Peacework Farm

This fall, I spent a few Sundays at the Genessee Valley Organic Community Supported Agriculture's Peacework Farm in Newark, NY. The GVOCSA was initially begun in 1989 by Elizabeth Henderson, author of Sharing the Harvest: A Citizen's Guide to Community Supported Agriculture. Greg Palmer and his wife Ammie Chickering partnered with Henderson in 1998. Each year the farm also recruit apprentices to work during the growing season. This summer, the farm had three full-time apprentices, all graduates from Green Mountain College and one part-time apprentice who also works at Small World Bakery (more about the bakery soon).

The organization of a CSA varies from farm to farm. Membership with Peacwork Farm involves a fee in the spring (ranging from $300-680 depending on an individual's desired food quantities) and 2-3 4-hour shifts of work on the farm, along with 1-2 2.5-hour shifts at the distribution site at Abundance Co-op in downtown Rochester.

Farm shifts are on Sundays and Thursdays. I went to the farm on three chilly Sundays to photograph the farmers and members working together on harvesting vegetables to prepare for distribution.

Toby, a friend of the apprentices, collects a bundle of pea shoots. (Pea shoots are delicious in a salad!)
Apprentice Allie pauses from digging potatoes to embrace a member's dog.
Farmer Greg sorts squash in different bins for distribution.
After the work is complete, the farmers and members gather for a wonderful potluck meal inside the barn. The food varies each week, but generally includes a salad of leaves and vegetables gathered fresh from the farm, cheese from a Mennonite store down the road, homemade bread, soup, and desserts (which I provided when I attended! I baked chocolate oatmeal cookies the first week, chocolate zucchini brownies the next, and chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese icing. The farmers greatly appreciated my chocolate contributions!)The apprentices were kind enough to let me come to their home and photograph some of their surroundings. I love to find these instances when modern technology (stereo) and age-old traditions (garlic braid) converge.
At the end of the season, the farm held a potluck dinner at St. Mary's Church in downtown Rochester. Attendees were asked to bring a dish with 8-10 servings, a note card listing ingredients, and their own place settings. The desserts went fast!To learn more about GVOCSA, visit their website or attend a sign up meeting, held on Wednesday, February 10, from 7-9 PM and Saturday, March 6, from 2-4 PM at the James P. B. Duffy School 12, 999 South Avenue, in Rochester.

Thesis Beginnings

Please forgive my long absence from the blogosphere! I've spent the last three months delving into my thesis project, in which I am photographing small communities and families practicing sustainable food production in Western NY.

In earlier projects, such as 100 Soup Cans, after Warhol, I worked to create photographs that critique the mainstream American food industry. Rather than continue with this critique, I am turning to focus on the positive actions being made by individuals and communities to carry on such traditions as gardening, baking, and cheese making. Interested in the Slow Food and Locavore movements, my research has revealed that the greater Rochester region contains a powerful community of groups and individuals practicing local food production. With my thesis, I am entering this community to meet people with similar food interests, to document their actions and to create images that reveal methods of eating that are alternative to convenience foods. The project will culminate in an art show, planned for fall 2010.

Throughout the next several days, I will post images from the project, highlighting the communities and individuals that I have had the great pleasure to meet and photograph thus far.

And without further ado, meet Farmer Erin, founder of Mud Creek Farm, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) located in Victor, NY. The farm just finished its first year and plans have begun for the 2010 season. To hear more about the farm and its beginnings, listen to an archived interview from Michael Warren Thomas' local radio show Naturally Green.

Because I began the project in September, I have been catching the tail end of harvest season, which means cold weather crops, like kale (seen below, protected from frost), and wilting warm weather crops. I have visited the farm twice so far. During my first visit, I wandered the rows of crops and watched as Erin harvested cabbage. I also met Farmer Andy, of Andy's Specialty Garlic & Produce, another brand new CSA, located in Newark, NY. (More about him later). During my second visit to Mud Creek, family and friends came out on a Saturday to help Erin wrap up the season and harvest some of the last crops for a Thanksgiving share (a special bonus to members that signed up early for the 2010 season). Among other tasks, the greenhouse was cleaned, spinach was picked, and vegetables were washed.
If you happen to live in the Rochester area and are interested in joining the CSA in 2010, there is an information session tomorrow 12/06 at the Artisan Church (1235 S. Clinton Ave.) from 12:00 - 1:30PM. The event begins with a potluck lunch, so bring a dish!

