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By: Michaela McMillan
Return to practice. This is an account of me focusing on my textile practice and where its going, funded by Arts Council West Midlands. I've spent the last 5 years with my own work taking a back seat to community projects and my young family, now, its back to me...in theory.
Michaela McMillan
My work mixes, colour, pattern and texture with an organic use of techniques to create sculptural forms. The scale of each piece can vary greatly. My choice of materials comes from a fascination with the sustainability of resources, through changing their identity and appearance to create a new structure.
Much of my work is stimulated by the materials I use, both their physical appearance and qualities, and the narrative of their original uses and functions. It is an exploration of colour, technique and form, influenced by a process driven design, inspired by collections and keepsakes, sectrets, pattern, colour and nature.
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Michaela McMillan, 'Sample 1', Textiles and Paper mache, July 2009. Photo: Michaela McMillan. Playing around with ideas just before I start the grant project
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Photo: Michaela McMillan. wrought iron work , love the simlplicity of line
# 1 [2 October 2009]
A ps to start with- these posts will not always be so long..
Finally, after a year of writing, and editing, so many times, the large enveloped arrived, confirmation of the grant from the Arts Council. Since then (beginning of September) I haven't stopped.
The driving force has been the children going to nursery and school and I finally have time in my studio to work, but so many ideas have come and gone, my works evolved so much in my head and not in reality, its such a stumbling block.
My intentions are to have a huge intake of stimulus, to sort through it, apply what I chose, experiment, analysis and then re-launch... sounds grand in text, I have to deliver now.
From my work being gallery and retail driven I want to explore the idea of working in a more space-responsive and installation type manner.
I have no idea how this will look.
I also have too many ideas of ways to go and have, have, have to focus...
Working on the Artsfest installation for the Heart of England Gallery Consortium was a great midway point, inbetween visits. It went so well, a great confidence boost for my ideas.
So far I've been to Fabrica in Brighton for the end of John Grades cocolithophores Elephant Garden installation. so so fabulous. Huge water soluble hanging structures that we all went inside, around and watched and drew. The we walked with them through the streets at 8 in the morning to the sea and watched them disperse. This was a wonderful experience, and prompted loads of questions.
Since then I have visited the Hub and Bending the Line, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and John Randal and James Lee Byars, The Harley and the Age of Experence, the Millenium Gallery and Spectacular Craft, The CAA and the Revivalists, and The V and A and Telling Tales.... A lot to sort through.
Next week its Origin, Freize and then Origin again.
Actually, I've been berating myself for not having acheived enough this month, and really, that doesn't sound too bad.
Spectacular Craft with its sheer scale and intricacy has left a huge impression. One particular piece by Based Upon in The Revivalists show, and then the whole V and A visit have been very thought provoking.
Particularly the wrought iron work on floor 2 of the V and A. A lot of them are like drawings hanging in the air, with shadows giving a fairy tale , or spellbound quality. my ideas are expanding right now.
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That's interesting Michaela I stopped and spent time on the wrought iron work in the V&A too. Sounds like we've been to a few of the same exhibitions this summer.
posted on 2009-11-14 by Kirsty E Smith