I embarked on a project last summer 8/16/2009 to develop a discipline as an artist by looking for a object each day, any kind of object, collect it, log it and tie it to a string to keep it.
I did it, and I learned how much of a perfectionist I can be and how much I needed to push through the unimpressive days, the days of leaves and small bits of garbage and just keep doing the project. Some nights I got out of bed realizing I had not collected, and once, just once I woke the next day and realized I never collected an object. 1 out of 365. That is not bad. I lost one object to find it later that day, and I have lost objects and not replaced, again just once. 2 out of 365, that’s a success rate of %99.45, again not bad for my first ever year long assignment. I found more value in overcoming small imperfections than restarting to get it right.
I challenged myself to try to not repeat objects, as best I could. I discovered there are lot more people who lose their sunglasses and eyeglasses on than I expected. I found drugs (turned in to Police) bullets, money, condoms new and used (only collected the new ones). I found stuff that was pure junk and I found stuff that was probably pure junk but that has found it’s way into other projects. I discovered some parts of town have regular sweeping days while others no one seems to take responsibility for.
I have a canopy of objects in my study space, that seems fun to think was once underfoot. It reads in some ways like the book of Proverbs, there is little pattern, just the constant object on display, one after another.
I am convinced it would make a great exhibit someday and somewhere, but that may be vanity, I know for sure it was worth doing and that I got a lot out of it, mostly unseen stuff for myself. Below is the original instructions and the log with some more pictures.
365 Object A Day
A yearlong assignment beginning today, August 16, 2009.
Each day, find one object, and enter it in the log below and attach it to the string. No alteration except whatever is required to attach it to the string. I can add to the length of string as needed. Duplication is not what I want but there may be several days of cigarette butts and beer caps, as long as I am daily looking for an object and at least every other day entering items in the log and adding it to the chain, so it doesn’t get piled up.
Interest is in daily discipline of looking and logging. No apparent trend or meaning as yet just to develop a way of being and looking.
8/16/09 yellow crayon Wal-Mart parking lot.
8/17/09 big, old bolt St by our house
8/18/09 gold and pearl clip on earring Parking lot at work
8/19/09 beat up feather Parking lot at BnN
8/20/09 bobby pin Parking lot at church
8/21/09 TY heart tag Parking lot at work
8/22/09 bracelet sidewalk by house
8/23/09 D cell battery top Church parking lot
8/24/09 clear tube Parking lot at work
8/25/09 washer of some sort parking lot at house
8/26/09 rusted nail parking lot by house
While driving around looking for throw piles to go through I saw a homeless guy sitting under tree by busy down town off ramp and in back alley of my town I saw an old guy bringing water to take care of stray cats/kittens. Both would have gone unnoticed if I had not been looking for discarded items to use to make art.
8/27/09 blue plastic diamond shape Parking lot
8/28/09 penny Parking lot
8/29/09 Ale8 1 Bottle cap Kroger parking lot
8/30/09 rusted washer? Church parking lot
8/31/09 Losing KY lottery ticket Kroger parking lot
9/1/09 yellow, black and white cord stairwell at work
9/2/09 part of a rubber ball parking lot at work
9/3/09 rubber Palm accessory parking lot at work
9/4/09 leather zipper fob parking lot at work
9/5/09 part of lamp Minister’s Treehouse
9/6/09 Copenhagen lid VFW BBQ, TN
9/7/09 Plastic cap for toy gun Going to mailbox
9/8/09 Packet of silica Grocery store
9/9/09 garden tag work sidewalk
9/10/09 plastic shoe heel church parking lot
9/11/09 suction cup taking out garbage
9/12/09 spool of purple thread walking down the St
9/13/09 tag from Tiger blanket bedroom floor
I have had this blanket since 5th or 6th grade, ca 1984, so it is at least 25 years old, and it is my wife’s favorite blanket. I am glad I found the tag to include in this project, no idea how many more years it has.
9/14/09 yellow wire cap work parking lot
9/15/09 plastic smiley guy with hat on work hallway
9/16/09 half of a plastic mechanical pencil nature trail
9/17/09 lego piece for a race car stopped at a light
9/18/09 angel on my desk
9/19/09 toothbrush on the St
9/20/09 promotional guitar pick work parking lot
9/21/09 Grater’s Ice Cream Lid courtyard at work
9/22/09 paper clip at the house
I had found a small losing game piece from a Subway cup, but it must have fell out of my pocket. That is the first time I did not have an object from my day out. I used a paperclip I found here in the house and will no longer collect just one piece, even on a slow day
9/23/09 broken piece of Toyota logo junkyard
9/24/09 child’s alphabet block at church
Yes I do feel a little guilty but it was in an adult classroom and I figured it was probably a lost toy by now anyways.
