the random thoughts game blog

5/18/06

2006-05-18T23:59:00.000-04:00

the random thoughts game has been on line for a year
:D
and our first official post was catherine.
apologies to sandy, for taking a full month to post her submission...
i am in the middle of moving, both home & studio, so things have been a little uneven around here.

sandy mcmullen

2006-05-18T23:53:00.000-04:00

sandy, also a painter, wrote: "I have enjoyed moving pieces around -When the letter came in the mail
I opened the package and left the pieces on my kitchen island. Great thing to make compositions as I
waited for the kettle to boil for tea."
and she graciously invited me to play the random thoughts game with her work
:D
so i did

(made with the first edition)

benoît jourdain

2006-03-08T23:35:00.000-05:00

benoît is a fellow fotologer and a flickrer,
he makes tantalizing beautiful images and we share a passion for photographing the ground.
he sent me this with his solution

(made with the first edition)

mavik

2006-03-06T23:54:00.000-05:00

mavik also played the virtual guest edition of the game
if you check out her solution, i think you'll see a relationship to these.

(made with the first edition)

camilla breitholtz

2006-02-08T11:31:00.000-05:00

camilla is my beloved, beautiful and talented god daughter
:D
she's a junior at st. thomas high school in dover, new hampshire
(made with the deluxe edition random pieces: #870 & #881)

kerstin breitholtz

2006-02-08T11:05:00.000-05:00

kerstin is one of my closest friends
her family is my second family
and she is the reason i love all things swedish
:D

(made with the deluxe edition random pieces: #870 & #881)

fleur helsingor

2006-02-08T01:44:00.000-05:00

Fleur is (among other things) a fellow photo blogger (fotothing and fotolog)
but this is where you'll find out all about her, :D

(made with the first edition)

john r. tomaselli

2006-01-21T14:59:00.000-05:00

the FIRST deluxe edition submission
by the person who has the somewhat dubious honor of having indoctrinated me into the world of computers
(yes, you can blame him for this madness, lol)
john is a photographer, software developer, collector, extended family and founder of greater than zero, inc
playing the game at work

(made with the deluxe edition random pieces: #877 & #878)

12/18/05

2005-12-19T01:02:00.000-05:00

random thoughts hit the road with curves and his burl boxes.

third in a series of three

and a first peak at the deluxe edition from curves

julie oakes & richard fogarty

2005-12-18T17:58:00.000-05:00

julie oakes & richard fogarty have recently returned to canada
where they have launched: the drawers - headbones gallery: contemporary drawings and works on paper.
julie is an accomplished artist and richard publishes limited edition catalogs/books for artists.
i urge you to check out their individual sites as well as headbones gallery

(made with the first edition)

billy squier

2005-12-09T10:39:00.000-05:00

billy squier: artist, rock star, landscaper, adventurer and dear, dear friend
photos from billy's last show at b.b. kings

(made with the first edition)

lucien

2005-12-04T11:13:00.000-05:00

lucien is a dear friend, an artist/photographer and someone else interested in developing on-line interactions revolving around the experience of the visual.
i highly recommend a visit to his world
(made with the first edition)

11/06/05

2005-11-06T20:42:00.000-05:00

this is truly exciting

the first guest edition of the random thoughts game is here

brought to you by curves of burl box fame, who is a consistent source of inspiration and energy for this project.

he has photographed them much better than i have, so check out both pix in the random play album
(hard thoughts I & hard thoughts II)

AND that's not all...
curves has also found code that makes it possible for us to play virtually
Check out the prototype version of virtual random thoughts
and PLAY!!!

10/31/05

2005-10-31T11:16:00.000-05:00

random thoughts hit the road with curves and his burl boxes.

second in a series of three

09/24/05

2005-09-24T23:37:00.000-04:00

random thoughts hit the road with curves and his burl boxes.

first in a series of three

09/12/05

2005-09-12T01:59:00.000-04:00

beginning to catch up,
but still have not managed to post the prototype for the virtual version curves sent us...
but that doesn't stop him!!!
he's on a roll,
a random roll
:D

remember

2005-09-11T13:19:00.000-04:00

the random thoughts game honors all those who were lost and all those who have suffered
as a result of the events of 911

my response 4 years ago was to create a site: theARTproject for artists to post their responses to this tragedy

my response now is to suggest reaching out to the victims of Katrina,
there are many ways to do this,
here is one suggestion: www.hurricanehousing.org

(made with both the prototype edition and the first edition)

tess ramos-dries

2005-09-11T12:39:00.000-04:00

tess plays the random thoughts game

(made with the first edition)

bonnie kornberg

2005-09-11T11:15:00.000-04:00

bonnie is a foundation associate (and a friend)
random thoughts 912 and 881 are her favorites

(made with the first edition)

ruby tanner rosenfeld

2005-09-09T11:12:00.000-04:00

ruby is 3½ (our youngest player to date, :D )
and she wants to be an artist when she grows up, :D
no small wonder... meet her mom & dad

(made with the first edition)

