meerkat media » jesse http://www.meerkatmedia.org Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:50:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Fourth of July 2009: Ester, Alaska http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/fourth-of-july-2009-ester-alaska/ http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/fourth-of-july-2009-ester-alaska/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:03:26 +0000 jesse http://www.meerkatmedia.org/?p=1346

Homemade Hometown Parade

]]> http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/fourth-of-july-2009-ester-alaska/feed/ 3 To the left. http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/to-the-left/ http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/to-the-left/#comments Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:56:48 +0000 jesse http://www.meerkatmedia.org/?p=1139 pass-left1.jpg
1. Sit with some friends in a circle.
2. Take a vertical photograph of the person sitting across from you.
3. Pass the camera to the left and repeat step 2.
4. Continue until the camera makes one full rotation.

]]> http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/to-the-left/feed/ 1 Arc of The Sun- Ice Art Alaska http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/arc-of-the-sun-ice-art-alaska/ http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/arc-of-the-sun-ice-art-alaska/#comments Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:21:41 +0000 jesse http://www.meerkatmedia.org/?p=1019 During the first week in March Jesse Morrow Hensel, Sarah Diane Willis, Jesse Tyler Walton, and Laura Cassidy Rogers traveled from the San Francisco Art Institute to the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska. Together over the course of six days we turned 700 cubic ft of ice into the monumental sculpture, Arc of the Sun. The following videos and slideshow present this experience through documentation, technical demonstration and experiential imagery.

Arc of the Sun Slideshow

Ice Art Tools

Arc of the Sun- Experience

Arc of the Sun- Stop Motion

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Arc of the Sun

Three friends and I are currently building a sculpture with 700 cubic feet of ice in Fairbanks, Alaska. Watch our progress on the Ice Art Webcam (updated every minute or so). Competition ends 9:00pm Friday, so I should get back to work. We are site 21 and our piece is called Arc of the Sun.

]]> http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/ice-art-alaska/feed/ 1 Alaska Was Once “The Last Frontier” http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/alaska-was-once-the-last-frontier/ http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/alaska-was-once-the-last-frontier/#comments Sat, 19 Jan 2008 11:14:28 +0000 jesse http://www.meerkatmedia.org/?p=948 Just off of Alaska Highway #2 the forest was clear cut to build a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

View Larger Map
Alaska Wal-Mart Supercenter

]]> http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/alaska-was-once-the-last-frontier/feed/ 1 Alaska+Instructables= http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/alaskainstructables/ http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/alaskainstructables/#comments Sat, 19 Jan 2008 11:13:59 +0000 jesse http://www.meerkatmedia.org/?p=954 The Art of Sledding
The Art of Sledding
How To Fillet Salmon
How To Fillet Salmon

]]> http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/alaskainstructables/feed/ 0 Next best thing to visiting me in Alaska http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/next-best-thing-to-visiting-me-in-alaska/ http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/next-best-thing-to-visiting-me-in-alaska/#comments Sat, 29 Sep 2007 09:31:13 +0000 jesse http://www.meerkatmedia.org/?p=873 into_the_wild_movie_poster.jpg
Into the Wild is the most accurate portrayal of interior Alaska that I have ever seen in a blockbuster. The compelling narrative is a solid adaptation of the award-winning book by Jon Krakauer. The scenery is rich cinematographically, but more importantly it is real. This film was shot on location in every possible instance, and the sincerity of place shines through every shot. Accuracy is a welcome change considering over ninety percent of the films set in Alaska are filmed outside of the state. The opening sequence was especially delightful for me as it shows shots of notable businesses in my hometown. Including, Gold Hill Liquor, the closest store/gas station to my childhood home, where a family friend picked up the protagonist when he was hitchhiking to the wilderness.