9/25/09 button courtyard at work
9/26/09 broken break light piece checking mail
9/27/09 little lighter parking lot at work
9/28/09 “driftwood” random parking lot
I was sort of depressed Sunday when I found some acorns. Only because I found them in a parking lot at Barnes and Noble, because of the landscaped trees. Made me realize how far removed I am from creation on a daily basis. This “driftwood” is actually found in a parking lot too, though it looks pretty and could be found on a beach somewhere so I decided to include it.
9/29/09 Ricola wrapper parking lot at Starbucks
9/30/09 air freshener junkyard
10/1/09 child restraint tag getting the mail
10/2/09 Champagne wire basket in front of St Joseph’s Catholic Church
10/3/09 .22 caliber bullet in Kroger parking lot (Bullit County, KY)
10/4/09 wiffle ball train tracks
10/5/09 rusty “V” parking lot at work
10/6/09 top of tire gauge parking lot at work
10/7/09 broken key fob Walmart parking lot
10/8/09 tattered silk flower cemetery
10/9/09 black tube parking lot
10/10/09 paper airplane made from receipt McDo0nald’s parking lot
10/11/09 birthday candle elevator
10/12/09 drill bit hobby shop parking lot
10/13/09 tin top of mint box roadside
10/14/09 popcorn theater
10/15/09 broken clothes pin church parking lot
10/16/09 broken glasses Bardstown Rd
10/17/09 old Christmas ornament walkway up to church
10/18/09 finger puppet church parking lot
10/19/09 wasp nest work parking lot
10/20/09 empty 50 ml vodka bottle cemetery
10/21/09 poorly written tract outside tattoo shop
10/22/09 scissor handle railroad track
Five month anniversary
10/23/09 nut work parking lot
10/24/09 grey cap to cover screw Kroger parking lot
10/25/09 4 of Diamonds work
10/26/09 empty plastic badge holder outside work building
10/27/09 lead seal gas station
10/28/09 old rubber band parking lot
10/29/09 old soda can tab downtown Louisville
10/30/09 tire valve cap work parking lot
10/31/09 broken watch band piece along the road
David and Chrystal got married today.
11/1/09 empty grape jam packet from McD’s along the road
11/2/09 plastic hanger random parking lot
While looking for objects in this parking lot I came upon a homemade pipe, made from brass fittings, a lighter and a bag with a joint and some weed left in it. Called cops to have it picked up. So far that is a first. I have also spotted 4 used condoms.
11/3/09 green rubber baby bottle nipple Bardstown Road
11/4/09 wall plate for light switch work parking lot
11/5/09 DOTD butterfly from 21C installment (on the ground) 7th St.
11/6/09 broken led light of some sort Walmart parking lot
11/7/09 flat metal rod work parking lot
11/8/09 plastic mesh net random parking lot
11/9/09 Burt’s beeswax lip balm tin Bardstown Rd
11/10/09 plastic floral decoration piece? On the floor at work
11/11/09 metal plate of some sort parking lot
11/12/09 flattened bottle cap Asbury College parking lot
11/13/09 spring Story Ave
11/14/09 cut coat hanger flea market parking lot
11/15/09 tire weight Dutchman’s Lane
11/16/09 hair tie parking lot
11/17/09 thorn tree by home
11/18/09 kernel of corn railroad track
11/19/09 engagement ring Bardstown Rd
11/20/09 metal cover for fan of computer floor at work
11/21/09 spark plug box behind pizza place
11/22/09 grocery list inside Meijer’s
6 month anniversary
11/23/09 checker desk at work
100 days of collecting
11/24/09 metal nozzle Bardstown Road
11/25/09 Cool Grape candy box Frankfurt Ave
11/26/09 wildflower (pressed for preservation by me) Lake by house
11/27/09 plastic knife parking lot at work
11/28/09 light bulb Lowe’s parking lot
11/29/09 gum wrapper elevator at work
11/30/09 brass pipe fitting my new used truck
12/1/09 rusty wire Walgreen’s parking lot
12/2/09 dental pick Lowe’s parking lot
In violation of no orifice rule, but I did use a plastic bag to collect it and never touched with my hands.
