What Brings Vegas Joy? Random Gifts For Strangers

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Gary Hirsch

If you are in Las Vegas during the month of May you might stumble on to a random gift, a Joy Bot. I am leaving Bots all over Las Vegas as part of my solo exhibition at Trifecta Gallery The goal of the project is to document what brings LAs Vegas Joy. We did a similar projects in Portland and Austin. People that find a Bot are invited to photograph their Joy Bot with something that brings them Joy (object, animal, person, idea, anything), and to send in their photograph and story to help me create an on-line “What Brings LAs Vegas Joy” exhibition. Finally participants are invited to leave their Bot in another random location to continue the experiment. Here are where Bots have been left so far….

Bot #19,274 left at sightseeing tour stop Arts Way — in Las Vegas, NV.

Bot# 19,258 left @ Neon Boneyard — in Las Vegas, NV.

Bot #19,260 left at @The Flame — in Las Vegas, NV.

: Bot #19,266 Main and Charleston intersection — in Las Vegas, NV.

Bot #19,263 left @ Globe Salon — in Las Vegas, NV.

: Bot #19,308 left @Resnicks Patio — in Las Vegas, NV.

Bot #19,278 left at The Bar + Bistro2 — in Las Vegas, NV.

Bot #19,313 left at the intersection of Main & Charleston — in Las Vegas, NV.

Bot #19,278 left at The Bar + Bistro2 — in Las Vegas, NV.

What Brings Vegas Joy?

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Gary Hirsch

(Leaving Bots all over Las Vagas this week, heres is what folks will see when they find a Bot)

Congratulations you have found a Joy Bot! This hand-painted domino is part of a city wide art project by artist Gary Hirsch. The goal of the project is to document what brings Las Vegas Joy. We did a similar project in Portland , and Austin If you found one of the random Bots placed all over Las Vegas then you can participate. Here is how you play:

1. Take your found Bot and photograph it next something (anything) that personally brings you Joy (object, person, animal, idea….). After you snap your photo send it, along with a few sentences that tells us where you found your Bot and a short description of your photo (why does this bring you Joy). E-mail your photo and description to gary@oyf.com

2. We will collect and post images in a ’What Brings Las Vegas Joy” on-line gallery. Here is the gallery we made for Portland and for Austin

3. Lastly, take your Joy Bot and leave it in another random Las Vegas location as a gift for another stranger (or give it to a friend) so they can document their own object of joy and continue the process. We’ll see how many times a Bot can be passed on from person to person. After you send in your photo I will notify you when it gets posted in the gallery so you can track it’s progress. That’s it, it’s easy! Can’t wait to see What Brings Vegas Joy! Thank you for playing!

Special thanks to my friends at Trifecta Art Gallery who are secretly helping to leave Bots all over Vegas….damn did I just give away the secret?!!!

What Brings Austin Joy? Main Gallery

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Gary Hirsch

What Brings Austin Joy? I was curious so I created an interactive art experiment designed to answer that question. Throughout the month of March I left leaving 100 Joy Bots in random locations throughout the city of Austin, click here to see where they are being left each with a set of simple instructions attached.

The goal is to document what brings Austin Joy (I did a similar project called “What Brings Portland Joy”, last year), and to give a little joy back to the city that brings so much joy to everyone! People that find a Bot are invited to photograph their Joy Bot with something that brings them Joy (object, animal, person, idea, anything), and to send in their photograph and story to help me create an on-line “What Brings Austin Joy” exhibition right here on this web page . Finally participants are invited to leave their Bot in another random location in Austin to continue the experiment. Check back here often. We’ll be updating the gallery every time someone sends in their Joy photo!

Bot #17,418 Found at Austin Java on Lamar during a working dinner by Martha C.
“What gives my family joy is hanging out in our backyard on a beautiful Sunday, listening to Dale Watson wafting over from Ginny’s Little Longhorn…eating good food on the screen porch and being together.” — at Austin Java (downtown Austin).

What Brings Curtis M. Joy? Traveling to SXSW!
Bot #17,421 Left at Hopdoddy Burgers on South Congress & Elizabeth. Found by Curtis M. “My buddy found your Bot on SoCo right before we left to fly home to California. we were here for sxsw. Travel brings me joy! — at Hopdoddy Burger Bar.

Bot # 17,494 Left Austin Java 12th Street & Lamar. Found by Emily C. What brings Emily Joy? PRISMACOLORS! Emily writes “Gary! I love this project! It and the bots make me so happy! While sipping on a raspberry Italian soda, I found this happy little guy sitting on the ledge above my seat at Austin Java. I’ve snapped a pic of him hanging out in my big box of markers (mostly Prismacolors) because they are my absolute favorite. They are my personal form of therapy when I can’t find the appropriate words to express my feelings. They help me create wonderful pieces of art that bring others joy. There are typically a few stashed away in my purse at all times for ‘just in case’ or art ‘emergencies.’”

Bot #17415 Left at Gordough’s Food Trailer, South 1st Street & Monroe. Found by Misty M. What Brings Misty Joy? PUMPKIN! “I found my bot at a picnic table by Gordoughs food trailer off s. 1st st. Here is a picture of the love of my life Pumpkin with my bot!” Love those nails as well Misty!

Bot #17,421 Left at Hopdoddy Burgers on South Congress & Elizabeth. Found by Curtis M.What Brings Curtis M. Joy? Traveling to SXSW! “My buddy found your Bot on SoCo right before we left to fly home to California. we were here for sxsw. Travel brings me joy!” — at Hopdoddy Burger Bar.

