I've tried to make art out of office supplies before, but it doesn't look anywhere near as cool as this stuff. I would like this story more as a Flash presentation. The audio is solid, and the artist isn't stuffy or pretentious, but you really want/need to see how this artist's ideas manifest themselves.
Overall, I like the piece and the concept a lot, but it feels a bit "loose" and could be a little sharper. No need for new recording, just tightening. Would certainly be appropriate for Morning Edition/All things considered.
I love listening to people tell their own stories. Every time I'm on an airplane landing in a big city (I'm an Alaskan) I look at the itty-bitty cars on the freeways and feel an overwhelming sense of how many people there are in this world. And so few of them I meet. That's why getting to meet someone like Larissa in the manner Dmae introduces me to her is so special. It expands my personal experiences. I thought the pacing was spot-on. Our narrator took us effortlessly from one topic to the next. I liked the amibient sounds - the phone ringing in the background reminding us that offices are busy places. I liked the visuals I created imaging an office product quilt. I was jolted a bit at the end when she went poof and was gone. Maybe a little ambient alone would have smoothed the transistion.
I like pieces like this in small doses. It breaks up the "normal" voices heard on PR. A station that spices up their day with pieces like this here and there will be remembered for it.
I had to listen to this twice because the first time I had people interrupting me. This is a piece you need to pay attention to, but that's okay because it does grab your attention. It's played as a conversation that you came into late. I don't think pieces like this would work if strung endlessly together. But, as a break from the day, this piece, or pieces like this are the frosting, the dessert, that people remember. I'd love it if my local station would play this right after ME or between classical music pieces. I think people would sit up and listen.
The first two minutes of this piece are totally groovy and sensuous ... it's great to have those full two-minutes to just sense and feel and be charmed before getting told directly what the piece is about. The office artist/narrator is delightful. And check out the "use of music" in this piece - it's a nice reminder that you can do cool and quirky first-person piece without relying on music to carry you between thoughts. In this piece, the wild sound and the shape of the ideas do that work.
Comments for Office Artist
Produced by Dmae Lo Roberts
Other pieces by Dmae Lo Roberts
Rating Summary
7 comments
Ellen Van WYk
Posted on April 25, 2009 at 12:40 PM | Permalink
Website???
There was a website featuring her work mentioned at the end of the piece when I heard it on the radio but it's not here! Does anyone know what it is?
Justin Grotelueschen
Posted on October 17, 2004 at 09:25 AM | Permalink
Review of Office Artist
I've tried to make art out of office supplies before, but it doesn't look anywhere near as cool as this stuff. I would like this story more as a Flash presentation. The audio is solid, and the artist isn't stuffy or pretentious, but you really want/need to see how this artist's ideas manifest themselves.
Matt Kaufman
Posted on August 11, 2004 at 11:50 AM | Permalink
Office Artist - great topic, could use some editing
Overall, I like the piece and the concept a lot, but it feels a bit "loose" and could be a little sharper. No need for new recording, just tightening. Would certainly be appropriate for Morning Edition/All things considered.
Ron Hale-Evans
Posted on July 07, 2004 at 02:10 PM | Permalink
Review of Office Artist
Charming audio portrait of an artist trying to make life better for office drones like me.
Shana Sheehy
Posted on May 17, 2004 at 04:49 PM | Permalink
Review of Office Artist
I love listening to people tell their own stories. Every time I'm on an airplane landing in a big city (I'm an Alaskan) I look at the itty-bitty cars on the freeways and feel an overwhelming sense of how many people there are in this world. And so few of them I meet. That's why getting to meet someone like Larissa in the manner Dmae introduces me to her is so special. It expands my personal experiences. I thought the pacing was spot-on. Our narrator took us effortlessly from one topic to the next. I liked the amibient sounds - the phone ringing in the background reminding us that offices are busy places. I liked the visuals I created imaging an office product quilt. I was jolted a bit at the end when she went poof and was gone. Maybe a little ambient alone would have smoothed the transistion.
Hans Anderson
Posted on May 17, 2004 at 01:57 PM | Permalink
Review of Office Artist
I had to listen to this twice because the first time I had people interrupting me. This is a piece you need to pay attention to, but that's okay because it does grab your attention. It's played as a conversation that you came into late. I don't think pieces like this would work if strung endlessly together. But, as a break from the day, this piece, or pieces like this are the frosting, the dessert, that people remember. I'd love it if my local station would play this right after ME or between classical music pieces. I think people would sit up and listen.
David Schulman
Posted on May 17, 2004 at 10:25 AM | Permalink
Review of Office Artist
The first two minutes of this piece are totally groovy and sensuous ... it's great to have those full two-minutes to just sense and feel and be charmed before getting told directly what the piece is about. The office artist/narrator is delightful. And check out the "use of music" in this piece - it's a nice reminder that you can do cool and quirky first-person piece without relying on music to carry you between thoughts. In this piece, the wild sound and the shape of the ideas do that work.