The FUEL Project

In September 2008, Waggoner approached Koelle with the idea of working on a collaborative project together.  They met to discuss different media possibilities and thematic concepts, one of which was the idea of producing a limited edition CD package--not for music, but for visual art.  Waggoner mentioned (admittedly quite randomly) the idea of using imagery found within a 9-mile radius of their homes, after which Koelle, with the help of Google Maps, created a dot-pattern map pinpointing every gas station within a 9-mile radius of his house.  They eventually decided on the theme of fuel--including all that it connotates both generally (energy, sleep, life, work) and specifically, as one of the most pressing global concerns of our day (dependence on oil, wastefulness, pollution, sustainability).

Waggoner and Koelle decided they would produce sixteen finished works--eight each.  But first, they would each make about eight smaller preliminary pieces and then swap with each other.  They went on a road trip/photoshoot to collect images of their surrounding Greenville area--abandoned gas stations, construction sites, oil companies, desolate buildings and overgrown parking lots.  Waggoner took Koelle's drawings, and Koelle took Waggoner's photography, and they each incorporated the other’s preliminary images into their own final compositions.

The sixteen original works are mixed media on 11.25" square paper, custom-framed by the artists, using archival framing materials. Waggoner and Koelle will be exhibiting the FUEL Project throughout the Upstate and beyond.  All original works are for sale (with the stipulation that the entire body of work be allowed to tour for a limited time).  Inquiries about purchasing original artworks can be directed here.

The packaging for the FUEL Project CD is made from 100% recycled chip board, using vegetable-based ink for the letterpressed cover.  With no adhesives holding it together, the package is 100% recyclable.