ARTISTS TALKING

# 37 [21 May 2010]

Is Video and art on the Internet the Future?

This is a walk around my mosaic depicting the history of Witney.

I dont even profess to be a video artist. But I wanted to make a sound track to go with this video. Like many things I never found the time. But I do have a video.

Is video and downloadable art the future, part of the post post modern era I feel we are crossing a threshold into.

# 36 [19 November 2009]

A Free Lunch.

I arranged to go and see this mosaic again and meet the arts development officer for lunch. I wanted to take photos of the mosaic in a finished context.

When I got to the mosaic there were two middle aged women standing on it. They reminded me of 'Patsey' in Ab Fab, kind of professional shoppers with lunch at Harvey Nick's darling.

They were pointing at the images and talking to each other. I heard one say 'and look there's a shepherd over there'. They were pooling their knowladge together and trying to understand what they looking at. I really wanted a photo of them, so I walked past them and stood away to the side in the corner. My army surplus cammoflage jacket I was wearing did not hide me into my suroundings, which I thought they were designed to do? As I started to take my camera out of it's little case they got wind and scarpered. 

Anyway....over a free lunch I learned everything had gone very well while I was in Crete and images, council websites, plaques, films and stuff all hunkey dorey. But the best storey was about one of the councilors who had been on the steering commitee for this project, not just the art but the whole shops, houses, play ground, cinema car park thing. He was almost anti art and paid little attention to it. His views were, art was a hobby and had no place in the world of economics and commerce. No place in the public realm, and had very vocally played down its role, and made it a little difficult for council officers to make agreements and commitments to the commissioned artworks etc.

This counciler apparently walked into the arts development officers office and said, he had changed his mind about art and had got it now.  And he could see what it could do.

This must have been quite thing for him to do as he had been very forthright in all the meetings I had gone to. So for me a a great ending.

I still can't tell you what is important about history. But I hope I have shown you, it is important.

# 35 [10 November 2009]

I was emailed this photo  from the arts development officer at W.Oxfordshire District Council today. It shows probably the next prime minister being shown my mosaic in Witney town centre.

There are two pieces of public art in this new development and I hope that DC MP could see public spending on the arts, within capital projects like this was a beneficial thing. I hope he could see the high impact the arts have on the cohesion of a community like this. Well any community come to that.

I wonder if the tories will obolish this kind of public spending, dismissing it as frivolass, unproductive and irrelovant? I expect we'll be paying for health insurance and many other public services. Is art a public service that has to go.

Bit of rhetorical one that.

# 34 [15 October 2009]

In the post the other day:

Invitation to the opening of Marriots Walk.

Shopping . Cinema . Resaurants . Cafes . Free parking . Play Park . New Homes . Public Art

In the heart of Witney.

Join us at the official opening of Marriots Walk by the Rt. Hon D. Cameron MP.

Followed by a drinks reception at Cineworld.

(this is a film about the construction of the new town centre including interviews with the artists involved with the public art).

 I will be on holiday with my family on the Island of Crete. Exploring historic sites, walking through dramatic mountains and gorges etc etc.

I will have to visit Witney again after the celebrations and take some photos of my mosaic in the finished development when I get back.

# 33 [22 September 2009]

A full on making experience.

A duel with sods law

and an army of construction workers watching to see what art is and what was all the fuss about that needed protection from the rain.

As for the arena, it was not ready, it arrived a day late and the builders could not release enough man power to errect it. Combat took place in the open air. It did not rain. The whole site complex is cordened off from the public and it was a hi viz, hard hat, steel toe at all times set up.

Sods law bowled me a few googlies, like the mosaic did'nt fit the hole made for it, and the screed was rather sandy. The whole working area was actually like working on a sandy beach. But generally speaking it went very well.

In fact I have really enjoyed the builders, they were very keen to see what art is? I am really pleased I was'nt tying ribbons in trees or something cos they would have had very strong views on that. But they were all very complimentary and I can honestly say I did not recieve one negative comment. Jaws dropped when I explained the time and process required. They totally got the whole craft thing and wanted to know how it was done. They wanted explanations as to what they were seeing or what the narrative was. They went on to make a protective cover for the mosaic, so I figured they were as proud of it as I was. They were fun and I enjoyed their company.

I think construction workers are probably good indicators for the views of the general public on matters 'art'.

History you see, it is the mortar which glues people and communities together! 

# 32 [13 September 2009]

This will be a full on making experience.

Finally the installation of this mosaic arrives, my car is a mobile tool box and  packed to the gunnels.

The contractors have built me a scafolded canopy 6x6m to work under if it rains?

