a portfolio:
offline
the septem:
in which i invent and use a base seven clock for two weeks
internal combustion:
in which i replaced the pistons in an engine with sparkplugs
retitiled:
in which people were allowed to title my narrative with sticky notes
laser tetris:
in which i used a laser to make tetris. people played it on the wall
Cuando Papi Flew... :
in which i co-create with artist Nestor Gil using sparkplugs, inner tube and butterflies
signs:
in which i reimagine street signs
portable internet:
in which i made an internet that you can cut, paste, and assemble
the bread commandments:
in which i laser cut into bread the instructions on how to make it
an older portfolio:
in which my more traditional pieces are highlighted
online
now in billions of emoji:
with Thomas Williams, I post an emoji daily to instagram for a year; :) to :(.
now in billions of colors:
with Thomas Williams, I post one color a day to instagram for three years.
clark time:
in which i am a clock. here's a video.
draw their professor:
in which i graffiti draw your prof with a request to create a page for my professor.
publications
Addis, Rojas, & Arrieta, Connecting the branches of multistable non-Euclidean origami by crease stretching 2023
Addis, Koh, & Gordon, Preparation and characterization of a bio-based polymeric wood adhesive derived from linseed oil 2020
some places:
here's everywhere i am on the internet.
quake books
sometimes i read a book that makes me realize i'm looking at the world completely wrong. in other words, they caused view quakes. here's my list, in no particular order. hopefully, they cause you to question everything you hold dear.
fiction
the alchemist
by Paulo Coelho
this book is is the purest example of the hero's journey. it is what they mean when they say 'follow your passion'.
mother night
by Kurt Vonnegut
we are who we pretend to be so we must be careful who we pretend to be.
health
the body: a guide for occupants
by Bill Bryson
the body is a complex machine and we don't really understand how it works.
secrets from the eating lab
by Traci Mann
this book will convince you that diet is a word you should ban from your vocabulary.
Immune
by Kurzgesagt
the immune system is a miracle. there is nuclear war happening in your body every time you get sick.
productivity
so good they can't ignore you
by Cal Newport
follow your passion is terrible advice. focus on being useful instead.
how to live on 24 hours a day
by Arnold Bennett
you say: "i'm too tired to do anything after work", Arnold will convince you otherwise.
the four disciplines of execution
by McChesney, Covey, and Huling
keep score to motivate change and focus only on what is wildly important.
the checklist manifesto
by Atul Gawande
'I will remember to do that' is the biggest lie we all tell ourselves. there's a reason surgeons and pilots use checklists.
creativity
bird by bird
by Anne Lamot
this book will convince you that you must be in tune with your emotions to be creative
mastery
by Robert Greene
mastering a skill is a joy in itself. you may or may not be rewarded for it, but here is how you do it.
the war of art
by Steven Pressfield
creating art is a battle. it's unnatural. everything is working against you. and yet, you still have to do it.
love
non-violent communication
by Marshall Rosenberg
people will not listen to you if they do not feel heard. and they will not listen to you if you speak violently.
how to win friends and influence people
by Dale Carnegie
a classic. appreciate people and be interested in them if you want to be their friend.
philosophy
digital minimalism
by Cal Newport
you can't ignore technology, and you can't let it rule your life. this book shows you how to live in the middle.
man's search for meaning
by Viktor Frankl
if viktor frankl can find meaning in a concentration camp, you can probably find meaning in your situation.
how to be perfect
by Michael Schur
the best introduction to moral philosophy period. it pairs well with the show 'the good place'.
enchiridion
by Epictetus
a guidebook for applying stoicism to your everyday life.
the power of myth
by Joseph Campbell
myths are a way of encoding morailty through oral and visual traditions. they are a language, and joseph campbell will show you how to decode them.
comedy
truth in comedy
by Halpern and Close
behind every joke is truth. if you want to be funny on stage, tell the truth.
psychology
thanks for the feedback
by Stone and Heen
growth comes from feedback. here's how to receive it without convincing yourself that you're a terrible person in the process.
quiet: the power of introverts in a noisy world
by Susan Cain
this book is permission to be an introvert.
history
the story of art
by E.H. Gombrich
history is way more interesting with pictures.
the dictators handbook
by de Mesquita and Smith
if you're a dictator, your incentive is to act horribly. if you are in a democracy, your incentive is to act for the public good.
why civil resistance works
by Chenoweth and Stephan
non-violent protests are more effective than violent insurrections, by a factor of two.
the power broker
by Robert A. Caro
this book shows you how power really works. warning: it's ugly.
cooking
the science of good cooking
by Dan Souza
to be a good cook, you need to know a bit of chemistry and biology.
kitchen confidential
by Anthony Bourdain
what is it really like to be a chef? hint: it's not as glamorous as you think.
science
the art of doing science and engineering
by Richard Hamming
doing science is an art, Hamming was a master
a short history of nearly everything
by Bill Bryson
you will fall in love with science after reading this book. every page is sheer pleasure.
a mind at play
by Soni and Goodman
claude shannon had fun his whole life, and made really useful contributions to the world. i get jealous reading this book.
the wright brothers
by David McCullough
how are new discoveries made? not by creating theories, but by tinkering and explaining it after the fact. here are two master tinkerers.
some info:
hello. i am clark. i like art and engineering. i like especially when a project uses both. i am currently getting a PhD at Purdue in the Programmable Structures Lab. i am interested in making materials that let us do new things, and making art lets us think about new things.