Above artwork by Zachary Marzolf.
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Archiving projectThere has been over 3,000 pieces of artwork since 2010. The archival system was a lengthy and random documentation of each piece of art in the order which it was completed. The system had been somewhat managing thus far but it had several quirks and was not nearly as efficient as it could be. The archiving project was the the first thing that Project Grow asked if I would be willing to do. They assured me that it was a daunting, monotonous, and time consuming project that was usually passed up by the occasional volunteer. I did not have to consider it very long, with my time commitment and compulsion for organizing and learning about the artists through their artwork, I took on the project with ambition and a smile. Now, each artist will have their own record with a unique numbering system, full description, with electronic and photo documentation. Often, it is the behind the scenes work that is overlooked, under-appreciated, and essential.
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Benefits & challenges |
The new archival system is an Excel sheet in its electronic form and is easily accessible to print out tags for the artwork for showings. It is such a large project and therefore does requires a lot of time. I have made fantastic progress during the last six months, however, I fear that the archiving project may not finish within the remainder of my commitment. The hard part is obtaining volunteers, even while utilizing student leaders for service and being a positive liaison between Portland State and Project Grow.
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next moves |
I plan on finding new avenues of recruiting and create several archiving work parties during the Spring term. Having hosted a few already, I believe that I am fully understanding ways to encourage people to be as excited as I am for the work that needs to be done. I am also focusing on ways to ensure the longevity and implementation of the documenting system into the daily routine at Project Grow.
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