Damon Dawson: “A Musical Mad Scientist”
 |
Photo by Elizabeth Courtney Randolph/USI |
Damon Dawson poses with some of his experimental stringed instruments.
|
By day, Damon Dawson works as a library assistant in USI’s David L. Rice Library. But away from the checkout desk, he’s a self-described “musical mad scientist” and luthier.
Dawson makes experimental stringed instruments out of recycled and found objects as well as traditional materials like exotic and local hardwoods. “I’m interested in traditional and classical techniques,” he said, “but only so I can break the rules.”
In order to learn luthiery, he had to create his own instrument-building curriculum, attending three colleges and working at jobs that furthered his skills. “There wasn’t a major or a school to learn how to be an instrument builder.”
His creations include a bean pan guitar, a pie pan electric tenor guitar, and an electric thumb piano made with windshield wiper parts. He’s built and repaired instruments for Namaste, Mock Orange, Stationary Odyssey, and The Dang Heathens. Dawson plays guitar, keyboards, and drums, and has recorded and produced music for local bands.
He’s currently at work on an ambitious project for which he was awarded a $2,000 Individual Artist Program Grant from the Indiana Arts Commission. In the first phase of the project, he’s building five stringed instruments at his home workshop. In the spring, he will compose five musical pieces about “the art of life in Southern Indiana.” Finally, he’ll produce and record a 30-minute album and make it available online for free.
Dawson built his first guitar in the USI woodshop while taking a class from John McNaughton, professor emeritus of art, and later transferred to Indiana University to take classes in their music program. “I needed information about audio technology and music fundamentals, and that wasn’t available here,” he said.
After absorbing information from that program, he transferred to IUPUI’s Herron School of Art and Design in search of a better facility for woodworking. But he missed the interdisciplinary contact at USI.
“At USI there is an open exchange of information and ideas,” he said. “Since the Department of Art is located near engineering, I was exposed as a student to artistic people and engineers, and had access through casual interaction to engineering faculty who assisted me with technical problems.”
He graduated from USI in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in art and a minor in art history. Since then, jobs as a photographer, embroidery technician, and radio production assistant have helped move him toward his goals.
“Everything I’ve done since that first woodworking class with John McNaughton, I’ve done with the consideration of furthering my skills in regard to this endeavor,” he said.
At the library, he can research any topic that might help him in his work: ergonomics, manufacturing, design, etc. “I have access to all the information I could want, which is very important to any artist. I’m constantly drawing on interests in my fields,” he said.
Dawson’s album and information about his process will be available online through melodicvirtue.com and on a dedicated MySpace page by May 1, 2009.
Wendy Knipe Bredhold
News and Information Services
wkbredhold@usi.edu
812/461-5259
PAST FEATURES:
|
USI Home | Academics | Calendar | Athletics | Visitors | Events and News | Administration
8600 University Boulevard - Evansville, IN 47712-3596 - 812/464-8600
Copyright © 2009 University of Southern Indiana. All rights reserved.
