THIS has been a long time coming.

Back in Novemeber of last year I got an email from the lovely Lauren Best.

She was writing to inquire about maybe getting me to prepare some original art for her (then) upcoming album.

Here’s a bit of our correspondence, to explain how I got to making the Maple Spirit:

POST:
I checked out your myspace. I like your stuff, and in particular your song, semblance of faith. Cold and wintery. I’m thinking stencils of dead leaves? does the rest of your album have similar themes?

How about you send me a copy of some of what your planning for the album, and we take it from there?

Take care,

Post

Lauren:
Cool, I’m glad to hear back from you. Right now I’m in the middle of recording a bunch of new elements (horns, guitar, etc), but I can send you a few tunes which are incomplete and with scratch vocals and whatnot. The album as a whole doesn’t really have similar themes, that’s a particularly chilly song… as a whole the album is a bit more groovy but still very lyrically based. I wrote most (if not all) of the songs when I was 14-17, so to me they sort of conjure that overwhelming strange emotionality of being a teenager, a lot of the songs are almost character monologues, sort of exaggerated but still very genuine and heartfelt. I’m trying to be true to what the songs were when they were written and not “update them”, to keep the sense of character and context. It’s interesting you suggest dead leaves though, because I’ve been picturing that sort of fall vibe… I’ve been sort of fixated on the imagery of maple keys in relation to this project, and the concept of being in flight or in transition (I’m playing with the idea of calling the album In Flight). I’ve attached a few tunes, there are 12 tunes in total on the album. If you are interested in this project, I think it would be beneficial for us to get together and talk about it (and I can keep you updated with more recent cuts and with a complete selection of the songs). However, you may be concerned about your anonymity… would you be cool with getting together at some point to talk about this? I could sign a non-disclosure agreement or whatever if you’d like. Or credit you as a “real person” and completely separate you from your Post self. Something to think about.

Talk soon,
Lauren

POST:
Hey!

Sorry this is so late in coming!

I’m pretty booked until xmas, but we could meet sometime in the new year? I’m not sure we need to… but we can! I’m happy to be credited as post, and am fine with your assurance that you’ll be discreet about my identity.

I really like the idea of maple keys.

Tell you what,

I’m fine with not being paid, if your fine with being patient with me!

I’ll put something together as soon as I can manage, and you can tell me what you think? Use it or not?

Post

SO THEN, I pretty much forgot about it. I was reminded only a few days ago when Lauren sent me a message on Twitter. I got her message and was thinking “Lauren Best, Lauren Best… I know that name… Why do I know that name? Lauren Bes- OH FUCK, THE MAPLE KEY STENCIL I NEVER CUT.”

So I cut it, sprayed it, (it’s made from canvas, so it should hold up to the weather for quite awhile) and installed it (in Trinity-Bellwoods).

I think it’s charming. Even If Lauren HATES it, or decides it’s not right for her work (I’m really not sure if it is) it’s still gonna make some kid squeal when they discover “The Little Fairy in the Maple”, with Maple Key wings.

So there it is Lauren- very late, and probably not what you had in mind! Please feel free to use it if you like, or ignore it if you’d prefer!

(I can send you a highres version, if you’d like.)

(Sorry it took so long, and I hope you don’t hate it!)

You need to check out the video on this one:

This creepy lil’ surprise installation is tucked into a tree at Trinity Bellwoods.

If you live in Toronto, I encourage you to try and find it!

I made this by remixing some disposable electronic novelties. One bird waits for the signal to flap and threaten, while the other bird keeps watch with its unblinking, motion-detecting eye.

More tomorrow!

A social experiment!

I think the note explains it all! If you don’t want to strain your eyes, you can see more here, copied below:



Oobi was a toy, invented by Larry Reiner and test-marketed by Parker Brothers in 1971[1], that was intended to pass a message to a recipient relying on “the kindness of strangers”[2] as transport.

Physically, an Oobi is a bright orange oblong spheroid with a slit, an addressing area, and big painted-on eyes. They were sold in packs of three. The original purchaser was to write an address on the address area, place a folded message inside, and leave the toy somewhere public to be found. Instructions to the finder were written on the Oobi’s top: “I’m oobi. I contain a message to another human being. Please further my journey an inch, a foot, or a mile. Add a note, if you wish. Then help me to the next nice person like yourself! I’m on my way to … Please don’t confine me to a mailbox.”[3]

In spite of television advertisements and its slogan “oobi means love” it never caught on during trials on the West Coast and the Northeast, and has been described as the toy company’s “wildest failure”.[4]

What’s interesting (and what the Wikipedia page doesn’t mention) is that the Oobie was made to cash in on the 70’s hitchhiking craze, and that part of the reason that the Oobi was Parker Brothers “wildest failure” is that parents were (and are- indeed- now more than ever) unreasonably afraid of pedophiles. They didn’t want Lil’ Suzie leaving a toy with the perfect “in” and full address of her little friend Bobbie lying around in a public place for pedo Pete to find! Internet chat room fears before the Internet! Fear of our neighbors has also basically shut down hitchhiking as well, which I think is a shame. It’s good for poor folks who like to travel, good for company while travelling, and good for the environment!

ANYWAY, Instead of a note, I’m sending some SWEET stuff to my friend Jason. Some of this stuff I’ve had since I was a young’un. It was all way too AWESOME to ever throw away. I acquired the Gold Bar much more recently; it was given to me a few years ago in Korea. It’s actually a refillable lighter! It was a prized possession.

So I’m truly trusting strangers with GOLD here.

But, that said, I think it’s completely okay if some of the treasure gets kept, especially if people add replacement treasures of their own! We’ll have to wait and see what makes it to New York- if anything makes it at all!

I really like this idea. It’s like a message in a bottle, but it rides the constantly moving waves of people instead of boring ol’ literal waves, and making it a box of totally sweet stuff instead of just a boring ol’ message makes it more like a geocache, but a geocache that travels.

I hope people leave notes about who they are, where they found it, and where they brought it! That is what the pencil is for.

It was left in Trinity Bellwoods Park. That was the starting point of this Newbie Oobie.

Lets hope it goes far!

It’s a Saluting Astronaut!

Salute, Salute, Salute.

Like a good soldier is supposed to; It doesn’t care who it is saluting, as long as there is power! You’re the president now? Sure, if that’s the way the wind is blowing, I’ll salute!

This Astronaut could be saluting anyone at all… or nobody at all! It’s just as happy either way.

What does it care? It is dead, after all.

Guys. Guess what?

I am very frustrated right now.

This update has taken me nearly 7 hours. SEVEN. My computer has been fighting me every step of the way.

ALSO

I have been working on this Whirlygig, and 5 others, -on and off- for almost THREE YEARS .

That’s crazy. There’s no reason it should take that long! Why can’t I finish my projects? Why can’t I get my shit together? IS IT BECAUSE OF SHIT LIKE THIS COMPUTER AND RENT AND NO SPACE AND ALL THE OTHER MILLION LITTLE BARRIERS LIFE PRESENTS?!?

Blagh! Enough whining.

anyway.

I wanted to have all 5 Whirlygigs up at once -together- as a theme week; but with summer leaving and autumn here I thought I had better just cut my losses, do the rest later, and get at least one up…

I WILL finish the rest, just you wait.

This one is installed in Trinity-Bellwoods Park.

I hope you like it too.