Questions written in the blank book:
How long did it take?
How big have you gotten it before?
How tall is it?
Will it ever fall apart?
How frustrated did you get making it?
Why is a mouse when it spills?
What a great sculpture by Prof. Mary Hart!
What have these stones witnessed and heard since this configuration was made?
Why do things get small when it’s cold?
How long will it take for the poetic words to fade?
How does snow move stones?
Do the stones feel the cold of winter?
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
11/7/07 Stone Creation by Mary Hart
Here are photos of the newest stone balancing created by Mary Hart, artist and Instructor in the Art & Graphic Design department who teaches Calligraphy and graphic design courses at MCC.
The calligraphy poem written on paper strips within the stone balance sculpture reads as follows:
words
are only a
feint
echo of
autumn
splendor
words have no permanence
only stones remain
The calligraphy poem written on paper strips within the stone balance sculpture reads as follows:
words
are only a
feint
echo of
autumn
splendor
words have no permanence
only stones remain
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Another balancing - 10/30/07
The first stone balancing lasted about three weeks, much longer than I imagined. I was hoping that students or faculty members or others at the college would sign up and do another balancing, but it has been about three weeks and so far no takers. So, I decided to do another.
Monday, October 29, 2007
10/29/07 Questions
Questions written in the blank book:
How does that stay balanced?
What would someone think/speculate about this structure and what it was made for given its location and time in 2007?
How did you lift the big rocks?
When will it fall?
Is there a pole in the middle?
Why did you do this?
Did you really get those rocks from the woods?
Have you done this before?
How long did it take you?
Where do you find the rocks to do it?
Why in that spot?
How many times have you done this?
How long did this take to balance it?
What would you name this monument piled of stones?
Sorry, I knocked them down. They looked glued together, I hadn’t read the paper here, and I touched them – and they fell down – I’m so sorry – someone had done a GREAT job.
How does that stay balanced?
What would someone think/speculate about this structure and what it was made for given its location and time in 2007?
How did you lift the big rocks?
When will it fall?
Is there a pole in the middle?
Why did you do this?
Did you really get those rocks from the woods?
Have you done this before?
How long did it take you?
Where do you find the rocks to do it?
Why in that spot?
How many times have you done this?
How long did this take to balance it?
What would you name this monument piled of stones?
Sorry, I knocked them down. They looked glued together, I hadn’t read the paper here, and I touched them – and they fell down – I’m so sorry – someone had done a GREAT job.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Stone Balancing Project Blog
Brought to you by Middlesex Community College's Writing Across the Curriculum Program
In the MCC Bedford Campus quad, along the outside of Henderson Hall, there is a pile of field stones that came from the woods around campus. In front of the pile of stones is a small stand that contains a blank book. The following instructions are printed on a sheet of paper on the stand:
Stone Balancing Question Project
Stone Balancers:
If you are interested in balancing these stones in a manner and design of your choosing, please sign up in advance in the Fitness Center (Campus Center, Room 114). In order to allow people the time to view and appreciate each individual design, we ask that only one person per day sign up to balance the stones.
After signing up in the Fitness Center (CC-114), please balance the stones on the gravel in front of the wall and between the windows. Thanks. And enjoy.
All:
Humans can look at anything and wonder. All knowledge and understanding begins with inquiry, with questioning. All academic disciplines ask questions and explore our world through the lenses of their disciplinary questions.
There can be great value in focusing our attention on something, observing, reflecting, and formulating questions.
So, here’s an idea:
In front of you are stones.
Observe the stones for a few moments.
Formulate a question.
Write down your question in the book.
(Please open the lid carefully, as it is delicate. After recording your question, please close the cover to help protect the book from the weather. Thank you. )
Questions written in this book will be recorded regularly on the Stone Balancing Question Project Weblog at:
http://middlesexWACbalancing.blogspot.com/
For information, please see the Writing Across the Curriculum Website at www.middlesex.mass.edu/wac/
So, the plan is to see who signs up, what is created, and what questions are written in the book. The Student Activities office has offered to take digital photos of the creations. We hope to post photos and record questions written in the book here on a regular basis. People may then respond on this blog to see what questions, answers, issues, and connections emerge.
In the MCC Bedford Campus quad, along the outside of Henderson Hall, there is a pile of field stones that came from the woods around campus. In front of the pile of stones is a small stand that contains a blank book. The following instructions are printed on a sheet of paper on the stand:
Stone Balancing Question Project
Stone Balancers:
If you are interested in balancing these stones in a manner and design of your choosing, please sign up in advance in the Fitness Center (Campus Center, Room 114). In order to allow people the time to view and appreciate each individual design, we ask that only one person per day sign up to balance the stones.
After signing up in the Fitness Center (CC-114), please balance the stones on the gravel in front of the wall and between the windows. Thanks. And enjoy.
All:
Humans can look at anything and wonder. All knowledge and understanding begins with inquiry, with questioning. All academic disciplines ask questions and explore our world through the lenses of their disciplinary questions.
There can be great value in focusing our attention on something, observing, reflecting, and formulating questions.
So, here’s an idea:
In front of you are stones.
Observe the stones for a few moments.
Formulate a question.
Write down your question in the book.
(Please open the lid carefully, as it is delicate. After recording your question, please close the cover to help protect the book from the weather. Thank you. )
Questions written in this book will be recorded regularly on the Stone Balancing Question Project Weblog at:
http://middlesexWACbalancing.blogspot.com/
For information, please see the Writing Across the Curriculum Website at www.middlesex.mass.edu/wac/
So, the plan is to see who signs up, what is created, and what questions are written in the book. The Student Activities office has offered to take digital photos of the creations. We hope to post photos and record questions written in the book here on a regular basis. People may then respond on this blog to see what questions, answers, issues, and connections emerge.
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