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The cover photo shows Chris Allen, founder of DAP, working on a Submission Box that was placed around town in Abilene, Texas. These boxes were for our Squared project -- an entire wall of doodle sticky notes in an art gallery exhibit!
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SQUARED was the DAP's sticky-note gallery collage idea that became a full-fledge art exhibit.
What is one of the most common things people doodle on? Sticky notes, correct? Many of us keep them nearby whether we are at work or home in any room or even in the car. They are so convenient for jotting down quick notes. Many times those pads become doodle launchers.
Community members helped DAP build a DOODLE WALL! How would you like to see your doodles in a massive collaborative piece? In January of 2023, we had a showing at an art gallery in Abilene. We covered as much of the wall as we could with doodles from YOU and other doodlists--hundreds of pieces from across the country!
We accepted doodle submissions from all ages, all backgrounds, all artistic abilities from the DAP Submission Boxes placed around Abilene. Doodles were drawn on 3 x 3 yellow sticky notes in black ink of any kind and/or pencil. Only a handful of submissions didn't make it into the show.
DAP Submission Boxes* were located at these local businesses in Abilene, Texas:
- Mad Coffee & More on Hwy 83/84 [Just south of Hendrick South]
- Majestic Coffee House in Downtown Abilene
- Mezamiz on S 7th
- Monks Coffee Shop on Cypress [downtown]
- Record Guys [next to Mezamiz]
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A time-lapse showing how Chris archived all the sticky notes for the exhibit.
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SUBMISSION BOXES - HOW'D WE DO THAT?
DAP as a whole is an ever-growing concept that involves active participation. While hospitalized in Ft Worth August 2019, Chris 'Ceej' Allen began passing time by doodling. He doodled on the condiment packets that came with his meals, on napkins, on scraps of paper. Finally he bought a proper notebook and advanced the artistry of the common doodle.
Once home from the hospital his passion took flight. Light-bulb ideas popped throughout his mind. Suddenly, it became clear: "Use the medication boxes mailed to me!"
Chris painstakingly hand-crafted multiple boxes for the DAP Squared Project. As he worked, he came up with a short list of local businesses he thought might take an interest -- coffee houses!
With two in hand, he visited Mezamiz on S 7th and Monks on Cypress in the downtown area. Both businesses said they'd LOVE to help and allowed Chris to place a submission box.
After one week, he checked on the boxes. Voila! To his surprise, there were doodles.....not one or two, but more!
Read more about how hospital doodles transformed Chris's life during his 8-week transplant recovery.
Once home from the hospital his passion took flight. Light-bulb ideas popped throughout his mind. Suddenly, it became clear: "Use the medication boxes mailed to me!"
Chris painstakingly hand-crafted multiple boxes for the DAP Squared Project. As he worked, he came up with a short list of local businesses he thought might take an interest -- coffee houses!
With two in hand, he visited Mezamiz on S 7th and Monks on Cypress in the downtown area. Both businesses said they'd LOVE to help and allowed Chris to place a submission box.
After one week, he checked on the boxes. Voila! To his surprise, there were doodles.....not one or two, but more!
Read more about how hospital doodles transformed Chris's life during his 8-week transplant recovery.
Where did all these doodles for the exhibit come from, you ask?
Throughout Summer & Fall of 2022, DAP Doodle Submission Boxes were placed at five local coffee houses. The bulk of these Squared doodles were received in this manner. In July, DAP hosted its first DAP Doodle Art Party @ Majestic Coffee in downtown Abilene. It was a success with clever artists & fun first-timers competing for top prizes in five categories (see further below). Chris also participated in First Friday @ Peoples Plaza in August and caused a whirr of excitement from artists and attendees. Others were simply mailed to DAP--over 250--from as far as the Midwest and New York & even Denmark!!
Throughout Summer & Fall of 2022, DAP Doodle Submission Boxes were placed at five local coffee houses. The bulk of these Squared doodles were received in this manner. In July, DAP hosted its first DAP Doodle Art Party @ Majestic Coffee in downtown Abilene. It was a success with clever artists & fun first-timers competing for top prizes in five categories (see further below). Chris also participated in First Friday @ Peoples Plaza in August and caused a whirr of excitement from artists and attendees. Others were simply mailed to DAP--over 250--from as far as the Midwest and New York & even Denmark!!
The Tapestry submissions totaled 900+ sticky-note doodles. You read that right. Chris measured and calculated the number of sections, as he calls them, to fit the main wall for The Tapestry. Because we received so many doodles, we decided to highlight a second smaller tapestry. This included overflow of black ink doodles, doodles on non-yellow stickies, & colorful doodles. You can see one section of this smaller tapestry in the photo above.
Other installations included during the exihibit:
Other installations included during the exihibit:
- Rotatable community doodles on 12" x 12" canvases
- Smaller tapestry of surplus doodles in various ink colors & pencil and on other-colored sticky notes
- Collaborative doodles showing the transformative process
- Imaginative mini doodles
- Surplus doodle submissions on larger paper
- Highly interactive on-site doodling: Doodles done on site joined the exhibit!