Blog #11: Project #2 Progress Report

So I've decided to use crayons as my found material. What I have in mind is that I want to transform the crayons into coins. I plan to carefully remove their paper wrappers, melt the wax down, and pour them into coin molds I'll try to make from modeling clay. Most likely they'll have to be a tad thicker than real coins because I want to rewrap them with the original wrapper.

Each crayon will be designated a specific coin based on their general use and popularity among kids. So far it seems that the most popular color is blue...however I'm firm in my blief that the most USED color is black. Coins range from pennies to quarters as well as coins with high value but low usage (i.e. Half dollors & dollar coins)

The underlining message I'm attempting to convey is the parallel between crayons and money. Crayons are popular, prized, and treated very much like currency. However, crayons are rarely used by adults yet studies show that they have among the most distinct smells that adults recognize. Hence the parallel to "the smell of money". While I originally wanted to include dollar bills, I've decided against this. I wanted to use the adult element of money but keep it one a childlike level. Quarters are like gold as it is to kids. Also this was a result of what I wanted to do with the crayon box.

The original plan was to transform the box in to a wallet. However, I decided this didn't make for as good of a presentation as an open coin purse. Also with wallets you have designate spaces for various obects, the contents of a coin purse are often jumbled and chaotic. I don't think a coin purse is going to be any easier and I'm gonna have to look for the top clamp but we'll just see.

Other messages ye might ponder with this are:
how do children view crayons? How to adults view money? What is the reality of money? How do adults view crayons?