Last month Caitlin Nolan baked a daily batch of vegan muffins. This month she dances for 30 minutes every day at a different location in Athens.
The Ohio University graduate student is not fulfilling a New Year's resolution. She's developing a yearlong project inspired by an annual art exhibit that started in Philadelphia, Pa., five years ago.
I was approaching this almost as an experiment
said Nolan, who is studying printmaking. I'm really interested in blurring the lines between art and life.
Fun-a-day is a project that encourages artists or non-artists to incorporate a creative activity into their daily schedule during the month of January, said Nick Lally, 29, one of the founding members of the Artclash Collective, which started Fun-a-day. The project has since spread to Pittsburgh and various locations in California.
An exhibition displays the projects developed during the month, he said, adding that he's seen everything from a painting-a-day to a tattoo-a-day project that displayed examples of bad body art.
Some of them turn out to be very journal-like types of exercises Lally said, adding that they reflect things about daily life. I think people go places they wouldn't necessarily go.
Whether it's the top of the parking garage or the Glidden Hall elevator, Nolan heads to a different location at 2:15 p.m. every day with a video camera and a boom box to dance with a few friends and any passersby that care to join.
So many people feel self-conscious about dancing even in places, such as a bar, where it's expected, Nolan said.
I've always allowed myself the freedom to dance she said. What really is so ridiculous about just dancing?
Friends and acquaintances compile the play lists, and many of them found out about Dance-a-day by following her blog that documents the project, Nolan said.
Dance-a-day is an example of art that is able to exist outside a gallery, said Max Wheeler, a senior studying printmaking who frequently dances with Nolan.
There is a definite point to this
he said. We force ourselves to spend most of our time doing things that we don't want to do. It's about making every day a beautiful thing.
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Culture
Meghan McNamara
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Caitlin Nolan, left, dances with other students on Monday near the fourth floor entrance of Alden Library . Nolan is a graduate student studying printmaking. She dances every day in February from 2:15-2:45 p.m. (John Nero/ FOR THE POST)