Performance Still Life #2

During Walk-Through, I set up a still life in which I placed cheap, processed foods, alongside organic produce and homemade breads and cream cheese. Each organic food item had a processed counter-food item. For instance, there were organic grapes and grape flavored blow-pops; wonderbread and homemade bread; organic grape juice and grape kool-aid; organic raspberries and candy raspberries, etc. Faculty and visitors were invited to partake of the foods, and the still life was documented throughout the day, through the use of a digital camera, placed on a tripod in front of the still life, and set to take a picture every 10 seconds for 5 hours. Then I put the images together in a quick time video.

In creating the Performance Still Life, I was investigating which foods would be eaten and which would remain when consumers were given a choice between natural and processed food. There was quite a lot of food left at the end of the day. If I do this again, I will be more mindful of the audience demographic, which has an effect on the kinds of food and the amount of food taken.

Spring Walk-Through

At the end of winter and spring quarters, the first year MFA grad students hang up their work in one of the many lighting studios in the RIT photo building. (I also photograph my still lifes in these lighting studios, so I spend quite a lot of time there.) Then, on the day of "Walk-Though," about 20 MFA faculty and invited guests come through each studio, in groups of 3-4, and stay for 30 minutes per group, to critique the work. It's intense, to say the least. But incredibly helpful and rewarding. The pictures below show the way in which my studio was set up for Walk-Through. The images were printed on Inkpress White Gloss Film, and were 30" in width. I fastened them to foam board just for Walk-Through, but plan to get cheap, ornate gold-colored frames for them. I also set up an actual still life, in which I placed cheap, processed foods, alongside organic produce and homemade breads and cream cheese. See above for details and video.

Still Life #9

INGREDIENTS: CITRIC ACID, MALTODEXTRIN, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, SALT, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, ASCORBIC ACID, (VITAMIN C), RED 40, BLUE 1. SMILES AND UNBLEACHED ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE (VITAMIN B1), RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), FOLIC ACID], CHEDDAR CHEESE [(PASTEURIZED CULTURED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES), ANNATTO], VEGETABLE OILS (SUNFLOWER, CANOLA AND/OR SOYBEAN), CONTAINS 2 PERCENT OR LESS OF: SALT, YEAST, SUGAR, SPICES, AUTOLIZED YEAST, LEAVENING (MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, AMMONIUM BICARBONATE, BAKING SODA) AND ONION POWDER. MILK CHOCOLATE (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, COCOA BUTTER, SKIM MILK, LACTOSE, MILKFAT, PEANUTS, SOY LECITHIN, SALT, ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS), SUGAR, PEANUTS, CORNSTARCH, LESS THAN 1% - CORN SYRUP, GUM ACACIA, COLORING (INCLUDES RED 40 LAKE, BLUE 2 LAKE, BLUE 1 LAKE, YELLOW 6, YELLOW 5, RED 40, BLUE 1, BLUE 2, YELLOW 5 LAKE, YELLOW 6 LAKE), DEXTRIN. ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, YEAST, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: SALT, VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, PRESERVATIVES (CALCIUM PROPIONATE & POTASSIUM SORBATE), LEAVENING (MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), DOUGH CONDITIONERS (CALCIUM SULFATE, L-CYSTEINE, ASCORBIC ACID, AZODICARBONIAMIDE, CALCIUM IODATE), GUAR GUM, ENZYMES. CONTAINS WHEAT.

Still Life #9

INGREDIENTS: ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [FLOUR, BARLEY MALT, FERROUS SULFATE (IRON), “B” VITAMINS (NIACIN, THIAMINE MONONITRATE (B1), RIBOFLAVIN (B2), FOLIC ACID)], WATER, YEAST, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP OR SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: WHEAT GLUTEN, SALT, CALCIUM SULFATE, VINEGAR, VITAMIN D, CORNSTARCH, WHEAT STARCH, DOUGH CONDITIONERS (DATEM, SORBIC ACID, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, ETHOXYLATED MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, CALCIUM DIOXIDE AND/OR MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES), YEAST NUTRIENTS (CALCIUM CARBONATE, AMMONIUM CHLORIDE, AMMONIUM SULFATE AND/OR MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), SOY FLOUR, CALCIUM PROPIONATE (TO RETAIN FRESHNESS), WHEY, SOY LECITHIN. IF TOPPED, ALSO CONTAINS SESAME SEEDS OR CORNMEAL. CONTAINS WHEAT, MILK AND SOYBEANS. CITRIC ACID, MALTODEXTRIN, INSTANT TEA, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS*, ASPARTAME†, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL FLAVOR, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, RED 40 LAKE, RED 40, YELLOW 6 LAKE, YELLOW 5, BLUE 1 LAKE, BLUE 1, BHA (PRESERVES FRESHNESS). *ADDS A TRIVIAL AMOUNT OF SUGAR †PHENYLETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLANINE. WATER. CHERRIES, CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, FD&C BLUE #1, FD&C YELLOW #5, PRESERVED WITH: 1/10 OF 1% POTASSIUM SORBATE, BENZOATE OF SODA, SULFUR DIOXIDE. SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, CARAMEL COLOR, ARTIFICIAL COLOR (FD&C RED #40), GELATIN, AGAR-AGAR, CITRIC ACID, ARTIFICIAL & NATURAL FLAVORS, FRACTIONATED COCONUT OIL, BEESWAX COATING, CARNAUBA WAX.