12/3/09 pencil Bardstown Rd
12/4/09 broken glass bottle trail by work
12/5/09 empty pill blister pack behind Borders
12/6/09 Candy Label Santa’s Gift Walgreen’s parking lot
12/7/09 Papa John magnet front porch
12/8/09 hair thing lobby of building
I had this in my pocket from days before, it apparently fell out and I found it again later in the day. Lost and found and lost and found again.
12/9/09 I’ve been Krogering sticker Kroger
12/10/09 pump St
12/11/09 plastic cap gun piece parking lot
12/12/09 crusted, rusted(?) piece of plastic parking lot
12/13/09 baby’s sock BnN parking lot
12/14/09 sparkly cardboard floor at work
12/15/09 B29 tag floor at work
12/16/09 thistle roadside
12/17/09 gumball machine plastic container ashtray outside Subway
12/18/09 little skull parking lot
12/19/09 hair clip parking lot
12/20/09 piece or chain link fence Church parking lot
12/21/09 candle price tag sidewalk at work
12/22/09 flattened cake decorating tip parking lot by bakery
12/23/09 roll of used caps from cap gun Ashley farm
12/24/09 leather skins cutout Big Lots floor
12/25/09 piece of yarn Granny’s garage
12/26/09 fortune from cookie desk at work
12/27/09 headphones parking lot at work
12/28/09 black thing? Parking lot at work
12/29/09 peanut 5 Guys Burgers
12/30/09 finger nail outside bank
12/31/09 comb outside Lowe’s
1/1/10 flower pod Gethsemane Abbey
1/2/10 squirrel vertebrae Michael’s parking lot
1/3/10 earring parking lot
1/4/10 soy sauce packet desk at work
1/5/10 cigarette box at work
Colder days making it tough to find stuff as what little time I have I am not spending outdoors, and while I have yet to break down and pickup the ubiquitous cigarette butts that are everywhere this find was dangerously close.
1/6/10 paint marker railroad tracks
1/7/10 pink rubber bracelet parking lot at Kroger’s
1/8/10 cheeto floor at work
1/9/10 sticky rubber toy desk at work
1/10/10 plastic thing sidewalk into church
1/11/10 rock salt steps from apt
1/12/10 rubber stopper by dumpster
1/13/10 seed pod outside apt
1/14/10 rusty key ring parking lot
1/15/10 nerf dart Bardstown Rd
1/16/10 wrapper floor at work
1/17/10 metal clip sidewalk from church
1/18/10 earring desk at work
1/19/10 coffee creamer packet sidewalk by work
1/20/10 piece of reflective road sign parents driveway
1/21/10 rusty nail clippers parking lot
1/22/10 push pin floor at work
1/23/10 red ribbon parking lot
1/24/10 LGE tag outside Subway
1/25/10 piece of evergreen sidewalk at home
1/26/10 sequin butterfly Bardstown Rd
1/27/10 shotgun shell lake by apartment
1/28/10 plastic flower Preston Hwy
1/29/10 plastic snowflake CI Symposium
1/30/10 concert ticket Calvin College sidewalk
1/31/10 yellow lego Shelby St
2/1/10 black cracked tubing parking lot
2/2/10 penguin bubble blower Barnes and Noble
2/3/10 party popper along side road
2/4/10 fluorescent light terminal Bardstown Road
2/5/10 black coffee lid flap gas station
2/6/10 gum wrapper elevator
2/7/10 back of cell phone parking lot
2/8/10 gum wrapper inside work building
2/9/10 icicle off my truck
2/10/10 bendy straw Kroger parking lot
2/11/10 cello wrapped toothpick Wendy’s parking lot
2/12/10 roman noodles desk at work
2/13/10 lunch list (for Subway) parking lot at work
2/14/10 water bottle lid parking lot at work
2/15/10 coffee stir stick parking lot at work
2/16/10 asphalt parking lot at home
2/17/10 washer parking lot at home
2/18/10 ball of string McDonald’s parking lot
2/19/10 rusty hair clip Bardstown Rd
2/20/10 ticket stub floor at work
2/21/10 birch bark parent’s yard
2/22/10 makeup brush parking lot at work
2/23/10 plastic thing parking lot at work
2/24/10 CD parking lot behind ACE on
2/25/10 plastic square 930 Gallery
Part of a friend’s installation piece.
