Thoughts on Floating Lab

I really appreciated the presentation about/by Floating Lab last week. Here's a roundabout explanation of why, and what I'm thinking about now:


I majored in studio art and art history in undergrad. The studio major I added because I love the challenge of art creation. I am a nerdy problem solver, not an 'artist,' per se. I have never aspired to be a professional artist. However, I will always want to continue making fine art.

Since graduation, I have been worried that personal art making would not play a big enough role in my life. Of course, in the future I will counsel others on art creation, but I want to stay active, too. My issue always is, I only really make artwork when it's part of an assignment. I need the parameters and constrictions as muses. I need something to nerd-out on. Without someone setting forth problems, I have no creative soil bed from which to grow out. I also love discussing ideas and experimenting with others.

As you may see, I think I have been designed to work in an artist collective; I don't want any personal credit, I believe 5 heads are better than one, and all I really need in life is a set of problems to solve- even if they're to enable someone else's vision.

The question now is, what ought I do? How do collectives get started? Floating Lab appears to be made of George Mason University affiliates. I wonder, how did they end up working together? In this academic program at the Corcoran, I am not often surrounded with studio nerds with the same artistic affections as mine. Nor are ads for wannabe collaborative artists common on Craigslist. Oh, and I don't even hold a particular vision or question in mind that I would like to investigate through collaborative art.

What's a girl to do? Anyone want to start a collective with me?