Can I choose my own group?

The short answer is no.

The longer answer is we will have to see how the group formation process goes the way it is set up now.

I originally toyed with the idea of having people come up with their own groups, but I believe it will benefit the project to mix things up a bit. The whole concept of solidifying community amongst a variety of sculptural artists is a little bit moot if people just get their friends together and join up as a group.

The main reason, however, is that I don't yet know how many people from any given location will be participating. There will inevitably be people who have known each other for years in groups together, simply because they live close to each other, and the logistics would be unmanagable any other way. However, there will also be individuals scattered around in locations that don't have enough people to form a whole group within a 75 mile radius, for example.

If you know other people in your area who would want to participate, there is a good chance that some, or possibly all of you, will end up in groups together. The organic and dynamic nature of the collaborative process, however, will benefit from as much diversity as possible.