Lily Piecora
Mid Quarter Self Eval
Food and Ag. S.O.S.
October 22, 2018
This Independent Learning Contract has allowed me to explore an overwhelmingly large issue through various specific and unique forms of learning that I believe build a deeper connection to understanding past and current problems and solutions. These past 5 weeks have been outrageously full of opportunities for connections and inspiration. While it has been hard for me to synthesize my learning and projects into posts, I am getting better at this aspect and am allowing myself to let go and give in to a more raw process of showing my learning.
Overall I think I have accomplished what I set out to achieve, I just need to showcase it better. Specifically in my contract I state that I will be creating hands on projects that explore sustainability. I have done more than I expected in this area, which has been fulfilling and provides me with ample examples of my progress. I have noticed that my hands on dye projects connect people to the idea of clothing, food waste and pigment issues better than just telling them about it. Something happens when we can see and hold, or create and imagine with such heavy issues. It gives our brain a break and allows us to talk and think about issues without being completely overwhelmed. This is a learning aspect I did not intend to discover, but has been wonderful and extremely valuable.
As also stated in my contract I proposed I would be in partnership with local farms and gardens. This has been the most fluid and exciting part of the project so far. Small farms and community gardens have been more than willing to let me take their ‘imperfect’ food, passing flowers or left overs. An important aspect to this is that most the gardens I am volunteering on that day, or have worked with them previously. Most people love the idea of using food ‘waste’, natural dyes or some other aspect of this project, but I believe giving back my time is what has made resources plentiful these past 5 weeks.
I have researched and read many articles on food waste, the clothing industry and pigments. What I am focusing on now is showcasing that. I have continued my dye book (working journal) and have kept good notes on each pigment/food.But I have floundered in general with technical issues, such as my instagram. I want to spend more time on the historical context of pigment and the impacts that has had. I think I have neglected this area a bit these past 5 weeks. I do not think you can understand a current issue without comprehending the past, so this will be another area to focus on.
I will be traveling to Oaxaca, Mexico this friday and I am as ready as ever. As for visiting other farms, companies and individuals that are involved in sustainable alternatives to our current textile industry and conducting interviews I have not completed this task. I am understanding that I set out a lot of goals, and the ones I have been focusing on take a lot more time than I anticipated. I still plan on interviewing some individuals and will complete that in my last 4 weeks. My trip to Oaxaca will be a great starting point for this as I will be talking with and learning from indigenous communities about their pigment process. This will provide many opportunities to learn historical contexts and sustainable practices, as well as the challenges these communities have had and continue to face around producing pigments and textiles.
As for the remaining 5 weeks I need to focus on documenting and writing about the projects I have already completed. I am interested to see if I hear back from any of the large companies I emailed about food waste, otherwise I think I will try to not spend much more of my time harvesting or collecting food waste to make dyes and experiment on fabrics as this is very time consuming. I would like to try and sew and possibly sell something with the fabrics I have dyed as a way of completing a cycle. I would also like to visit a landfill and possibly interview someone there. I have so many ideas, but for the last half of the quarter I need to be able to present my work professionally and completely, so focusing on that is imperative and takes time! I also will be working on a final paper to recap what I have learned in connecting food waste and clothing waste. Overall I am extremely happy with what I have accomplished and feel certain I can finish every aspect as outlined in my contract in the next 5 weeks. I have learned more than anything, that creativity is the answer. In creating solutions to our planets environmental crisis and in alleviating the hardships of emotionally facing these issues, creativity is a necessity.