The staff of the ceramics studio is in the process of reconstructing the entire line of plaster molds for ceramic Soleri bells.Maintenance manager Randall Schultz teamed up with Ceramics studio manager David Hutchens to accomplish this process.
[image: Sue & text: David Hutchens, Sue]
The first sequence of photos will show pre-casting form construction for one-piece conical plaster molds.
[image: Sue & text: David Hutchens, Sue]
Here we see Randall pouring the plaster mix into one of the forms.
[image: Sue & text: David Hutchens, Sue]
The form is lightly shaken to help bubbles surface before the plaster sets and cures. We will continue this report on Friday, March 2. 2012.
[image: Sue & text: David Hutchens, Sue]
Posted by sue on February 29, 2012 11:59:42 AM MST
On the weekend of February 25 and 26 Arcosanti was visited by three special groups of collaborators. Northern Arizona University Biologist Dr. Stefan Sommer and Forestry major Jason Bull spent much of Saturday with Cosanti President Jeff Stein discussing the biological details of life-support for arcologies, and the near-term requirements of these at Arcosanti in particular.
Stefan Sommer directs the Colorado Plateau Biodiversity Center, is director of education for the Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research and produced the film A RIVER REBORN about the restoration of Fossil Creek in Northen Arizona.
His discussion on Saturday centered on greenhouse agriculture, soil micro-organisms, and the assistance that students and faculty at NAU might bring to Arcosanti as we continue our greenhouse development here.
[photo: Jason Bull, Dr. Stefan Sommer]
[photo & text: Jeff Stein]
Arcosanti Alum Alex Barragan brought Mexico City architect Sergio Mejia, his partner Josephine and design associate Edgar Hernandez to the site. Mejia repeated his terrific Phoenix Public Library presentation from earlier in the week for the Arcosanti community. Discussions with planners and builders here connected our proposed intensely-urban project to Mejia’s intensely-colored hospital projects in Mexico (health and intensity in both cases), and we explored ways to strengthen connections between Arcosanti and Mexico generally, through architects and through architecture students at IPN in Mexico City.
Professor Hernandez presented us with a copy of the architecture journal ESENCIA Y ESPACIO from his Instituto Polictecnico Nacional / IPN and we presented Alejandro with an essay about Arcosanti to translate into Spanish for future inclusion in that same journal.
[photo: Architect Sergio Mejia and partner Josephine, Alex Barragan, David Tollas, Sasha Tollas, Nadia Begin, and Architect and Professor Edgar Hernandez]
[photo & text: Jeff Stein]
On Sunday, Arcosantians Nadia Begin and David Tollas hosted Arizona State University architecture professors Jason Griffiths and Chris Lasch and their students from both ASU and UC Berkeley. These students are currently visiting significant architectural sites around the state. [photo: professors Chris Lasch and Jason Griffiths and Jason’s two children]
[photo & text: Jeff Stein]
David engaged the crowd of scholars in an exhaustive tour of Arcosanti, including a visit to the greenhouse construction site below the swimming pool and the working greenhouses in the construction camp. Continuing conversation focused on the potential of architecture students from both schools to develop computer projects (Rhino) documenting Arcosanti’s complex spaces, including those of the foundry apartments; and the possibilities for 3D laser / computer-modeling the entirety of Cosanti for state historic resource purposes.
[photo: Students of Professors Chris Lasch and Jason Griffiths]
[photo & text: Jeff Stein]
Posted by sue on February 27, 2012 10:43:58 AM MST
This continues our report from 2/22/12 about this years Arcosanti Annual Art Show. Here we see ceramic pieces by alumnus Larry Meagher.
[photos & text: Sue]
Exhibit curator Cliff Hersted displays sculpture.
[photos & text: Sue]
Beautiful glass blown pendants by Colin Evans and Jewelry by Cabiria Dourte.
[photos & text: Sue]
A Meditation Call Bell made from a High Pressure Gas Cylinder by sculptor Brent Scott. Ceramic pendants handmade by Colleen Reckow.
The artshow will remain on display until April 1st, 2012.
[photos & text: Sue]
Posted by sue on February 24, 2012 10:10:53 AM MST
Arcosanti residents welcome the public for this years Arcosanti Annual Art Show. This year the exhibit features painting, jewelry, bronze sculpture, woodworking, weaving, photography and more. Here we see ceramics by David Hutchens, paintings by Colleen Reckov and Randall Schultz.
