TABLE OF CONTENTS

ON THE COVER:

Enthusiasts fly kites at the first Great Boston Kite Festival in 1969. See page 37 for more on the Kite Festival’s history.

Drachen Foundation does not own rights to any of the articles or photographs within, unless stated. Authors and photographers retain all rights to their work. We thank them for granting us permission to share it here. If you would like to request permission to reprint an article, please contact us at discourse@drachen.org, and we will get you in touch

with the author.

APRIL 2014

• From the Editors
• Correspondence
• Contributors
• Trash Ghost MARIA ELENA GARCÍA AUTINO
• Catching Up with an Old Friend SCOTT SKINNER
• To Build a Kite BETH GOULDIN
• Kitemaking SCOTT SKINNER
• The Great Boston Kite Festival CLARA WAINWRIGHT

FROM THE EDITORS

I’m constantly reminded in my other artistic pursuit – ballroom dancing – that life is a journey. In any artistic pursuit, it’s part of the mentality that helps to keep you fresh, inspired, and willing to attempt new things, all the while knowing that you’ll never know everything, do everything, or be everything that you might have once hoped. In this issue of Discourse, I steal an opportunity to talk a little about my own artistic journey in the making of a single kite that has taken most of this winter. I could not have embarked upon the journey without focused inspiration, help from a number of mentors, and several years of gathered knowledge that gave me the confidence to finish this project. I hope you’ll be inspired by the result (as it is, right now, unfinished but with the finish line in sight) and pushed toward your own new, inspired projects.

But there are other journeys to be found in this Discourse as well: our friend Dr. Jeff Cain’s recovery from a horrific airplane accident to his inspiring work on behalf of amputees throughout the US and his living-life-to-the- fullest exploits on the ski slopes, in the cockpit, and at the end of a kite line. I think it’s timely for us to bump up against the less is more blog (limblogger.wordpress.com) as so many US military veterans have returned with seemingly tragic losses. Dr. Jeff’s work has no doubt been of great benefit to these and other amputees, and as a living, working, successful example, his life is even more inspiring.

For those of us who have been around kites and the kite scene for more years than we care to admit, it’s always a breath of fresh air to listen to the experiences of someone “new” to the kite scene. So it is with artist Beth Gouldin and her discovery of kites as a vehicle for her artistic voice. How interesting to read about her journey from the discovery of Anna Rubin’s kites, the Tokyo Kite Museum and Masaaki Modegi, to the creation of her own wonderful kites capturing the birds of San Francisco. And at the opposite end of the same kite spectrum, we see the artistic and ecological work done by Maria Elena García Autino. In the Argentine barrios, Maria Elena coordinates work with found materials to make unexpected kites and surprising flying art. It was fun to hear that Marten Bondestam of Finland was one of the influences upon Maria Elena’s journey.

Finally, Clara Wainwright takes us back in time to the late 1960s and early 1970s where we are introduced to the Committee for the Better Use of Air and the Great Boston Kite Festival. The images from Gill Fishman tell much of the story. Here was a visionary “public celebration artist” who saw the vast potential of kites and br ought t he m t o inne r- cit y Bos t on. Unbelievably, she attracted noted artist Otto Piene, who was at Harvard at the time, to fly one of his massive inflatable creations. (It didn’t happen because of high winds, but what a spectacle it might have been!) In your journey for inspirational reading material, find Otto Piene’s More Sky: you’ll be amazed at the wonderful ideas that we’ve all “invented” since he wrote about them in 1970. Thank you, Clara, for mentioning Mr. Piene’s name in telling of your exploits.

Enjoy!

Scott Skinner, Board President

Drachen Foundation

CORRESPONDENCE

Congratulations to everyone!

Discourse has once again provided an enthralling read and even more insight into the fabulous world of kites and some of the driving force kiters who are increasing our knowledge of tethered flight around the world.

Keep up the outstanding work for another twenty years. Happy anniversary!

BOB WHITE
Canada

Dear Scott, Dear Ali, What a lovely issue!

I read from the beginning to the end over the weekend, and it was simply lovely. And seeing pics of the Taj and the Umaid Bhawan brought back memories. Aaah, it’s been too long!

It was also great to read Ben [Ruhe] again after a pretty long time. … Do give him my best.

Great work Scotto.

Looking ahead to the next 20 years! Cheers,

AJAY PRAKASH
India

Dear Ali, Dear Scott,

I wanted to warmly thank you for the article you wrote in Discourse 20th on KAP. I feel honoured to be mentioned!

I often look back at the old times, when we met and you put me on some so interesting endeavours, and those years were very special for me.

Thanks a lot for your trust and support. With lots of love,

Keep it high!

NICHOLAS CHORIER
France