08/31/05

2005-08-31T18:34:00.000-04:00

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
the random thoughts game seems to have taken a little summer break

i am still restoring the game links,
i believe all the participant's links are back and correct
please let me know if yours is wrong or missing

aplologies to Ruby, Bonnie & Tess, i'll be posting your submissions ASAP

and to curves...
curves has contributed a wonderful prototype for on-line playing but i haven't had time to put it up either
in the meantime,
feast your eyes
thank you curves

08/18/05

2005-08-18T10:08:00.000-04:00

just noticed that the links to the participant's sites and the other game links have gone missing...
i will replace them this weekend (if they can't be restored)

in the meantime
check out this from chubster

virgilio a.a. nebel

2005-08-18T09:11:00.000-04:00

a fellow fotologger, virgilio, 20, is an artist/student/waiter (contact virgilio)
he wrote (which i love):
"you broke down the social barrier of distance w/this game. Entertaining!!"

virgilio is also the first player to use the "enclosed postcard" to communicate his design (most people photographed theirs), love that too, :D

(made with the first edition)

08/04/05

2005-08-04T13:44:00.000-04:00

and the hits keep coming from curves:
built on a foundation of random thoughts
thank you curves

and don't forget:
the first edition is here, order yours today!!!
:D
(and for all of you who have received a free version already or want the magnetic version,
payment can now be made in the form of artwork, send me anything you think is fair)

BiLL HiRR #2

2005-08-01T02:51:00.000-04:00

BiLL plays again
:D

(made with the prototype edition)

anneke harmsen

2005-07-31T00:55:00.000-04:00

anneke is an artist from the netherlands who makes the most wonderful things
check them out
(contact anneke)

(made with the first edition)

07/31/05

2005-07-31T00:51:00.000-04:00

up until this point, all submissions have been made using the prototype edition
it will be indicated on all future submissions which edition was used.

jetty kolobaric

2005-07-26T19:58:00.000-04:00

jetty (aka poppy of whispered dreams) wrote:

For me the vertical lines in the cards are like travel signs, further and further in our lives. That's why I looked for a way to order them as a path, through life, where it starts at birth and through learning processes, our journey becomes somehow lighter. The sidepaths at the top indicate that nothing is fixed though, everything is open, if we just try and be not afraid to step on unknown paths.
Love the images on the cards, Neenna. Remembered them while I was shooting the structures in Odense Walls.

bia amaral

2005-07-25T01:32:00.000-04:00

bia is another fellow artist and photo blogger as well as a teacher at Escola de Artes Visuais (School of Visual Arts) in Rio de Janeiro.

07/24/05

2005-07-24T11:15:00.000-04:00

received another take on the game from curves:
captured thoughts
:D

denise mcmahon

2005-07-23T22:46:00.000-04:00

denise is another fellow artist and photoblogger (where she is neenee & i am neenna, :D ).
denise had some help playing

BiLL HiRR

2005-07-22T01:01:00.000-04:00

BiLL makes amazing photo-manipulated-collages with a message, he has also manipulated random thoughts

nick meledandri

2005-07-20T23:50:00.000-04:00

nick meledandri: entrepreneur
coming soon: a new fotolog - www.fotolog.net/handsomehands
nick shoots random thoughts & another "nick" on pavement
(and yes, clearly, a relation: my nephew
i could risk embarassing him by going on and on about his attributes
but i won't)

cheryl richards

2005-07-18T14:02:00.000-04:00

cheryl (always clr to me) is another fellow fotologger, she posts wonderful images of new york.

christine & valerio

2005-07-18T04:32:00.000-04:00

christine and i dated brothers way back when.
she is now living in san remo; happily married
but, sadly i miss her.
here's how the random thoughts game is played in italy, :D

steve

2005-07-15T13:08:00.000-04:00

name:	steve
aka:	http://www.fotothing.com/chubster/
works:	hard
plays:	guitar
hates:	sadness
above all:	life

more random thoughts transformations here & here

07/12/05

2005-07-12T18:58:00.000-04:00

and now a word from our sponsor...#4:

a hello from curves

sheila griffen

2005-07-05T23:10:00.000-04:00

related horizon

sheila is 26, an artist and a teacher... to be traveler next month. she grew up in connecticut.. grew up more in new york... now living in tokyo. i think she takes beautiful pictures, and while she wrote that the pix she sent to show her submissions were of "really poor quality, taken at 3 am on my ugly apt 'carpet' under my bad fluorescent lighting....", i found this one lovely!

nina meledandri

2005-07-05T22:23:00.000-04:00

i actually play the random thoughts game
:D

06/25/05

2005-06-25T17:33:00.000-04:00

TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS

the FIRST EDITION is here. (all previously distributed games were the PROTOTYPE EDITION)

the FIRST EDITION is also composed of 12 playing pieces;
3 of which are paintings completed since the game started
30 of each version (jigsaw puzzle & magnetic poetry) have been produced.

