Science Theme
The theme for this workshop is Chronology, timescale as a dynamic framework for understanding planetary bodies and our relationship to them. We will explore the way that planets evolve, how processes at both long and short timescales interact, how cultural perceptions of space have shifted over time, and how art and artists change through exploration. We will be joined by Dr. Suzanne Smrekar, geophysicist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and lead of the NASA’s planned VERITAS mission to Venus, and Jane Szabo, Los Angeles based conceptual artist combing imagery and fabrication to explore place and identity. This workshop is also a collaboration with NASA’s Solar System Treks, a public portal providing access to images and data from spacecraft missions to other worlds, featuring a demonstration and special art lab with project lead Emily Law (JPL). Join us for this interdisciplinary perspective on science, technology, space, and art! Speaker bios are included in the Agenda.
Please note that the schedules of some speakers are still being finalized. If any changes are made we’ll let you know!
We are grateful to the NASA SCoPE program for supporting this event!
OTHER GUESTS:
Dr. Serina Diniega, JPL – planetary scientist; dunes, gullies and surface processes
Dr. Libby Ives, JPL – planetary scientist, geologic history of planets, sedimentology and field expeditions
...more speakers to come!
NOTE: I have travel from from 8/19 to 9/6. I will return your emails, answer your questions, and send out acceptance notifications when I get back!
Schedule
This workshop will take place over a 3 day schedule, from 10-6 pm Friday-Sunday. Participants are expected to attend all three in-person days.We recognize the length may be intimidating for some, but deeper and more immersive experiences require time. The schedule is designed with plenty of breaks and the unstructured art-making sessions allow for people to move around, talk, work at their own pace, and take a breather. The optional virtual day will take place Nov 16/17th over a 2 hour block by participant vote.
The agenda is structured to intersperse the science, theme, and art talks with art-making and discussion activities. Day 1 is focused on the theme of Space & Society, with talks introducing the science theme as well as discussing art as a tool for inquiry and discourse. Day 2 is about half talks / half art-making, with the morning block focused on Science-Art Connections leading into the first lab session that afternoon. Day 3 is nearly all art-making, as well as a demo in the morning focused around accessing public data from space missions.
Workshop Agenda. Details are still in flux, but we will finalize the agenda in September.
Logistics
Registration for this workshop is capped at ~30 participants and has a $50 ($20 for students) fee to cover materials. The event will be held in person following all local and venue COVID-19 mandates.
APPLICATION: Fill out the application to attend this event here. You will receive an acceptance email within two weeks (typically shorter) if we are able to invite you to participate. Participants are chosen on a rolling basis, with some selections made to ensure the group has a balanced mix of participant backgrounds (e.g., art vs science) and career levels. This process is not intended to exclude individuals, but with limited slots it is a reality. If this event is already full, we would love to have you at a future one. NOTE: Due to my travel, acceptance notifications will not begin until the week of September 9th.
VENUE INFORMATION: The workshop will be held at Livery Studio, a historic building located in the heart of Old Town Pasadena (155 S Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105). The Livery is conveniently located to hotels, restaurants, and across the street from Pasadena Central Park. Parking Info is provided below.
APPLICATION DEADLINES & ACCEPTANCE: Applications for this workshop will be evaluated until the workshop is full, up until one week before the event (June 2). Participants will be notified by email of acceptance within two weeks (usually one) of submitting the application starting April 24.
REGISTRATION: This workshop is supported financially by the Project ESPRESSO node of NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI). The $50 registration fee ($20 for students) will go towards art supplies and other mundane costs. Since we accept people on a rolling basis, we are able to hold your spot temporarily for one week after sending your acceptance email. You may officially claim your spot in the workshop by paying your registration fee. For bureaucracy reasons, it’s simplest and cheapest for all parties to collect the money to a personal account. You may pay your fee via Paypal or Zelle (both using jmolaro (at) gmail.com) or Venmo (@Jamie-Molaro). I will send you a receipt once received. If you need to arrange a different method, just get in touch. After one week, any unpaid spots may be offered to new applicants. Do not send a registration fee until you receive an acceptance email.
