To coincide with Fulcrum Arts’ exhibition Between the Noise, artist Ian Wellman will lead two field recording workshops in August. Participants will explore select areas along the Arroyo Seco, collect sounds, share recording techniques, and discuss the sonic properties unique to the watershed. As the local landscape recovers from the Eaton and Palisades fires, and threats of selling off public land are on the rise, the moment to celebrate our neighborhood ecosystems could not be more urgent. These workshops offer new perspectives on the local environment, with an eye—and an ear—toward heightened respect for the more-than-human world.
Each workshop will focus on different aspects of listening. The first session will introduce the basics of field recording with an emphasis on vibrations in the air. The second session, featuring mycologist Aaron Tupac, will focus on secret auditory worlds. Each session will begin at a location along the Arroyo Seco and conclude with a group discussion and refreshments at Fulcrum Arts HQ.
All are welcome! Please join us whether you’re interested in working with field recordings or simply wanting a closer experience of the landscape. No previous experience is required. Participants are asked to bring a pair of headphones and any kind of recording device—e.g., a digital recorder or a smartphone. Participants will also need to dress appropriately for warm weather, bring plenty of water, and be prepared for low-impact hiking.
Session 1
Introduction to Field Recording: Listening to the Air
August 10, 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Hahamongna Watershed Park
Participation fee: $5–$25
Click here to sign up
This workshop will begin at Pasadena’s Hahamongna Watershed Park and include listening exercises, technical practice, and an introduction to the site’s sonic properties. Following the activities, participants will gather at Fulcrum Arts HQ for a short lecture on the fundamentals of field recording, which will touch upon field recording philosophies, the basics of sound recording, and various microphone techniques.
Session 2
Listening to Secret Worlds with Aaron Tupac
August 17, 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Upper Arroyo Park
Participation fee: $5–$25
Click here to sign up
With local mycologist Aaron Tupac, this workshop will begin at Pasadena’s Upper Arroyo Park and will explore the sounds of secret worlds along the watershed. Following the activity, participants will gather at the Fulcrum Arts HQ for a short lecture by Aaron, who will discuss their work and provide an introduction to lifeforms of Arroyo Seco, such as fungi and insects. Additionally, workshop leaders will discuss techniques for recording sounds the human auditory system cannot perceive, such as electromagnetic fields.
Aaron Tupac (they/them) is a community organizer, educator, and mycologist based in Los Angeles. Aaron is the founder and organizer of the values-based community inspired by fungi, Exploring the Mycoverse, sponsored by Arlington Gardens in Pasadena, CA. Aaron works as a fungi collector for the California Fungal Diversity Survey Project, the first government-funded state-wide project to map California’s fungal diversity. Aaron is also chair and co-founder of the North American Mycological Association’s Conservation and Stewardship Committee.
