Ok, so we’re getting started on something new, and slightly different.

At one point or another, we all were little. The Lullabies project will collect these songs— the things that mothers sing to their little ones.

How can you contribute?

1. Sit down with your mother, father, grandmother, grandfather or other parental figure— and simply ask them “What did you sing to me when I was small?”

2. Record it, if you have the means. Most modern phones have recorders built in. Do the best you can with this.

3. Send it to us.

If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, then email artIsLove [at] ittybittystudio [dot] com. We will be organizing a lullaby recording sessions in and around Columbus during the spring of 2012, and will send you an invite to them.

What will we do with it?

That’s still in the works, but it will be included in a very comforting gallery exhibition.

…and lastly, Why are we doing this?

Because if there’s one segment of the population that has been left behind in all of this digital and social age, it’s the elderly and aging.  They might not be picking up the newest widget or social media tool— and this is a way to engage them— to remind them that what they have given you is still relevant. 

Not only do we hope that we get some good songs, we hope that you have a good time having a conversation you otherwise might not have, with someone you love.

The LifeCycle tree at Comfest.

We have a bit of a ways to go with this.  There are a lot of components that we have detailed in the original drawing and interaction documents that have not been implemented yet—- It will continue to grow and we’re going to see about getting it installed in September, in all its playful, interactive loveliness.

;)

We need to buy a couple projectors (so they can be permanently a part of this piece), some sort of custom storage container, for transport— and cover costs of transport to the events we are taking this to.  If you can kick us a few bucks, please do.

We’re going to look into getting a project page up for this.  For now, if you can… maybe kick a couple of bucks our way…

And if you can’t, and you still want to be a part of this project, you can help us out by knitting or crocheting a square for the cushions under the tree.

After having spent the last three days submerged In delicious conversation and inspirational works of art at the eyeo festival in Minneapolis, the idea of gathering squares of crocheted and knitted green yarn sounded fantastic. Basically, handmade pixels that even my grandma could get on board with.

So if you’ve never looped yarn into something of substance, and want to give it a go— or if you’re a serious knitter, you can contribute a little bit to the tree’s skirt.

We need 1’x1’ squares hand looped…
Anyone can participate
Use your favorite shade o’ green
Email artislove at ittybittystudio dot com for mailing instructions

We will install this piece in September, so your deadline is 19 Aug.

xoxo
Jenn

We’re just over a week out until installing this piece at the festival.  The trunk for the tree is being crocheted out of twisted, knotted together plastic bags.  The trunk will be about 10 ft in height and will be entirely constructed out of brown plastic bags!  

Thank you to all my coworkers, neighbors and friends who brought bags along to use for this crazy wiggly wrinkly tree trunk.

Thanks to Mom and to Emily for helping out with the crocheting.  Every little stitch gets it closer to being done.

:)

How do we get people to act collectively, and change their habits? The LifeCycle Tree is the third of our experiments around driving collective behaviour through game dynamics, information visualization, and art. This time, we cast the act of biking not in the negative (“saving a tree”) but in the positive, and constructive: “giving life”.

To give life to the LifeCycle Tree, ride your bike to Comfest this year. Park at the corral, and receive a seed. Show the seed to the eye of the tree, and you will have added a leaf to its canopy. Come back over and over again (and on multiple days) and watch your leaf grow, flower, and bear fruit.

Or give life - almost literally - to the installation itself, by riding the attached bike powered generator,  thus charging its batteries and keeping it going for others to see.

This is a work in progress. If you’d like to help out, drop us a line.

Drawing from the forest we created last year at Comfest. 

The idea was simple:
Bike to comfest
Get a leaf
Put the leaf on YOUR community’s tree

Thousands of bikes were parked in the Pedal Instead bike corral last year— we wanted to show how little actions like biking (even if it’s only every now and again) can have a big impact when looked at collectively.

Thanks to everyone who participated!  The LifeCycle tree will be our installation for this year.

unpacking the true/LOVE project: why we did it, what we learnt, and what connections can be made