CANCELLATION: You may cancel your registration and receive a refund up until one month prior to the event (Oct 1). Registrations paid after this date are not eligible for refund.
COVID-19: This event will be held in person following all local and venue COVID-19 mandates. If infection rates are reasonably low during the time of the workshop, masks will remain optional since we will be a relatively small group. I will bring a large air filter for the main room to provide a little bit of added protection. However, masks could become required if transmission rates are high around that time. With any event, this is a challenging choice to make. Please feel free to reach out to me with any concerns.
ACCESSIBILITY: If you have accessibility needs, please let us know and we’ll do everything we can to accommodate you. As workshop lead, I myself am Disabled so I understand that needs can be diverse.
TRAVEL: For those of you traveling to attend, please note that we still have some speaker schedules in flux. I will finalize the agenda in September, so consider if you’d like to wait till then to book arrangements.
We are not able to offer any travel assistance and we do not provide any hotel room blocks or other accommodations. In general, hotels in Old Town Pasadena (Colorado Ave between Fair Oaks and Lake) will provide the most convenience in terms of walkable restaurants/stuff and will be within a 10 min drive to the venue. Though, you will find cheaper accommodations farther east on Colorado if you are willing to drive for food. On the upside, Old Town has many parking garages so you won’t be forced to hunt for street parking in that case. Feel free to get in touch with other questions. If anyone is interested in splitting accommodations with another traveling participant, let me know and I will send a request for interest to the group to connect people. If you’re flying, consider whether you want to fly into LAX or Burbank. LAX has direct flights almost anywhere and often can be cheaper. However, be prepared that it’s a beast of an airport and 45-90 min drive from Pasadena depending on traffic. If you aren’t renting a car, you’ll want to look up how the rideshare system works. I’ve never rented a car there, but you may still have to transfer via shuttle bus to the rental car service. The advantage to Burbank is that it’s tiny, takes 10 minutes to get through security, super easy to navigate and get rides from, and only a half hour from Pasadena. However, you’re likely to need a layover which many people dislike. So you’ll have to choose your poison.
PARKING: The Livery doesn’t have dedicated parking, but there are a few lots and garages very close by. See map! The surface lots ($10/day) aren’t huge, so if they look full just head for a garage ($12/day). I don’t recommend street parking for participants, but it’s an option for speakers only coming for a short time.
EATING: There is an hour and a half schedule for lunch each day, and lots of options within walking distance. I recommend taking a look on Google Maps for the types of food you like! A few places I enjoy are: Dog Haus, Amara’s Cafe, Edwin Mills, Barney’s Beanery, and King Taco. But honestly there’s a ton of options. For coffee, there’s the 85 Degrees C Bakery Cafe and Amara’s Cafe just up the street.
WHAT TO BRING: For the Meet & Greet, I’m asking everyone to bring something that represents you in some way (a piece of art, paper you’ve written, family photo, favorite book, etc) to help introduce yourself to others. The only other thing you need to bring is yourself! A computer or internet-enabled smart phone is definitely helpful for a couple of the art labs, but not usually required. If you don’t have one, a way to do it without is provided, you can partner with someone else, or you can choose a different activity. Basics like pencils and paper are helpful if you want to take notes. We will provide an array of art supplies for all the art activities, including paints, pens, paper, clay, etc. That being said, they aren’t anything fancy so you are also welcome to bring your own!
AVAILABLE FACILITIES: The space will be set up with large tables and chairs for use throughout the weekend, as well as scattered tables and couches throughout the facility. There are all a few breakout areas we can use to spread out during lab sessions. There is a kitchenette in the main space we can use with a sink, microwave, and other both art and food related amenities. There are all-gender restrooms on the same floor.