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January 23, 2007
Payne's World...Payne's World...Payne's World...
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| This weekend, between dodging errant SUV's and sifting
through the toy bins at "Bird in Hand", I ran across Gregg
Payne's teleidoscope
at Moxie's (Moxie's Café,
128 Broadway)
. The teleidoscope is brass, copper, and steel, about 8" in diameter and 3'
long,
and
looks
like
something
that might be fixed to the forecastle of a turn-of-the-century frigate.
Prior to Moxie's I last saw the teleidoscope at Gregg's shop, laying on a table where Gregg showed me it's focusing ability. I'm pretty sure the picture of the flower above is from that location. Gregg also stopped by my office to show me the focusing lens a few months back. It was literally a "crystal ball". Gregg has designed other physical art including the xylophones at Wildwood Park. It's pretty amazing to see an artist capable of transitioning between media so easily. As Chico turns from town to City it carries with it dozens of public art efforts produced by Payne, who has shown himself to be one of Chico's true independent thinkers. The teleidoscope is an interesting compilation of science and art, and is something that will intrigue most Chicoans. It's something you should see while it's publicly available. I'm not sure how much longer the teleidoscope will be at Moxie's, but it is also scheduled to be unveiled at The Jesus Center, 1297 Park Ave., on Jan. 26, as part of a public outreach for the center. |
| The lower image below was taken at Moxie's with my digital
camera of the kids that were with us. A little more effort on my part would have created a clearer image, but it was a fun photo-op. There are some large format photographs at Moxie's that were taken
through the apparatus. While Moxie's doesn't provide the best locale for viewing through the device it is a convenient place to check it out. I think the teleidoscope would be a perfect art piece for an outdoor location, like the City Plaza. Now that Gregg is no longer on the Art Commission, maybe the City would consider that idea. |
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Posted by Lon at January 23, 2007 12:00 AM
Comments
Looks like Fractals, or maybe the ceiling of a chapel.
Excelllennnt...
Posted by: Anthony Watts at January 22, 2007 12:05 PM
Lon,
Thanks for spreading the word on the teleidoscope.
A free outdoor reception is at The Jesus Center this Friday 26th at 2:30. 13th and Park Ave. We will also show off some giant photo's on the wall.
Bring a camera to get your own shots of your friends through it.
As you mentioned, a sneak preview can be seen down at Moxie's for a couple days. The Scope was entirely funded by the generosity of Rory Rottschalk, local philanthropist and promoter of all things cool.
Posted by: Gregg Payne at January 22, 2007 02:44 PM
Dear Lon,
I operate a website about international cultures and floral customs and came upon this wonderful story on your site. I nabbed it for the Human Flower Project, with thanks to you.
http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/greggs_roses_look_again/
All good wishes,
Julie Ardery
Austin, TX
USA
The Human Flower Project
~floral customs on seven continents~
Posted by: Julie at January 29, 2007 03:10 PM
Cool,
Lon
Posted by: Lon at January 29, 2007 10:34 PM
At the Matthie Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor, there is a similar device, because I took a picture a lot like these. It reminded me of a toy I used to have called a Dragonfly scope -- a lense that made everything you looked at fractured by light and oh so beautiful.
Posted by: Kathleen at January 31, 2007 02:38 AM