ARTISTS TALKING

# 1 [22 December 2009]

My friend Carol Ramsay was asked to participate in this exhibition and she put my name forward. I was originally going to make my own books but I couldn't get any inspiration or motivation. Recently I entered a competition about climate change, I didn't get any of my work selected but ideas surrounding climate change keep popping into my head now. http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/582916

I've been  working on an idea that combines the human body with climate change, bizzare I know, but I was inspired by lung tissue when making a book last year and wanted to progess with it. http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/images/579569

Recently I was going to sort through all my old books (I've kept them even with the covers off and pages missing)and throw away the ones that can't be saved, when the idea of using them instead of making my own popped in my head. They're now little tree like things and I'm hoping when I've made enough they'll look like a little forest, being the 'Lungs of the World'. 

# 2 [26 December 2009]

I've made eight tree books now, but two need some work on them because the pages have come away from the spine a little so they hae gaps in the form of the splayed pages now. I may be able to glue them back to the spine but I'll probably have to abandon them. I can cut three or four in a day so it won't be a problem.

# 3 [28 December 2009]

Below is the statement I've written for the Exhibition

 
Forest
Lungs of the World
 
With the ever growing concern of climate change, this work is about the declining population of trees and the importance and impact they have on the planet. Carbon dioxide is probably the largest contributor to climate change, with human consumption being the major fact. Trees play an important role in the survival of our planet as they absorb Carbon dioxide. Inspired by lung tissue, this miniature forest emphasies how trees are the lungs of the world.

# 4 [29 December 2009]

I've managed to cut three more books, I know it doesn't sound like many but these were more than 700 pages each. They're a lot more effective than the previous books as they sit in position without any help and have less gaps when splayed out. I've still got ages yet, although I'm also working on a project for the fellowship show. I'd better get a move on.

# 5 [7 January 2010]

I've managed to cut another few books but I really dont want to put the thinner books into the exhibition now, but that's about half of what I've already cut! I've only completed 20 so far so I'll see how much time I've got left when I've cut thrity. From now ow I'm only using books over 600 pages long though.

# 6 [9 January 2010]

I've ran out of books that I've read. I was going to buy some from the charity shop but I feel like it's cheating if they're in good nick and if I haven't read it and finished with it.

# 7 [11 January 2010]

I wasn't sure if the books were going to be shown on the floor or were going to be wall mounted, but they're definitely  going to be on the floor. So today I've been playing around with different ways they could work together as an installation.

I'm not going to plan to far ahead because I think until I'm in the space I can't get a feel for how it should be. Saying that... they look best at slightly different heights. I don't want them on plinths though and they only need to vary slightly in height. I don't want them to be at eye level, I think it's nice that you have to crouch down to take a proper look.

# 8 [12 January 2010]

I had an email off Amy today saying The show at CoExist Arts is going to be called 'Set Of Odd Volumes' http://www.coexist.org.uk/next.html

I managed two books yesterday, so I'm defiantly on track now.

# 9 [25 January 2010]

I've worked almost solid on the books all week, well besides going to work, going to college, cooking for the kids, washing, ironing etc.  Honestly though I've put in so many hours over the last week my hands hurt from cutting. The books nearly fill a big ikea bag now!

As the exhibition gets closer I'm feeling more and more nervous about the whole thing. I suppose it's because I'm not sure how to display the work still and probably won't until I get to the space. I haven't seen all the work layed out together either as I only have a small living room, so I'm not sure how many more I need to cut. I may just keep cutting right up to delivering it now. 

Also I thought I'd be travelling down with my friend who is exhibiting in the show too, but I have to travel down the night before her which isn't actually a problem but makes me feel unsure because she won't be there to reasure me that I'm making the most of my work when I'm setting up.

I'm most worried though because I have to leave my son. He had to go to the doctors today because his asthma has come back, in nearly four years he's only had one flare up. I thought he'd grown out of it, but he's back to having inhalers for six months and the poor love has a chest infection as well. I know he's in capable hands being with my Mum but I'm still going to worry. There's always something isn't there?

# 10 [26 January 2010]

Most of the books can sit flat to the floor unassisted but I think I may have to blue tack the others to make sure they don't close. I've got to take a trip to the charity shop to buy more books, I'm down to my last two now. My book shelves are almost bare, only kids, art and geography books left!

The books are closed for transporting which also makes them very easy to store, but the pages need to be individually seperated for displaying as they group together once the book is closed. It's not a major problem but it's a time consuming process. Luckily it's an easy job and I'll have my husband with me to help. Although he doesn't know yet, he's driving me there so I'll break it to him on the journey!