This I did not have to pay for, they did it for me after a half remark about weather effecting work etc. They do have more resources than me, they are building a town after all. But it makes me feel  good they are prepared to do it, I dont know if they will bill the local authority or if it is a gesture?

Its a big task and I feel a little like joseph bouys when sharing the  room with a wolf. The unexpected is gonna come my way and I have to be up for it. Gladitorial combat with sods law. Perhaps I'll catch him when he's asleep.

# 31 [8 September 2009]

What is the importance of history?

I still can't tell you. But it is very important though.

Is art about documenting and recording?

Is it about anything else?

How do you make art?

Does it go like this:

collect

edit

balance

and make.

None of that's particularly historical. So the answers remain alusive still.

I am waiting to start another mosaic. It is Historical. But what is really occupying mind in those emptier periods is I have got to install this Witney mosaic. It has to fit in the site made for it. I have got to make it fit.

It probably will fit. But if it dose'nt...... WOW...... I'll be using my ingenuity.

I had a friend once, who said, ' The measure of a good craftsman is how they solve problems when things go wrong!

shut up, your making me nervous.

# 30 [2 August 2009]

Finished the fecker

finished

finished

finished

finished

finished

finished

finished 6 weeks or so before the rescheduled installation date.

So would have just made the original schedule. Got to cut it up for storage and transportation though.

Glad I was not tested out, it would have been very close.

I said I could not do a great, super fab local job as I was 'too busy'...a week later the deadline for this job got moved back. What do you do, behave like builders and plumbers do (allegedly) and spread your self too thin and deliver everything later than you are supossed and develop thick skin get the work done while it is still around. Cos who knows, there may be a lot less of it, because of a possible double dip recession and the next government which might be a Conservative one. Or behave responsibly and build good relations with your clients, in the hope of recomendations and good reputations.

and anyway I dont mind because I got another job about history now, do I continue it in this blog or start a new one?

Cosmo is on patrol around the garden.

spending so much time on the computer is this a good thing or a necessary evil?

and the chain snapped on my bike causing the largest two sprockets on the block to bend, wondered if I put them in the vice could I straighten them?

And the hedges need cutting ....well badly..and the washing needs pegging on the line cos its stopped raining.

and I've got to install it as well. Which will be a conciderable test of my abilities. But in some ways the best part of the whole job.

# 29 [15 July 2009]

I think I am lucky in some respects with this medium of mosaic. It impresses people, particularly the building and construction industry. I went to a meeting with project managers a few days ago, they were impressed, the paving masons in Newcastle were impressed as well. I think because there is a craft/skill element to it, workers in various trades can understand the work and see it beyond just a picture. This helps if there is a positive vibe, contract managers are willing to help and provide support and resources for something they see as worth while. Not some crazy arts project that needs to be removed because of vandalism after several weeks.

This has helped a lot as the public also are not alienated by it. I have had many conversations on the street with people about the decline of skills and craftsmanship, the lower cost implications for mass produced kack, the need for kit form prefabrication, bolt together, money saving, off the peg low quality, corner cutting stuff that brings buildings, architecture and goods in general to a point where people dont find it acceptable. It would seem people do appreciate quality in whatever form it takes. Car repairs, building and decorating, well maintained public parks, after sales services. Is it as simple as doing things a little slower, and not needing such immediate results due to expectations from ever increasing techno developments.

So welcome:

welcome to the machine.

# 28 [12 July 2009]

I have not been working on this mosaic as I been installing my mosaics and someone elses sculptures in Newcastle.

I have had a great time. Working with lead artist Charlie Carter and the paving masons on a team of construction workers in Newcastle.

The week has been a whirlwind of work and play including SWAT team raids and a hired van less than a year old with a water leek and green grocer businnes that uses the street as a open air ware house, which causes lorry mayhem in the street. And the truly most amazing reaction to a piece of public sculpture I have yet encounterd?

When I was sticking the mosaics onto a stone bench, one of the green grocers comes up and says,

'What have we got a piece of Paki sculpture for'?

'What makes you say that'

Because look, these are colourfull and got stripes'????????????

He said exactley the same thing when we bolted a piece of sculpture to the pavement close to the shop where he works.

He say's, 'Im white, he's white, your white, so why have we got a piece of Paki Sculpture that we dont want'?

He went on to tell us his views on some of the residents of the area, using several words I had actually forgotten existed, and insisted he was'nt racist!

I really thought I had seen it all, but I was wrong, and this takes the biscuit. There is actually a more complicated issue behind these remarks, than it first appears. Even so..a real eye opener.

I am very pleased to have been involved in this project and hats off to my friend Charlie who has spent the best part of two years trying to make things better in this area of Newcastle.