Texture Mapping KCAI Campus

Drawn to uncovering hidden details and subtle elements that often go unnoticed, this walk centers around textures on campus. Textures are often overlooked—usually thought about more for their visual aesthetic and what they contribute to the environment. The purpose of this walk will be to encourage participants to think more deeply about the textures around them by actualizing textures on paper. We will introduce participants to the activity and guide them on a walk around campus to scope out the most interesting or eye-catching surface qualities. They will be offered a set of prompts to investigate, as well as several medium-sized pieces of paper and crayons. There will be four stops, during which participants will be encouraged to texture-map any surface they would like to, in accordance with the given prompt. The walk Texture Mapping emphasizes the nature of connection between one another. It is a reference to the common experience of making crayon rubbings in elementary school. Participants will work solo until the very end, taking their compiled texture drawings and working together to make a fuller mural through their understanding of art, design, and visual aesthetics, removed from their source.  

Practical info: Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, as we’ll be walking a lot, and the environment may require walking on rough or uneven surfaces. Be ready to crouch or stretch to access different textures on walls, the ground, etc. All materials and supplies will be provided. 

About the Artists

V Castillo has a cat named Hot Pockets, and loves to roller skate and read. They were born in Newton, Iowa, but have lived in many different places, from California and back throughout their childhood. Their heart has always been in the Midwest, and as a queer mixed American they use their art to navigate themself and the connections to those around them, intertwining lived experiences to create larger conversations of collective understanding and empathy. They’ve currently become invested in exploring materials and processes in order to better their craft and create strong work that conveys strong messages. Slowing down helps them to understand and plan around their work, and the exploration they take while understanding it more deeply. Working under the understanding of social practice fits their need to reach out to one another in a busy world that works to bury and further us from one another. Social proactivity, community interaction, and building connections with those around you is what they emphasize in thinking about their work and where it belongs. 

Jason Gregg is a proud pet parent to a dog and a cat, both named after people, Ashley and Sam. Born and raised in Missouri, and deeply rooted in the Kansas City area, he knows the local landscape like the back of his hand. When he's not working on stuff for class, you'll find him playing video games. When he's not playing video games, he's working—wishing he was playing video games. His passion for gaming runs deep, and it heavily influences his creative work—especially his interest in character design and concept art through illustration. Jason’s artistic voice also bleeds toward storytelling, exploring the connections between characters and the environments they interact with. The Texture Mapping walk taps into this idea as it asks participants to look and see things usually hidden and not thought of, and see how it has shaped them or others.