[photos & text: PR,Sue]
Some pieces will be available for sale during business hours in the Gallery, between 9am and 5pm. Woven pieces and knitted hats by Maureen Connaughton.
[photos & text: PR,Sue]
Shawls, prints and greeting cards by Maria Soleri.
[photos & text: Sue]
"Pearl", a finely hand crafted wooden kayak by David Hutchens. Tile art by Linda Fournier.
This eclectic group of artists and craftspeople come from a range of backgrounds and ages, but share a passion for art and life.
The artshow will remain on display until April 1st, 2012.
For more information, please contact the exhibit curator, Cliff Hersted, at 928-632-6200.
[photos & text: PR,Sue]
Posted by sue on February 22, 2012 9:28:52 AM MST
One of the announcements in our report from Friday, Feb. 17. 2012 talked about an interview with Paolo Soleri by Prof. Constance Devereaux, Program Coordinator NAU Arts and Cultural Management. Prof. Constance Devereaux visited Arcosanti with a group of students from the NAU ACM 410 class to use Arcosanti as a case study for examining leadership transition and strategic planning, as these are two significant issues with which an arts and cultural manager should have experience.
[photo: Soleri Archives volunteer Chihiro Saito & text: Jeff Stein, Sue]
The opportunity to observe and study these two areas in an internationally-known organization which itself is working on these areas would provide an incredible experiential learning opportunity. 3 to 4 visits are planned during the semester.
[photo: Soleri Archives volunteer Chihiro Saito & text: Jeff Stein]
Students would formulate a case-study research question that would ideally be a real issue that Arcosanti is interested in. Students would then conduct the study and produce a written report with recommendations.
[photo: Soleri Archives volunteer Chihiro Saito & text: Jeff Stein]
Posted by sue on February 21, 2012 9:27:50 AM MST
Many good things are happening, yesterday brought an article in the
New York Times, written by Michael Tortorello, who visited Arcosanti in January. A highlight of the article are gorgeous photos by Flagstaff photographer John Burcham, see Arcosanti photos.
We're were also on the air live yesterday afternoon, Thursday Feb 16, on KQNA 99.9FM, with a 20 minute discussion about the new LEAN LINEAR CITY Book, conducted on Q & A by Sandy Moss with Cosanti Foundation President Jeff Stein . Link will be added as soon as available.
On February 7. 2012 KNAU And Arizona News had an interview with Paolo Soleri on the news at 4:16 PM. The interview was conducted by Prof. Constance Devereaux, Program Coordinator NAU Arts and Cultural Management.
In addition, notes on Arcosanti appear this month, February 2012, in the following publications
US AIR MAGAZINE
Beautiful photo of the Soleri Bridge
INTERIOR DESIGN magazine
article about a San Diego collector of early Soleri work
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST magazine
house on Shelter Island with a Soleri bell; owners visited here last month
ART IN AMERICA magazine
article on work of artist Doug Aitken pictured at Arcosanti
TECHONOMY 2011, A Report from the Conference
Quote by Jeff Stein
FROMMERS TRAVEL
"10 Towns that Do things Their Own Way", see Frommers
LA TIMES
"100 cool places in Arizona" on 2/14/2012 with a listing of Arcosanti, see at LA Times
AAA HIGHROADS
"Local Legends" Paolo Soleri one of 8 famous Arizonians, 'that we're proud to call our own'
IN ADDITION:
The following universities are working on Arcosanti-idea-related projects.
Northern Arizona University
Prof. Constance Devereaux, Arts Management
Prof. Stefan Sommer, Sustainability
Prof. George Speer, NAU Art Museum
Prof. Kathleen McGeever, Theatre
Prof. Jen McLerren, Museum Studies
Prof. Jason Matteson, Ethics/Philosophy
Arizona State University
Prof. John Meunier, Architecture
Prof. Jason Griffiths, Architecture
Cal Poly Pomona
Prof. George Proctor, Architecture/Computers
Strathclyde University/Glasgow, Scotland
Prof. David Grierson, Architecture
University of Houston
Prof. Peter Zweig
[photo: Yuki Yanagimoto & text: Jeff Stein, Sue]
Posted by sue on February 17, 2012 10:12:35 AM MST
Nadia Begin, head of the Planning Department at Arcosanti, teamed with Cosanti Foundation President Jeff Stein and the great musician/luthier/instrument-maker William Eaton Thursday February 9 for a public discussion of art, color, music and Arcosanti at the Phoenix Public Library.
