Recipes for Creation: A Collaborative Art Exchange

Above: "Fancy a taste?" Chef Ahnabella caters to every palette.

A sprinkle of chance, a dash of collaboration and a whole lot of play are the main ingredients in "Recipes for Creation," a new collaborative project that fellow artist-friend Joui Turandot and I schemed up over lunch at a kebab restaurant in San Francisco recently.

Above: Chef Turandot dishes up some piquant fare.

Here's what we've got cooking: Every few weeks one of us will devise a list of at least four random ingredients to be used in an art project of our choosing. For example:

• tinsel
• toy soldiers
• something blue
• something dug out from a dumpster
• the first sentence from a cheesy romance novel.

As you can see, the possibilities are limitless. Anything goes! The main rule is to have no rules, although it's probably also helpful to ensure that the suggested materials are available (in this dimension).

Above: "Please sir, can I have some more?"

The person may also choose to include a short set of instructions, containing any particular suggestions for how to go about creating this crazy art concoction. For instance, a suggestion might be to begin the process blindfolded, or warm up with a dance. The instructions can be anything to help shake us out of habituated ways of creating.

Above: Warning - may cause indigestion.

After sending out the recipe, each of us will set to work in our own studios to see what happens! We will, of course, include you in the fun. Images of all the creations we cook up will be posted here for your delectation. We also welcome you to participate by emailing images of your own interpretation of the recipes, or by making a suggestion for a future recipe that we may wish to try.

Check back soon to see what's cooking…

Above: "Hmm... An interesting bouquet. Though perhaps a bit too oleaginous..."