Can Coyotes Cultivate Carrots? 🥕

Britt So

See it On Campus: Level 2

Visitor Info

At the intersection between the cafeteria and the first bathroom you encounter upon entering 🚽💩.

WELCOME TO COYOTE’S FARM 🥕

AN INTERACTIVE POP- UP THAT INVITES PEOPLE TO GATHER AND ENGAGE IN THE CREATIVE ACT OF STAMPING.

This project was born out of a joy in community art- making, farming, and witnessing others engaging in the act of creating with their hands. To participate, there are only a few easy steps:

1. CHOOSE 1 POSTCARD OF COYOTE’S FARM

2. FILL THE FARM WITH LIFE! 🥦🐞🐛✨

(Pick and choose out of the multiple hand- carved stamps, and design your postcard by printing the stamps onto the front side, or print a word/ sentence out of the alphabet stamps)

3. TAKE THE POSTCARD HOME / WRITE & SEND IT TO SOMEONE WHO’S BEEN ON YOUR MIND


THE PROCESS

THEME

In choosing a theme, I decided to combine all the things I loved: illustration, printmaking, farming, and creating in community. The vision is of a space where people of all ages can engage in art-making (in this case, printmaking) in a fun, accessible way, while also touching on the theme of food and agriculture. Thus the idea of Farmer Coyote was born.

POSTCARDS

There are 9 different postcards to choose from, with subtle colour tones and lots of space so as to prompt the audience to fill the illustrations with their own prints.

STAMPS

Over a hundred and fifty rubber stamps were carved in the process of this project, many that did not make it into the final rendition. The stamp- making process involves quite a number of steps, which you can follow along below.

CARVING

The images are first sketched out, scanned, vectorized, printed, traced, then transferred onto a rubber block. Which then gets carved out with various wood- carving tools. The carving process is quite a meditative act.

MOUNTING

Each stamp is mounted onto laser-cut plywood and etched with an exact image of the printed stamps, and sanded down. The stamps are then coated with multiple layers of varnish to prevent staining and scratched.

SETUP

The stamps are displayed and organized on laser-cut acrylic and plywood, that serve a multi-purpose function of acting as display cases when flipped over. The stamps are separated by dividers to dictate which colour the stamps are supposed to be, and to prevent mixing of colours during the activity. The round shape lends to the communal aspect of the activity, allowing for more interactions, and also signifies unity.

TROUBLESHOOTING

When an interactive project is run, there are many different factors that play into how the user experiences and interacts with the art. In order to anticipate potential hiccups, and to enhance and ease the overall stamping experience, multiple test-runs were done, each one opening new doors to more challenges and questions. In this sense, the project is never complete, but always transforming and evolving.


THE POP- UP

This project could not have come to fruition without my community, whos creative and caring minds have contributed so immensely towards every step of the process. And all praise to Almighty God, the Creator who gives me joy in creating.

Special thanks to: ILUS 400 cohort, Prof. Jesse Garbe, Vivien Chiang, Adven So, Tiffany So, Kuini Seuseu, Emma Choo, Nancy Tam, Laura Escueta, Isaac Sim, Magdalena Kempna, Sierra Jansen, Vrennily Lagadi, Daniel Lau, Keira Seah, and all those whose words and thoughts added so abundantly towards this project.

Britt So

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Britt So is an illustrator who’s work often incorporates a mix of digital and traditional techniques. Her art tends to be rooted in authenticity, and carries a hint of playfulness that invites viewers into a space of joy. She hopes to create yummy work that successfully conveys broad ideas into digestible visual imagery.

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