Still Life #10

INGREDIENTS: PEANUTS AND SALT. ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [FLOUR, BARLEY MALT, FERROUS SULFATE (IRON), “B” VITAMINS (NIACIN, THIAMINE MONONITRATE (B1), RIBOFLAVIN (B2), FOLIC ACID)], DEXTROSE, VEGETABLE SHORTENING (SOYBEAN, PALM AND HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL), WATER, SUGAR. CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: NONFAT MILK, SOY FLOUR, LEAVENIGS (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, BAKING SODA, ALUMINIUM SULFATE, SODIUM ALUMINIUM PHOSPHATE), EGG YOLKS, SALT, SOY LECITHIN, MODIFIED WHEAT STARCH, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, TAPIOCA DEXTRIN, CORN DEXTRIN, GUAR GUM, KARAYA GUM, CORNSTARCH, CITRIC ACID, WHEAT STARCH, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE SHORTENING (SOYBEAN AND COTTONSEED OIL), TITANIUM DIOXIDE (COLOR), EXTRACT OF ANNATTO ACID AND TURMERIC (COLOR), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SORBIC ACID AND SODIUM PROPIONATE AND POTASSIUM SORBATE AND CALCIUM PROPIONATE (TO RETAIN FRESHNESS). CONTAINS WHEAT, MILK, SOYBEANS AND EGG. CITRIC ACID, MALTODEXTRIN, INSTANT TEA, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS*, ASPARTAME†, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL FLAVOR, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, RED 40 LAKE, RED 40, YELLOW 6 LAKE, YELLOW 5, BLUE 1 LAKE, BLUE 1, BHA (PRESERVES FRESHNESS). *ADDS A TRIVIAL AMOUNT OF SUGAR †PHENYLETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLANINE. MILK CHOCOLATE, WHICH CONTAINS SUGAR, COCOA BUTTER, WHOLE MILK, CHOCOLATE, SOY LECITHIN, (AN EMULSIFIER), AND VANILLIN (AN ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR) AND MAY CONTAIN PEANUTS / NUTS.

