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Making my own paint

In this exploration of place, I have come to realize how much coffee is the essence of Coop. It is one of the most commonly ordered items on the menu. The smell permeates the space (and now my room). The sound of the coffee machine is the soundtrack underneath the conversation and laughter. 

When approaching this in progress critique, I struggled with how to bring that essence into the piece. A simple cup of coffee did not have the same effect, it was not overwhelming. Inspiration from my third visit inspired me to use the drink in a different way.

I spent my weekend painting with coffee. I used a variety of "canvases" to see how the textures affected the way the "paint" dried. I used napkins, paper and cardstock. The varying degrees of thickness determined how quickly the material soaked up the liquid and the patterns it dried in. In addition to staining the surface, the coffee left behind the faint scent of Coop. 

Comments

  1. I love this idea Ellen. I can't wait to see what the final product is when you painted with coffee. I can only imagine what it must have been like/smelled like doing this. Coffee is definitely the number one thing I have ever purchased at coop, and often overthink and overlook it also. It's become such a natural staple but I love how through your observation, you have noticed how pertinent the coffee in coop is for the students, professors, staff, and now...art!

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