Reminiscent of the Motorcycle Diaries, and Grizzly Man: the film avoids messianic portrayal by documenting an entire person, intelligent, charismatic, insightful, fallible, foolish and mortal. Into the Wild succeeds in revealing the core truth of my homeland. The tenacious, haunting beauty of Alaska is synonymous with the difficulty of survival and the proximity to death. Four and a half stars, tied with Super Bad as best film I have seen all year, and well worth each of the 1,050 cents.

http://www.intothewild.com/

Go here for more information, and a chance to win a trip to actually visit Alaska.

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If you are in the San Francisco area please come to the second annual
Maker Fair: May 19 & 20, 2007 at the San Mateo Fairgrounds.
I will be demonstrating traditional woodcarving and the invention
laboratory I work at will be showing off there stuff. I can’t wait.

http://makerfaire.com/

]]> http://www.meerkatmedia.org/goingson/693/feed/ 0 The Sensible Artist’s Manifesto http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/the-sensible-artists-manifesto/ http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/the-sensible-artists-manifesto/#comments Fri, 04 May 2007 21:30:52 +0000 jesse http://www.meerkatmedia.org/?p=669 sensible.jpg

I would love your feedback on a fun document I started yesterday.

Jesse Hensel
5/2/07

The Sensible Artist’s Manifesto

Foundational Assumptions:

  • We each search for what will make us happy now as well as what will allow for our future happiness.
  • Given that every individual has lived a different life – each individual has something to teach and learn from every other individual. Therefore, one life cannot be valued over another.

The Sum of These Assumptions:

  • The more individuals benefit from an action, and the longer it benefits them, the more positive an action is.
  • If an individual’s actions do not come at another individual’s expense they cannot be condemned.
  • Actions that are detrimental to other individuals’ lives should be avoided. Weather they are intentional or unintentional negative actions are ultimately disrespectful, shortsighted and self-indulgent.

Additional Assumption:

  • Direct actions, concrete examples, concise statements, symbolic gestures, fictional narratives, humor, and beauty have the potential to be effective ways to teach and inspire individuals.

Application of These Assumptions on the Field of Art:

  • Motivation: Sensible Artists enjoy creating artwork, and use art to teach and inspire.
  • Medium: Sensible Artists choose materials that enhance their statements. Sensible materials are collected, processed, distributed, and disposed in a sustainable manner that does not exploit labor or damage the environment. Sensible Artists do not need to hurt others to make positive statements.
  • Process: Sensible production methods aptly elucidate concepts, and do not negatively impact other individuals. Sensible Artists have an appreciation for and understanding of materials because they directly participate in the production process. If a Sensible Artist chose to hire individuals to create the manifestations of their concepts they would construct a positive working environment, pay a living wage, and give laborers ample credit for their role in the creative process. Sensible Artists enjoy collaboration and provide positive examples of what is possible when people work together.
  • Subject Matter: Sensible Artists make insights into complicated subject matter because they have extensive knowledge of the concepts that they work with.
  • Position: Sensible positions are informed, logical and appropriate. Sensible Artists are sensitive to divergent opinions, but take the Sensible position regardless of its popularity.
  • Representation: Sensible Artists do not portray their subject matter in and unjust manner. Sensible artists understand the histories of the symbols they employ and avoid misappropriation, misapplication and unintended subtexts.
  • Exhibition: Sensible Artists make their work available to the public. Viewers benefit from seeing the work of Sensible Artists.
]]> http://www.meerkatmedia.org/blog/the-sensible-artists-manifesto/feed/ 2 E-Bay Curation http://www.meerkatmedia.org/goingson/e-bay-curation/ http://www.meerkatmedia.org/goingson/e-bay-curation/#comments Wed, 28 Mar 2007 01:04:19 +0000 jesse http://www.meerkatmedia.org/?p=592 For my piece “eBay Curation” in the current “Widget Exhibition”
artwork is shown in the gallery in envelopes, boxes and crates.
All of the actual objects are only visible on eBay where anyone
can purchase them.

Produce, Package and Market – art in the consumption era.

secretarypresident.jpg

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