Still Life #11

INGREDIENTS: SWEET CHOCOLATE (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE LIQUOR, COCOA BUTTER, ANHYDROUS MILK FAT , SOY LECITHIN, VANILLIN), RAISINS, CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, GUM ARABIC, CONFECTIONER’S GLAZE, CONTAINS: SOY, MILK. PROCESSED IN A FACILITY THAT ALSO PROCESSES EGGS, WHEAT, BARLEY, PEANUTS & TREE NUTS.FRUIT FILLING: FIG PASTE (SULFITE TREATED TO PRESERVE COLOR), CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, WATER, SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR (CONTAINS LEMON) CAKE: ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN AND COTTONSEED OIL WITH TBHQ TO PRESERVE FLAVOR*, WATER, CORN SYRUP, DEXTROSE, CORN STARCH, SALT, BAKING SODA (LEAVENING), WHEY (MILK), EGGS, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, EGG WHITES, SOY LECITHIN (EMULSIFIER). *CONTRIBUTES A TRIVIAL AMOUNT OF TRANS FAT. CHERRIES, CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, FD&C BLUE #1, FD&C YELLOW #5, PRESERVED WITH: 1/10 OF 1% POTASSIUM SORBATE, BENZOATE OF SODA, SULFUR DIOXIDE. CITRIC ACID, MALTODEXTRIN, INSTANT TEA, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS*, ASPARTAME†, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL FLAVOR, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, RED 40 LAKE, RED 40, YELLOW 6 LAKE, YELLOW 5, BLUE 1 LAKE, BLUE 1, BHA (PRESERVES FRESHNESS). *ADDS A TRIVIAL AMOUNT OF SUGAR †PHENYLETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLANINE FRESH CHICKEN MARINATED WITH: SALT, SODIUM PHOSPHATE AND MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE. BREADED WITH: WHEAT FLOUR, SALT, SPICES, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, LEAVENING (SODIUM BICARBONATE), GARLIC POWDER, NATURAL FLAVORINGS, CITRIC ACID, MALTODEXTRIN, SUGAR, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, WITH NOT MORE THAN 2% CALCIUM SILICATE ADDED AS AN ANTI CAKING AGENT. CONTAINS WHEAT. OR FRESH CHICKEN MARINATED WITH: SALT, SODIUM PHOSPHATE AND MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE. BREADED WITH: WHEAT FLOUR, SALT, SPICES, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, CORN STARCH, LEAVENING (SODIUM BICARBONATE), GARLIC POWDER, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, SPICE EXTRACTIVES, CITRIC ACID, AND 2% CALCIUM SILICATE ADDED AS ANTICAKING AGENT. CONTAINS WHEAT. *WILL CONTAIN ONE OF THE TWO INGREDIENT STATEMENTS ABOVE, DEPENDING UPON REGIONAL SUPPLIERS, MILK, WATER, WHEY, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, MILKFAT, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, LACTIC ACID, SORBIC ACID AS A PRESERVATIVE, SODIUM CITRATE, SODIUM ALGINATE, ENZYMES, APOCAROTENAL (COLOR), ANNATTO (COLOR), CHEESE CULTURE CONTAINS: MILK ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [FLOUR, BARLEY MALT, FERROUS SULFATE (IRON), “B” VITAMINS (NIACIN, THIAMINE MONONITRATE (B1), RIBOFLAVIN (B2), FOLIC ACID)], WATER, YEAST, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP OR SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: WHEAT GLUTEN, SALT, CALCIUM SULFATE, VINEGAR, VITAMIN D, CORNSTARCH, WHEAT STARCH, DOUGH CONDITIONERS (DATEM, SORBIC ACID, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, ETHOXYLATED MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, CALCIUM DIOXIDE AND/OR MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES), YEAST NUTRIENTS (CALCIUM CARBONATE, AMMONIUM CHLORIDE, AMMONIUM SULFATE AND/OR MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), SOY FLOUR, CALCIUM PROPIONATE (TO RETAIN FRESHNESS), WHEY, SOY LECITHIN. IF TOPPED, ALSO CONTAINS SESAME SEEDS OR CORNMEAL. CONTAINS WHEAT, MILK AND SOYBEANS. ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [FLOUR, BARLEY MALT, FERROUS SULFATE (IRON), “B” VITAMINS (NIACIN, THIAMINE MONONITRATE (B1), RIBOFLAVIN (B2), FOLIC ACID)], DEXTROSE, VEGETABLE SHORTENING (SOYBEAN, PALM AND HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL), WATER, SUGAR. CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: NONFAT MILK, SOY FLOUR, LEAVENIGS (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, BAKING SODA, ALUMINIUM SULFATE, SODIUM ALUMINIUM PHOSPHATE), EGG YOLKS, SALT, SOY LECITHIN, MODIFIED WHEAT STARCH, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, TAPIOCA DEXTRIN, CORN DEXTRIN, GUAR GUM, KARAYA GUM, CORNSTARCH, CITRIC ACID, WHEAT STARCH, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE SHORTENING (SOYBEAN AND COTTONSEED OIL), TITANIUM DIOXIDE (COLOR), EXTRACT OF ANNATTO ACID AND TURMERIC (COLOR), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SORBIC ACID AND SODIUM PROPIONATE AND POTASSIUM SORBATE AND CALCIUM PROPIONATE (TO RETAIN FRESHNESS). CONTAINS WHEAT, MILK, SOYBEANS AND EGG.

