continue, she will simply keep her book when it comes back to her. She should email all of the participants to say she is not going to continue. We will decide, then, if we want to find a new person.

7. Please communicate regularly via email. Let each person know that you have received/sent the book. The goal is to have a dialogue. Any comments and questions are welcome.

This moly_x_project was begun by Marty Harris, Minnesota, USA.

4 comments:

Amy said...

Just took a stroll through everyone's flickrs and wow... what a great mix of talent for my first moly exchange. Eek.

So we just wait for the mailing list in email and that lists the order we run in?

Another dumb question - do we each set our own theme for the book and the following artists just run with it? Or is it meant to be purely random?

Anonymous said...

Hi Amy -

My first moly exchange too and I'm so excited to get started. I'm running out today to get the book.

I think the order will be listed on the blog page once they decide the list, and then I hope we'll all get an email with the addresses as well.

And I think we do declare our own themes unless as a group we choose to all follow a similar idea. I'd rather just have each person choose so they get the book they most want at the end of the circle.

Jenn

Nan said...

Amy and Jenn,

I'm another first timer, but there are so many really talented and experienced artists in this group too.

I ran out yesterday and bought the book—I guess I'm a bit excited.

If there's a vote for choosing our own themes, I'd like to! I was brainstorming some ideas on the train home last night and I think I have one.

That said, I'm open to just about anything since this (hopefully) won't be my last Moly-X experience.

Nan

Lynne said...

Hi everyone
I think whatever we go for, its going to be a very interesting group, our molys are really going to travel!
nice to meet you all :-)