good news!

the stones have been released! last week i received word from erik at yellow mountain stoneworks that the stones passed through customs inspection just fine and are now resting comfortably in a storage facility downtown. the much anticipated delivery is scheduled for wednesday morning, 03 JAN 07.

as the baseline project evolves, the surrounding landscape is evolving as well. charles anderson has designed a grid forest that plays off the central axis of the baseline. this area, known as "the flyway", will provide a beautiful forest setting for park visitors to enjoy while the red alders will provide an attractive environment for birds and other wildlife. volunteers for MESA have planted most of the trees west of the baseline and have plans to continue with more plantings to the east. on clear days, the baseline and surrounding woodlands will frame a splendid view of mount rainier to the south. the collaboration with MESA and charles anderson architects has added an exciting dimension to the project. below is an overall perspective on the layout of the stones, stretching for one full kilometer from the 000 mark at the south end to the 1050 mark on the north edge of the sports meadow.

drive it like it's stolen!

thanks to maestro for the pictures (and the keys).

On-Grid

the baseline installation is now officially on hold. we will resume installation on 03 JAN 07. with the holidays upon us, the stones in lock-down, and some key folks out of the country, it's time for some forced relaxation.

a new series of visual works is underway in the studio. inspired by land survey, global positioning, and nuances of the baseline, my eye is drawn to the contrast between navigating by stones and navigating by satellites. one reference system is so local, the other, so vast.



OnGRID 1


ON-Grid is a grassroots initiative that will daisy-chain real time networks of satellite systems and earth-bound reference stations into a continuously operating, highly accurate positioning system that is accessible to all. more about On-Grid and how to voice your support can be found here:

article from GPS WORLD magazine.

OnGRID 2

these images explore local landscapes, open waters, islands, and hurricanes in the context of global positioning. please send comments if you would like to share your impressions. i would love to hear your feedback on the work.



OnGRID3

...but is it art?

day #2 of installation is now behind us and all of the footings are in place.



we may need a snorkle and fins to find them again, but the footings are there, indeed. we had some wild weather in the seattle area last week. the storm delayed delivery of the stones (again). it is now likely that the stones will be installed during the first week of the new year. here are some images of the site as it stands today:



the white circles indicate the centerpoint of each stone. what determines the spacing between the stones? i'm not sure...you'll have to ask gavin schrock. the spacing follows a logarithmic progression of such great significance to surveyors that i have not yet been cleared for that information..hopefully, gavin will bring me up to speed, soon.


here is a shot of the baseline footings looking north...



...and here is a shot looking south, towards lake washington

"rush to completion"

we just completed day #1 of excavation and installation. we're off to a roaring start and all is on schedule. maestro and brian from merlino construction aligned and secured the first three of ten footings.



i am not going to gripe about the weather. nor am i going to whine about how wet and cold we were out there today...



...and i will not say even one word about how the footings splashed mud all over when the back hoe placed them down during the most torrential of today's many torrential downpours. seattle is a beautiful place. i chose to live here. what's a little rain? and then i received this from one on my sailing listservs:

WEATHER ADVISORY: HIGH WINDS. FALLING TREES AND POWER OUTAGES ARE LIKELY. THERE MAY BE DAMAGE TO SOME STRUCTURES. HAZARD FROM FLYING DEBRIS TONIGHT. PEOPLE SHOULD RUSH PROJECTS TO COMPLETION. PREPARE FOR HIGH WINDS. LOOSE OBJECTS AROUND THE YARD SHOULD BE SECURED. BOAT MOORINGS SHOULD BE CHECKED. THE STRONGEST WINDS SO FAR THIS SEASON ARE LIKELY TONIGHT.

flying debris and falling trees were not specified as part of the original artwork...but maybe this is one of those happy accidents...an intervention from the spirit world...a collaboration with nature. tomorrow is another day. i am trying to keep an open mind.

survey is complete!

we have just completed the survey for the baseline artwork with hubs at 5' and 10' offset. these offset marks will be used to align the footings and final placement of the stones. it is such a thrill to see the stakes in the ground marking the exact placement of the artwork! many thanks to gavin schrock and mike lynch for enduring wind and rain to get the job done. here are some images from today. more coming soon...


mike shoots a line from 150 to 430

staking stone #9

gavin takes a reading at the 430 station


perri pounding hubs

total station at the 150 mark

well...they're almost here...

we are still awaiting an update from the USDA with an estimated release time/date for the stones. here are a couple of images before the finished pieces were tucked in their crates. nicole and erik took these pictures during their recent visit to china:




barring any significant delays, here is the installation schedule:

12-13 DEC 06 TUE/WED
+ SURVEY COMPLETE
+ HUBS PLACED

14 DEC 06 THURS
+ EXCAVATION/COMPACTION
+ FOOTINGS DELIVERED/UNLOADED
+ CASE 580 DELIVERED/UNLOADED

15 DEC 06 FRI
+ FOOTINGS SET
+ STONE DELIVERED/UNLOADED
+ EPOXY ROD

18 DEC 06 MON
+ INSTALL STONES
+ CONCRETE POUR

19 DEC 06 TUES
+ LANDSCAPING

they're here!

the stones have arrived from china, at last. USDA has shown particular interest in the crates and so...the stones are scheduled to be drayed to a testing facility today or tomorrow for further inspection. erik and nicole from yellow mountain sent these fine pictures along.

today, i met on site with jon jainga from parks and lynn and bonnie from MESA. we identified a flat, paved, secure area to store the stones in between the time they are delivered and the installation. MESA generously offered to contribute as much woodchip as needed to finish the landscaping around the stones. this is great news, as now the stones and the surrounding "forest grid" (charles anderson architects) will flow together seamlessly.



tomorrow, gavin and i will survey the site and pound in hubs for placement of the stones. it is beginning to feel like this work may, indeed, be permanently sited before i depart for india. let's hope that the customs office is expeditious and doesn't feel the need to admire the art for too terribly long...

somewhere out there...

...is a large barge with twelve beautiful standing stones tucked away all neat and tidy in little wooden crates amongst the plastic hair curlers, high-top sneakers, and other assorted necessities. at last, it's heading this way! the shipment is expected to land in seattle on 12 DEC 06. these days are all about waiting and "what ifs".

what if the shipment is held up in customs?
what if the weather reverts back to last week's wild winterness?
what if there's another concrete strike?
what if perri departs for india before the stone arrives from china?

as of today, the plan remains the same...to layout the sightline and install the stones before the end of the year. BUT IF installation can not be completed before i depart, we wait until the end of july 2007, after the federally protected savannah sparrows complete their nesting cycle in the area of the baseline. that's a pretty big "IF" at the moment. summer does have its advantages. the land will be more stable and we won't freeze to death out there. but i am anxious to have the stones in place....and i can't wait to see them in person. nicole sent along some images of the final fabrication in china. i will post them soon.