NEW PAYMENT OPTIONS:
you may only receive 1 edition of the random thoughts game for free,
if you wish to order a 2nd, it will cost you ($8.00 US)
;D

there are now 4 recognized methods of payment:
1. cold hard cash (foreign currency accepted, you are on the honor system to send me the right amount)
2. money order
3. check
or
4. send me something you have made: a drawing, a photo, anything you think is fair.

jorie coe

2005-06-19T11:12:00.000-04:00

4½ years and an artist
jorie's submission in situ

06/12/05

2005-06-12T20:50:00.000-04:00

and now a word from our sponsor...#2: the game grows

check it out!!!
curves created this for us
:DDD
it totally rox
so try it and then hop on over to www.burlboxes.com and let him know how kewl he is

TOONDC #2

2005-06-12T13:58:00.000-04:00

TOONDC plays again, :D!!!,
age 32, Turnhout/Belgium

luc rabaey

2005-06-12T13:44:00.000-04:00

luc is a photographer, writer and poet, living in bruges, belgium

my choice consists of four elements:
1. the series is composed as a unit, tried to avoid disturbing elements
2. the composition includes connections between the following paintings, related to forms and/or colours
3. the composition is compact, and caught between the first and the last, which both have explicit vertical surfaces
4. although, the last finds the first in lines and colours, which means at the end one can continue with the first: a never ending cycle...

elizabeth dimon

2005-06-12T11:14:00.000-04:00

elizabeth, filmmaker and a wonderful blast from my past, playing the random thoughts game.

TOONDC

2005-06-06T02:26:00.000-04:00

TOONDC, age 32, Turnhout/Belgium

berlimbrasil

2005-06-04T21:51:00.000-04:00

berlimbrasil (sometimes known as anne); i don't need to meet her to know that vitality & light surround her.

johanna neurath

2005-06-04T00:53:00.001-04:00

elegantly composed, fabulous color and witty, witty, witty
(oh, & super trainers)

elsa katana

2005-06-04T00:53:00.000-04:00

many will flickr & flog but not everyone gets the quiet of fotola.
:D

bruce grant

2005-06-02T22:15:00.000-04:00

a true blue friend, with an amazing eye and sensitivity to so many aspects of life, check out his flog/flickr conversation, it's brilliant and don't miss his presentation of the game it's stunning!!!!

fernando lopes

2005-06-02T21:43:00.000-04:00

another of my very first photoblogging friends, commonly known as gato_zeca, a fellow artist and visual conversationalist.

curves

2005-06-01T02:32:00.000-04:00

another fellow photoblogger and mail artist,
curves makes the most wonderful burl boxes

I closed my eyes and picked each from in front of me. I had a thought in mind from when I first saw the word *random* on the package and it brought to mind Tornado......(We live in tornado alley and this is that time of year, and they are the most random features I know)

luisa cortesao

2005-05-31T00:09:00.000-04:00

one of my very first photoblogging friends
a lover of all that is quase nada and all that is na areia and a constant source of inspiration

piet de wolff

2005-05-30T03:00:00.000-04:00

photoblogger | age 53 | vlissingen (nl)
"i like this kind of art so much, not only the paintings itself
but most of all letting the whole world participating in it."
as seen by piet

minerva durham

2005-05-28T19:36:00.000-04:00

artist/teacher | spring studio
minerva has established the best (IMHO) life drawing studio in ny. there are sessions all day, every day, the models are fantastic, there is everything from instruction to long poses to costumes. it is located right by the #6 spring st stop in soho.

minerva plays while a show is being hung at her crosby st. painting studio.

05/28/05

2005-05-28T11:28:00.000-04:00

and now a word from our sponsor...#1

after receiving several submissions
and watching people play
i realize that there is a tendency to align the pieces next to each other as opposed to leaving space between them.
i on the other hand,
am accustomed to dealing with these images as paintings and consequently the submission layout reflects this.
i need a minute to figure out how to reconcile this...

and remember
this is a blog: comments are welcome

gabriel j. shuldiner

2005-05-28T02:33:00.000-04:00

painter | paintings
gabriel's studio companion

jennifer & tat

2005-05-24T21:40:00.000-04:00

jennifer plays

and so does tat (after a joint effort)

jennifer & tat were sitting at the next table when john & i had dinner the other night
john ended up giving them his copy of the game.

the random thoughts game: a great way to meet people

lol

john cavanaugh

2005-05-20T01:11:00.000-04:00

yoga instructor (extraordinaire): john's process

alex hirsch

2005-05-18T19:37:00.000-04:00

alex playing the random thoughts game

catherine starkman

2005-05-18T16:42:00.000-04:00

catherine's studio
catherine's paintings

eileen campion

2005-05-18T15:32:00.000-04:00

collector
eileen hasn't actually played the random thoughts game yet,
but she did buy these two paintings, so i guess that's kind of the same...
(but better)

through the looking glass

2005-05-17T17:13:00.000-04:00

how random can random be?
This is how the random thoughts was hung at David Findlay Gallery. when i first saw it, i was amazed at the sequence, and loved it. my immediate reaction was: "i never would have seen them this way". it wasn't until i was putting this page together that i realized that (with one exception) they are in numerical order, the thing is, this is a completely random order, it's not chronological; it's just how they happened to have been entered into my database.
that's random!