2/26/10 plastic thing 3rd St Bardstown
2/27/10 key chain link parking lot at work
2/28/10 wooden piece of chair by Tom’s house
3/1/10 price tag on the floor at work
3/2/10 calendar county clerk office
3/3/10 2 unused condoms sidewalk by McDonald’s
3/4/10 plastic casing of digital camera sidewalk by work
3/5/10 mini carbineer floor at work
3/6/10 silk rose petals Ashley’s wedding
3/7/10 tea light candle Bernhiem Forest
3/8/10 plastic ring from soda cap parking lot at work
3/9/10 Styrofoam square parking lot at work
3/10/10 thing to keep birds off ledge Barrett Ave
3/11/10 pepper packet floor at work
3/12/10 mesh Construction site SCDT
3/13/10 star wars sticker Kroger floor
3/14/10 quick clamp piece church parking lot
3/15/10 pen piece work parking lot
3/16/10 dental floss work parking lot
3/17/10 toe separator for polishing nails work parking lot
3/18/10 anchor piece for bolt work parking lot
3/19/10 windshield wiper piece work parking lot
3/20/10 half of a plastic Easter egg Goodwill parking lot
3/21/10 purple hair clip church parking lot
3/22/10 wrapper stairwell at work
3/23/10 leaf outside of front door
3/24/10 quarter roll parking lot at work
3/25/10 seeds and a nail in truck seat
3/26/10 ball of yarn hallway, Whitefield Academy
3/27/10 lynch pin parking lot at work
3/28/10 plastic clip Meijer parking lot
3/29/10 marble tag floor of office
3/30/10 envelope label backing cabinet at work
3/31/10 painted red rock nature trail at work
4/1/10 matchbook Mary St
4/2/10 black plastic square parking lot at work
4/3/10 candy cane under desk at work
4/4/10 electrical tape roll Wal Mart Parking lot
4/5/10 sunglass clip parking lot at work
I finally found real money…a twenty dollar bill behind a fence post on the edge of the parking lot as I walked and read and barely looked for objects. I had pair 20 dollars unexpectedly towards a bill I didn’t know I would have so I was excited and thankful to God
4/6/10 screw parking lot at work
4/7/10 broken lighter parking lot at work
4/8/10 VIN tag Hwy 71
4/9/10 plastic tip from adhesive tube parking lot at work
4/10/10 electrical cap Family Restaurant parking lot
4/11/10 half a crawfish railroad tracks
4/12/10 rusted bent piece of metal sidewalk by work
4/13/10 plastic hook parking lot at work
4/14/10 key fob from mechanic parking lot at work
4/15/10 plastic thing on a string Cheyenne Church of the Hills
4/16/10 silk rose petal Cheyenne Church of the Hills
4/17/10 plastic cocktail sword Chili’s O’Hare Int’l Airport
4/18/10 helicopter seed pod parking lot at home
4/19/10 pink cigar case parking lot at work
4/20/10 green beads Bardstown Rd
4/21/10 car cig lighter fell out of truck
4/22/10 red brick rock by sidewalk at apt
4/23/10 scrunchie parking lot at work
4/24/10 old key Bardstown Rd
4/25/10 piece of metal Oak Ave
4/26/10 jaw breaker parking lot at work
4/27/10 aspirin packet Bardstown Rd
4/28/10 Nicorette gum parking lot at work
4/29/10 small plastic bag with screws Bardstown
4/30/10 sim card Subway Parking lot
5/1/10 clear glass marble floor at work
5/2/10 wet red feather Bardstown Rd
5/3/10 mascara parking lot at work
5/4/10 wine cork Bardstown Rd
5/5/10 metal piece Buzick’s parking lot
5/6/10 plastic wheel Oak Ave
5/7/10 fuse parking lot at work
5/8/10 ketchup packet break room
5/9/10 milkweed thistle church parking lot
5/10/10 plastic bar code security thing Kroeger
5/11/10 weed eater thread parking lot at work
5/12/10 ripped lottery ticket Preston highway
5/13/10 Tweety bird without head oral surgery parking lot
5/14/10 plastic tube parking lot by work
5/15/10 Kentucky Derby horse and jockey parking lot at work
5/16/10 battery Adams St
Outside our new place we will be moving into in two weeks!!
