'One A Day' keeps the boring away
By Kristin Nehls, Staff Writer
November 19, 2007 | 10:27 p.m.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, and beyond that, society has little reliance on any other medium to sustain itself on a day-to-day basis. What a daily dose of creativity will do, however, may be surprising.
Artists Rachel Ellison and Brette Gabel have recently undergone an art project unlike any other: “One A Day Art," a concept that integrates the community, creates friendship between strangers and stimulates creativity where it is otherwise nonexistent.
“One A Day Art" started less than a month ago at a conference called Open Engagement in Regina, Canada. Gabel was helping to plan the conference and Ellison spontaneously attended for curiosity’s sake. It is at this conference that the two artists first met; Gabel proposed the idea of an art project in which she would tattoo an image created by one of the conference’s attendees. Gabel said, “from there [I was hoping to] develop a long term relationship with a stranger from a bit of a bizarre jumping-off point.”
Ellison’s drawing was ultimately the tattoo Gabel chose. The tattoo consisted of a picture of an apple with the words “An Apple a Day” printed above it. In a philosophical explanation of her design, Ellison said to Gabel, “A keen apple eater knows that each apple has a distinctive flavor; it takes awareness to recognize one flavor in relation to another… whether it is in the moment of tasting an apple or while embracing a loved one, it is necessary for each of us to be present in the moments of our days rather than lingering on past or future if we want to participate fully in all that life has to offer.” Such was a philosophy the two artists agreed upon.
While Gabel’s inking symbolized the end of the conference, it was only the beginning of the collaboration that she and Ellison would create together. Gabel’s opportunity for an open gallery at The Toronto School of Art became the perfect outlet for the expansion of their project.
Between Oct. 28 and Nov. 3, Ellison and Gabel displayed their art at the Toronto gallery. The focus of the display was a picture of Gabel’s arm showing off her “One A Day” tattoo, and every afternoon Gabel would contribute a new embroidered piece of art, each one reflecting a conversation she had had the previous day.
Ellison’s contribution to the daily display involved a communal art project she has deemed “We Paint.” “We Paint” is a process in which Ellison will set up an easel and blank canvas at any given location, inviting strangers to share a few moments of their day by contributing to a communal paining. Traveling throughout the Cincinnati area and with hopes to reach many different parts of the country, it is "We Paint" that brought Ellison to Court Street on Sunday, Oct. 28, inviting the Ohio University campus to take part in the “One A Day” project.
Students, adults, and children alike were invited to paint on Ellison’s canvas, and OU graduate Chris Tomazic participated in Athens’ involvement with the “One A Day” project. Upon reflection of his contribution to the painting, Tomazic said “The idea of people coming together to create [art] is wonderful… in the end the point is not to create a masterpiece by yourself. The masterpiece happens when others participate as well.”
However, not every endeavor has been easy in the “One A Day” project. In an attempt to conduct a “We Paint” outside of a high-trafficking grocery store, Ellison was ignored and ultimately asked to leave, proof that art is not always seen in a positive light. Ellison said, “This confrontation made me aware of the types of values that large corporations running this country seem to promote. There is no real push for people to learn and ask questions that challenge cultural and societal norms.”
Along with postings of Gabel’s textile pieces and Ellison’s communal pieces, the two decided that each afternoon they would post a simple truth about themselves alongside their artwork. Prior to last month the two artists had never met, and this project has been just as much about getting to know one another as it has been about integrating art into the world. They have invited their audience to observe the process of developing a friendship.
Following their week in the gallery, the girls have been reluctant to give up on their groundbreaking project. They have continued the “One A Day” project on their blog, posting pictures and secrets frequently. Where “One A Day” will be taken in the future is a mystery even to the artists, but it hopes to remain just as unique a project as it began.
It is the inventive and open-minded ideals behind the “One A Day” concept that has made the project such a distinct one. Gabel said, “I think this project works because it is layered and complicated… but simple. So when you see a part of it or the whole thing you can take as much or as little as you want.”
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