Davis, California
Sad Penguins UC Davis November 2014
(Watch here, it looks better)
Location: In front of Memorial Union, University of California, Davis
Date: November 20, 2014
Description: Three hours sad penguin painting, sumi ink , oak gall ink (made from on campus galls) watercolor, paper, milk crate, cardboard, digital camera, sound recordings of ice floes and penguins.
I set up in front of the UC Davis Memorial Union in the row of tables where student clubs and associations flyer and bake sell. I painted sad penguins and gave them to students. The video is edited from the first hour and twenty minutes. Subsequently, the camera ran out of battery and the sky with rain. The penguins and I took cover under the eves. I painted with both sumi and oak gall ink made by artist Kim Zitzow from galls gathered on UC Davis campus.
The students seemed to assume I was selling the paintings, once I established they were free, then conversations and penguins flowed. The students seemed to do best in group of three or more, then, other groups and singletons would be attracted. But I think when I alone they were intimidated.