Monthly Statement:
September 2005
For me to collect gum the tides, the time and my free time have to align. This happened only three times in September. They were productive though; I collected 46 pieces of gum. October looks to be better with at least five workable days ahead.

Process: I've been collecting detritus from the San Francisco bay for four years, and have noticed that it sorts itself into two categories: top floaters and bottom floaters. Gum is a bottom floater meaning it can only be found at low tide on shorelines with a very wide inter-tidal region. I carefully plan my collection visits according to the tide schedule, in locations I've previously identified to be rich in bottom floaters. Back at the studio I wash the collected items and place them in bags for later use.