5/17/10 instructions parking lot at apartment
5/18/10 metal HBO keychain parking lot at work
5/19/10 pencil Subway parking lot
5/20/10 stick Ash St
5/21/10 blue twisty tie parking lot at work
5/22/10 inhaler parking lot at work
One Year Anniversary!
5/23/10 plastic piece in a baggie parking lot at Miejer
5/24/10 mini ice scraper keychain parking lot at work
5/25/10 orange paw print sticker parking lot at work
5/26/10 black plastic lid parking lot at work
5/27/10 spray painted fireman from friend’s artwork outside new apartment
5/28/10 black plastic thing parking lot at work
5/29/10 metal cap parking lot at work
5/30/10 three dragonfly wings back deck
Moving day! Moving from Shepherdsville to Louisville!
5/31/10 puzzle piece Frankfort Ave
6/1/10 foam earphone cover parking lot at work
6/2/10 red foam bendable thing parking lot at work
6/3/10 metal thing Butchertown
6/4/10 razor blade parking lot at work
6/5/10 Dunkin Donuts key fob floor at work
6/6/10 electrical piece Quincy St
6/7/10 rusty, flat spring Quincy St
6/8/10 black headband outside work
6/9/10 bent safety pin parking lot at work
6/10/10 metal mesh Bardstown Rd
6/11/10 egg from baby bird on porch Quincy St
6/12/10 metal strip Adams St
6/13/10 cable terminal Quincy St
6/14/10 metal part Adams St
6/15/10 Charms Blo Pop outside work
6/16/10 empty tube of glitter Irish Rover parking lot
6/17/10 nothing
Bummer, looked around all day but never picked anything up and didn’t realize it till the next morning.
6/18/10 bolt Quincy St
6/19/10 plastic light cover Adams St
6/20/10 snail shell front porch
6/21/10 metal number from electric pole Webster and Washington St
6/22/10 no parking tape Quincy St
6/23/10 balloon Washington St
6/24/10 chrysalis parent’s house
6/25/10 metal washer Adams St
6/26/10 fire cracker Quincy St
6/27/10 bubble blowing wand Wal Mart parking lot
6/28/10 broken glass electrical box, back porch
6/29/10 blind Quincy St
6/30/10 green plastic thing Webster St
7/1/10 bone Quincy St
7/2/10 note with my name on it Quincy St
7/3/10 Chuck E Cheese token parking lot at work
7/4/10 Bendy Scarecrow Quincy St
7/5/10 rice Washington St
In front of St. Joseph’s, from a wedding
7/6/10 firework parachute field off of Adams St
7/7/10 plastic thing Butchertown
7/8/10 brush Washington St
7/9/10 clear cover parking lot of work
7/10/10 blue marble Adams St
7/11/10 wooden ice cream spoon Washington St
7/12/10 smoke bombs Washington St
7/13/10 match stick Webster and Quincy St
7/14/10 yellow plastic thing McDonald’s by work
7/15/10 plastic battery packing Butchertown
7/16/10 dead Butterfly parking lot at work
7/17/10 Drug Store Cowboy postcard Ear-x-tacy parking lot
7/18/10 large staple Washington St
7/19/10 broken pen cap Washington St
7/20/10 broken rubber shaped cross outside work
7/21/10 metal cap? Washington St
7/22/10 reflector Buchertown
7/23/10 plastic tie Washington St
7/24/10 tag Kroger parking lot
7/25/10 propane tank cap Lowe’s parking lot
7/26/10 fuzzy dice garbage can, Washington St
7/27/10 weathered King of Hearts Quincy St
7/28/10 piece of metal tubing Washington St
7/29/10 orange toy figure Texas St
7/30/10 cicada Washington St
7/31/10 popsicle package Adams St
8/1/10 rubber motorcycle clutch cover Behind Quincy St
8/2/10 maxi pad in package Adams St
8/3/10 plastic piece Adams St
8/4/10 magnet Floor at work
8/5/10 eye makeup applicator parking lot at work
8/6/10 clearance sticker Wal-Mart
8/7/10 spray paint cap 930 parking lot
8/8/10 broken mirror 930 parking lot
8/9/10 metal piece parking lot at work
8/10/10 Hot Wheels car behind Quincy St
8/11/10 plastic plug parking lot at work
8/12/10 eyeglass cleaning cloth parking lot at work
8/13/10 metal piece Adams St
8/14/10 small leaf floor of Starbucks
8/15/10 plastic ring from candy ring Adams St
The End
