The Weather Project was first exhibited in 2006 at City Wide Open Studios in New Haven, CT. It began as “an exploration of the connection between human and atmospheric energy; a look at how we affect our environment and how it affects us."
In the weeks before the project began, I created a three part process which had to be followed every day for 30 days. On September 1st, 2006, I began the plan. Each day I took the day's photograph, at approximately mid-day, each day. The camera was pointed straight up; there was no attempt to create or compose a pleasing composition. I wanted to merely record what was there. I needed the objective eye of the camera to simply record what was there.
Each evening I would download the image onto my computer and use it as a reference while I painted the image onto a small canvas. I intentionally created the painting at day’s end to capture the energy of the day. This was my subjective record of the day.
Finally, a collage was created for each day. The collage reflected both the objective and subjective aspects of the day. I used objective references, such as daily photographs and events reported in newspapers, and, subjective influences, the day's paintings, personal observations and my creative process, to create each collage.
The project's paintings, collages and photographs were hung in a calendar -like format, in four rows of seven. Notebooks with repro- ductions taken from the front pages of local newspapers were available for reference.
After the project had been exhibited, I realized I could not walk away from it. I was "hooked". I still feel a strong connection to the month. The experience has made me more present and aware in the day. I am more aware of the interconnectedness of all things. The Weather Project has now become a way of life for me.
I continue to take daily photographs and track the flow of days. As part of my process, I continue to review and combine images and elements to create new ways of seeing what is above us and around us every day.
