I proposed a multi-media, multi-genre project that combined visual art, creative nonfiction, poetry, and creative work. Formatted magazine-style, this work began with an invitation to a dinner that I hosted. I envisioned the dinner as a piece of performance art. That is, my guests were writers and artists, and responded to the experience of the dinner throughout the evening. In experimenting with art, words, food, and artists, I wanted to see both the process and the product, how they work by pulling out memory and emotion tied to food. Food and memory work this way. Food and art work this way. Words and art work this way. There are connections everywhere. French poet, playwright, and surrealist artist, Jacques Prevert said once that, "Taking a walk, making a movie, writing a poem...there is no difference." How right. Eating, painting, loving, writing—the beautiful things in life...there is no difference. / Department of English

The performance of my opera/art installation, Ariadne, on April 2 and 4, 1993, in Recital Hall, culminated a year of research, composition, production, and rehearsal upon the Ariadne Project, an interdisciplinary art collaboration. My project brought together the research, creative, and performance skills of many individuals throughout the university community and beyond. Designed as a companion paper to this composition and performance, this paper documents the inception, creation, production, and performance of the Ariadne Project. It also addresses the issues and sources dealt with and assessess the effectiveness of the product and the process. / Department of Art