[photo: Chihiro Saito & text: Jeff Stein]
Entitled THE ARCHITECTURAL INSTRUMENT, their event was the second in a 4-part series of conversations on contemporary architecture put together by Alum and Friend of Arcosanti Alex Barragan. The series continues on Thursday evenings through the month of February at the Will Bruder designed library.
[photo: Chihiro Saito & text: Jeff Stein]
Stein led a discussion between Nadia Begin and William Eaton that touched on material, space, vibration, the Arizona desert, and the ideas of Paolo Soleri and Italo Calvino.
[photo: Chihiro Saito & text: Jeff Stein]
Begin and Eaton also made wonderful individual presentations, Nadia showing beautiful slides of buildings and process at Arcosanti and Cosanti; William Eaton making amazing music, playing several of his instruments, including an 18-string electric harp-guitar and guitar-synthesizer. See his work at William Eaton. Early in his career, William Eaton lived (as did Paolo Soleri) for two years outdoors in the Arizona desert near Arcosanti, playing in canyons, caves, paying attention to how land and sound interact. And of course he has played concerts in a variety of venues at Arcosanti, part of helping us tune that architectural instrument.
An Arcosanti photo exhibition put together by Nadia Begin is in place at the Phoenix Public Library through February 29 and a copy of her computer slideshow is part of the current Arcosanti Residents Art Show in the Arcosanti Cafe.
[photo: Chihiro Saito & text: Jeff Stein]
We return one more time to the visit of Kansas City Art Institute students in January and the students intensive program [see previous reports on 1/6, 1/11, 1/16and 2/8/2012].
Report from Mary Hoadley, one of the organizers of this class: 
Welcome to the participants of the first workshop of 2012: 
We return with this and several upcoming reports to the visit of Kansas City Art Institute students in January and the students intensive program [see previous reports on 1/6, 1/11 and 1/16 2012].
The 80 foot long "test" Greenhouse tunnel is a temporary research structure constructed by the students from Kansas City Art Institute as part of a Science unit of study while at Arcosanti.
It was instrumented to collect and monitor temperature gradient data to be used to quantify thermal performance of the greenhouse acting as both a hot air collector for space heating needs and a water collector to provide domestic hot water.
These empirical data, measuring the gradient and potential for agricultural micro-climates, will contribute to the design and implementation of the several Arcosanti greenhouse projects planned or currently under way.
Last Thursday, February 2. 2012, Arcosanti Planning Interns mounted the exhibition of Arcosanti/Cosanti images, that Planning Coordinator Nadia Begin put together at the downtown Phoenix Public Library (Bruder Building). 
[photos: Planning interns Yasaman Esmaili and Nick Klever are placing the last photos of the wall display for the exhibit on the second floor of the Burton Barr Phoenix Public Library]. 
[photo: Planning Coordinator Nadia Begin is giving final touches to the display].
[photo: The finished display that will be exhibited until the end of the month of February].
Cosanti President Jeff Stein in Boston this week presented a copy of the new book from Cosanti Press, LEAN LINEAR CITY: ARTERIAL ARCOLOGY to Susan Lewis, Library Director of the Boston Architectural College. The BAC’s architecture library, one of America’s real treasures, hosted a reception several years ago for Paolo Soleri when he was named Cascieri Lecturer at the BAC. The library’s collection includes several of Soleri’s earlier books. 
This year Cosanti was one of the pit stops for the United Blood Services "Tour de Hero" annual bike ride, which took place last Saturday, January 28. 2012.
Many in the valley of sun grabbed their bikes to help United Blood Services save lives in honor of National Volunteer Blood Donor Month, created to help raise awareness and recruit donors for the Arizona community blood program.
Seeing many on bikes buzz by Cosanti, seemed fitting on a couple different levels; Paolo Soleri being pro-citizen involvement and an avid bicyclist himself.