Still Life #12

INGREDIENTS: PEANUTS AND SALT. ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, CORN SYRUP, YEAST, SALT, BICARBONATES AND CARBONATES OF SODA. CITRIC ACID, MALTODEXTRIN, INSTANT TEA, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS*, ASPARTAME†, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL FLAVOR, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, RED 40 LAKE, RED 40, YELLOW 6 LAKE, YELLOW 5, BLUE 1 LAKE, BLUE 1, BHA (PRESERVES FRESHNESS). *ADDS A TRIVIAL AMOUNT OF SUGAR †PHENYLETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLANINE. MILK CHOCOLATE (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, COCOA BUTTER, SKIM MILK, LACTOSE, MILKFAT, PEANUTS, SOY LECITHIN, SALT, ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS), SUGAR, PEANUTS, CORNSTARCH, LESS THAN 1% - CORN SYRUP, GUM ACACIA, COLORING (INCLUDES RED 40 LAKE, BLUE 2 LAKE, BLUE 1 LAKE, YELLOW 6, YELLOW 5, RED 40, BLUE 1, BLUE 2, YELLOW 5 LAKE, YELLOW 6 LAKE), DEXTRIN. MILK, WATER, WHEY, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, MILKFAT, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, LACTIC ACID, SORBIC ACID AS A PRESERVATIVE, SODIUM CITRATE, SODIUM ALGINATE, ENZYMES, APOCAROTENAL (COLOR), ANNATTO (COLOR), CHEESE CULTURE CONTAINS: MILK. ENRICHED FLOUR [UNBLEACHED UNBROMATED FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE (VITAMIN B1), RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), FLIC ACID], WATER, SOYBEAN OIL. CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: SUGAR, NATURALLY FERMENTED RYE FLOUR, WHEAT GLUTEN, EMULSIFIERS (SOY LECITHIN, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, DATEM), YEAST, SALT, SOY FLOUR, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, VINEGAR (PRESERVATIVE). TOPPED WITH SESAME SEEDS. SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, CARAMEL COLOR, ARTIFICIAL COLOR (FD&C RED #40), GELATIN, AGAR-AGAR, CITRIC ACID, ARTIFICIAL & NATURAL FLAVORS, FRACTIONATED COCONUT OIL, BEESWAX COATING, CARNAUBA WAX.

First Attempts at Photographing Still Lifes

All quarter at RIT, I've been concentrating on the lighting/styling of my still lifes. My goal was to create photographs that allude to seventeenth century Dutch still life paintings. Only instead of using luxurious foods and table settings, I used cheap, processed foods that related to the foods in the still lifes, and cheap, plastic cups/bowls/utensils. In so doing, I wanted to reveal the drastic changes that have occured recently in the American tradition of preparing and sharing food. This first set of imags are the really rough first attempts, in which I was loosely basing the lighting and composition on specific paintings. However, later in the quarter, I chose 5 paintings which I attempted to match as much as possible.

Still Life #3

Still Life #4
Still Life #6
Still Life #7

Performance Still Life #1

The following video is my first attempt at documenting a
"live still life" that I set up for audience participation.

White Flour - Installation

The following images show my first attempt at creating an installation related to food. The installation is on display at Point in Space Gallery for the month of April, along with "American Cheese" and "Wonderbread." I drove down to VA last weekend and installed the flour, however as you can see, the walls of the gallery were not yet painted, so I was unable to hang the images while there.

If you look at my previous post "Wheat/White Flour," my goal was to recreate these images in a three dimensional form. However, I was unable to get a hold of bulk wheat berries in time, so the white flour is standing alone. In the future, I plan to display both types of flour side-by-side, for the sake of comparison.

Winter Walkthrough

Still Lifes

Wheat/White Flour

Wonderbread and American Cheese

The Food Pyramid

100 Soup Cans, After Warhol

Detail Image:

The Consumption of a Still Life

During fall quarter, I began to research the history of a still life. As a result, I put this short stop-animation clip together for a video class during fall quarter. Since this project, I have continued to draw upon 17th century Dutch still life paintings.

I Am What I Eat

Okay, I am finally going to start posting to my blog. To begin with, I will post samples of work in progress that I have been doing since last fall, when I began the MFA program at RIT.

My work is centered on a critique of processed American food. To provide some background, I grew up eating a typical American diet that included foods like Oreos, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, candy, American cheese, and fast food. However, as I approached adolescence, my family became educated about proper nutrition, and we began to make changes in our diet. In school, I learned about the health problems caused by hydrogenated oils. And I learned how to read nutrition labels, so that I could avoid foods with harmful ingredients. Searching for the best way to eat in a culture of processed foods, I underwent a series of dietary experiments. I tried being vegetarian, vegan, and then I returned to eating meat. I have come to the conclusion that the best diet is filled with organic fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meat.

I began my time at RIT by photographing everything that I eat, in order to demonstrate my relationship with food. The result showed that I eat a very simple, repetitive diet. My peers describe my diet as healthy and disciplined, though by no means are my eating habits perfect. My objective in the creation of this project was simply to let the viewer know from where I am coming as an eater. As I continue to educate myself about nutrition and the American food industry, my diet continues to change.

Below is a video that shows everything that I consumed between the dates of 9/25/08 - 11/09/08.