Bot 17,447 was left at Austin Java, found by Michelle S. For Michelle S. Joy =Camping who immediately took her Bot camping for Spring Break!

Bot #17,420 left at South Congress Cafe, found by Meghan S. What brings Meghan joy? Her entire 2nd grade class at Girl’s School of Austin!

Sneak Peek at a new Bot

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Gary Hirsch

Every few months I sit in my studio and think “it’s time for new Bot”. As it’s the dawn of a new year, and with many events happening around the world that can make me feel a bit paralyzed, the time feels right for this little guy…here’s a sneak peek at The Hope Bot. Exclusive to BotJoy blog subscribers- prototype photos of the test series of the Hope Bot (this make this sound very important, doesn’t it?). Ideas about how to make it better? Let me know! The Hope Bot will be available for sale soon, stay tuned for the launch announcement!

Bots in Asia 2012: a whirlwind tour

Posted on September 29, 2012 by Gary Hirsch

Me and the Bots are finishing up a brief Asia tour (also part of the OYF work that I doing here) It looks like they are having a blast, meeting a ton of wonderful people, and eating… a lot! Here is their photo essay:

YEs Bot= SI=IS Bot backwards with Gary at Tokyo airport layover on the way to Guangzhou

not such a clear day in Guangzhou

We like candy in Guangzhou

They love the Bots almost as much as the delicious noddles in Guangzhou

Saying Yes to meals in China from menus that I can't understand

Bot meets a distant relative on China Southern Airlines

Bot making workshop with P&G Designers in Singapore

New Bots are Born! Bot making workshop with P&G Designers in Singapore

Learning the Rules in Singapore

Learning the rules in Singapore

Learning the rules in Singapore (don't get squashed like a pie!)

Bots in Bali

Bots in BaliBots in BaliBots in Bali

Finding new monkey friends in Ubud Bali

Walking the rice paddies outside of Ubud with Eli and Yoman our guide

Last day at the beach in Bali...goodbye Bali!

Joy Bot takes a vacation in Hawaii

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Gary Hirsch

From Sam B. Portland “Our family took Joybot #134 to Kailua, Hawaii along the way we lost the Bot and our camera. Many weeks later and almost unbelievably, a clever samaritan was able to track us down and return the camera by piecing together clues in the photos! The camera was in the middle of a road near a beach park!

Unfortunately, Joybot #134 was tucked in the camera case, but not found with the camera. Sad, but we did recover all of the pictures that we had taken with him.”

Bots Love Berries

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Gary Hirsch

Being a Love Bot in Oregon has it’s perks!

Bot #15 Left in Portland, Found in Sacramento!

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Gary Hirsch

What Brings Portland Joy? is an interactive art project designed to answer that question. The goal is to document what brings Portland Joy, and to give a little joy back to the city that I love so much.

From March – July 2012 I left 200 Joy Bots in random locations throughout the city of Portland. People that find a Joy Bot are invited to photograph it with something that brings them joy (object, animal, person, idea, anything), to help me create an on-line exhibition. Finally participants were invited to leave their Bot in another random location to continue the experiment. Here’s a story of one of those Bots:

Bot #15 found first by Robert P.Henry The Hippo! Left on Hawthorne, “This is Henry – he loves burritos, video games, and Star Trek. He is pretty mischievous, but his hijinx crack me up and bring me a lot of joy. He came to me with a bottle of Yoo-Hoo when I was very sick. Now we are good pals.”

Bot #15 found again by Jules B in Sacramento
I found this little guy in my room today, no doubt left by an anonymous friend. The Bot made me smile, and I couldn’t think of anyone better to share it with, then my cat Mr. Blue. He is normally a little neurotic, but he took a liking to the Bot and posed nicely for the picture. I can always count on Mr. Blue for a good laugh, and he is what brings me bundles of joy everyday.”

Back Fence Interview :Decison Bot Debut and Acting Like a Kid

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Gary Hirsch

On May 24 a Bot will have a world premier of sort. I will be launching The decision Bot at Back Fence PDX. Back Fence is a kick ass story telling series in Portland Oregon and links my passions of story, improv, and art into one evening. They were kind enough to interview me about my work. Below is an excerpt: Visit Back Fence to hear the entire interview

MK: On your website, you talk about finding your love of doodling at a young age. What advice would you give to a totally grown adult who wants to draw but has absolutely no idea how to draw anything that looks remotely human? (That means me.)

Gary: Remotely human is overrated. We all have these filters we put up (grown ups, kids not so much) that we use to help us look smart, funny, interesting, cool, etc. It is exhausting to run every word that comes out of my mouth through these filters all in a quest to ” look good and win” . When I doodle I don’t give a shit about those filters. I meander, loose track of time, get lost in the scribbles. So my advice to to grown ups who want to draw is to stop being a grown up and make marks, lots of marks. Don’t being so scared to look stupid. Allow yourself a small moment of your day to be someone who doesn’t know what the hell they are doing.

Gosling Bots underway!

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Gary Hirsch

I was asked to make a set of Bots for the actor pictured below…who is that guy?….kidding, yep, exciting! Thanks The Artisan Group for the opportunity. Here are the Bots I sent: Inspiration Bot, Caffeine Bot, Yes Bot, Time Bot, Listening Bot, and Joy Bot, with their hand drawn, packaging.

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