GALLERY:
BARAKA
RESIDENCY PROJECT 2017
A Hilarious Healing Game and creating the Dodo Derby
Two artists, a sculptor and a performance artist, were selected to spend a month at Baraka creating a Hilarious Healing Game for two local communities, Millbrook and Stanfordville. The two artists, Lily Cheng and Steph Wadman, hail from different backgrounds and geographies, but came together to create the Dodo Derby, a game that challenges and provokes the communities to unite in the Dodo spirit of shedding inhibitions. The game took form in man powered cart-like structures inspired by common and exotic birds, the Rooster, Penguin, Flamingo, and Turkey.
The artistic duo states that they want to "encourage participants and ourselves to experience different perspectives through interaction with our work. Responding to Baraka’s call to make a “hilarious healing game," we approached how to foster a feeling of unity and loss of inhibitions through a common goal and physical silliness... Inspired by the nostalgia and love of cars of the Stanfordville community, we created a derby as an accessible, fun and challenging way to highlight everyone’s different and possibly hidden strengths. Similar to summer picnic games, the Dodo Derby starts with the drive to be the fastest as an entry point into the joy of creative flailing with others."
Be sure to check out the News section to see community day updates
 Let the testing begin!Lily+Steph Test Prototype cars |  Yoke stylePlaying with carts that are pulled |  Dolly Style |
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 Creating modelsPlaying with proportions and body sizes |  Planning and drawingLots of time spent hashing through problems and safety issues |  Preliminary sketch of an egg cartSketches often were transformed into a new idea while building the cars |
 1st version of The RoosterPrototyping steering and pushing controls |  1st version of The PenguinTwo golf carts strung together with a fire wood basket to make the 1st rendition of the penguin |  The Bone Wheel YardMany prototypes were cast aside, but all were instrumental in fuelling the final outcome. |
 Steph and Onnig in studioGetting down to business building the first two cars the Penguin and the Rooster. |  Studio work (Steph)The satisfaction of a chainsaw |  Studio Work (Lily)Lily works on the Young Penguin carving away at any sharp or uncomfortable bumps. |
 The Young PenguinThe Young Penguin is specialized for smaller people and is outfitted with soft foam wheels. Get on your belly and slide on the ice! |  Young Penguin all dressed up |  Big Penguin ready for the races |
 Wood steaming set-upSteamed wood was bent in order to make many custom curved components of the cars |  Lily keeps the fire stoked |  1st wood bending day |
 Editing templates in the moment |  Template for Flamingo LegsCurved pieces were needed to make horizontal leg braces for the Flamingo. |  Flamingo Plan |
 Lily finishing up the Flamingo |  The Flamingo |  Steering column for the Rooster |
 The Rooster |  Big Penguin, Young Penguin, RoosterReady for the first games. |  Steph giving a ride on the Rooster |
 In Progress Turkey |  The TurkeyThe Turkey went through many different phases and changes. |  The Purple TurkeyThe turkey has a special hidden rider under the seat |
 Millbrook Community Day commences! |  Stanfordville Community Day Set-up |  Steph and Lily celebrate the races |
 The Dodo Leader board |  Dodo Awards |
 Francois Fuertie making propeller blades for his Unidentified Flying Cupola |  Francois Fuertie sculpting his tree piece |  Scultpor Charlie Hachadourian’s lost wax “anti vessels” |
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 Charlie Hachadourian applying wax for earth formed “anti vessels” |  Charlie Hachadourian and Ara pouring plaster into an earth “anti vessel” |  Edith Abeita preparing tree dome for her performance piece |
 Poorang Nori building a tonir oven |  Poorang Nori covering unearthed roots with common spices from Iran |  Poorang Nori baking Lavash bread in a tonir oven |
Artistication@BARAKA 2012
Artists from throughout the world participated in an exhibition/residency program. The project sought to create place-responsive artworks that incorporated site, its role in community, and the use of dialogue and synergy between artists as critical links to a better understanding of both process and intent. Artists participated in pairs, each for one month. Each pair engaged in dialogue with the community and exhibited their works at the conclusion of their residency.
 Greg MacAvoy and Kardash Onnig carving speaker |  Kardash Onnig carving speaker |  Womb of Sorrow |
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 Field of Transfourmation |
Transfourming Sorrow Installation 2015
A 100th anniversary commemorative multimedia installation that paid tribute to the systematic decimation of the Armenian population in Anatolian Turkey that began in 1915. Kardash invited all people to mourn their own grief in the "Womb of Sorrow" and transcend their sorrow in the "Field of Transfourmation."
 Cement mosaic workspace |  Flower and vegetable garden |  Artist residence interior |
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 Artist residence interior |
 70-year old Beech tree |  Outdoor studio frame |  Building 2nd outdoor studio |
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 Day 1 Gabriel & Sahag cut log lengths for their carvings |  Working together to transport logs to their outdoor carving stations |  Gabriel experiments with different arrangements |
 Sahag makes his first cut |  Sahag sanding & shaping |  Gabriel carving with tools he made & brought from Senegal |
 Sahag tests the balance |  Sahag shaping the bowl interior |  A day of dual sanders |
 Preparing cement for the base |  Preparing earth for the base |  Blackening with fire |
 Testing the arrangement of his pieces |  Finished piece "c'est ici"By Gabriel |  |
 |  |  Guests interact with Gabriel |
 Gabriel talks about his process |  The community viewing the sculptures |  Sahag explains his piece |
 Gabriel & Sahag |
BARAKA RESIDENCY PROJECT 2016
Dedicated to the memory and legacy of Raul Hague
A month long residency was offered to two artists who work in the discipline of direct carving. The mission of the 2016 Baraka Residency was to provide selected sculptors with time in an open, natural environment where they could incorporate into their work the four disciplines of philosophy, science, art, and spirituality. Preference was given to individuals inclined to engage the “Tao of direct carving” and who strive for universality in their work. Each artist was given a log to carve, a workspace, and access to hand and power tools.
Millbrook Dodo Derby
