The artifact I will be producing is a Ferris wheel that has become overrun by nature. This goes back to the very first aesthetic I explored! Depictions of this aesthetic include imagery of nature flourishing despite man-made obstacles – how humanity has abandoned, neglected, or mistreated a space that was once vital to everyday life. This style was popularized by multiple forms of media, ranging from photographs, paintings, films, shows, and video games. As concern for climate change and other environmental impacts grew, it was not uncommon for movies and novels in the early 2000s to depict apocalyptic events in succession to a man-made catalyst, and how these disasters would affect humanity.

Originally, I thought of making a ferris wheel that includes photos of my childhood, with the very broad aesthetic of “nostalgia”. The wheel was going to be decked out in a carnivalesque theme, complete with bright colors and jewels lining the spokes. One of the last blog posts, which had us depicting our project in two very different aesthetics, is what made me pivot to the current aesthetic. 

Another pivot I made is that the photos are not included in the project. I did this because it seemed a little tacky, and I didn’t want to take away from the true effort of this project, which is the Ferris wheel itself. I still like how the aesthetic I chose at the beginning of this course has stuck with me through the semester, and I am excited to finish out with an artifact I feel proud of. 

So far, I have completed the Ferris wheel itself, including four cabins and a stand. This structure is made of cardboard, which is a very finicky material. I took great care to not crease or bend any parts of this, since its so easy to let cardboard projects look crude or messy. I followed this tutorial for the Ferris wheel: Cardboard Ferris Wheel – Learning From Home ProjectInstructableshttps://www.instructables.com › Craft › Cardboard

I plan to cover this cardboard Ferris wheel with plants! I just started to learn how to crochet, so I want to crochet most of the plants that are going on this project. So far, I have made four vines and a single pink pose. I want to crochet fern leaves, more roses, bushes, and something that would resemble grass.

During my presentation this week, my peers suggested making my cabins waterproof, and putting air plants in them. I never knew about air plants, so I will be looking more into this option!

Source: https://www.amazon.com/Mkono-Hanging-Airplant-Tillandsia-Succulent/dp/B07C7LYCC7

Since the color of the cardboard already kind of resembles rust, I won’t be painting the base a different color. However, I do want to add dabs of paint, in effort to look like moss. I am not a great painter, so I am not sure how that is going to come out. 

Wish me luck!