ARTISTS TALKING

# 63 [12 May 2010]

As promised here is my artist statement - as a printable pdf (167kb).

With thanks to Richard Taylor for a fabulous and highly relevant quote taken from my Blogger Profile interview.

So another task bites the dust and I can now concentrate 100% on the exhibition build issues.

# 62 [12 May 2010]

My artist statement was very well received in today's group session, so I will be publishing it very soon.

We had a final meeting to approve the catalogue proof, so hopefully this will now go to print.

I haven't managed to visit B&Q. Maybe tomorrow.

# 61 [11 May 2010]

Today has been all about refining an artist statement ready for a contextual studies group session tomorrow. I have produced mine as a tripple DL folded pamphlet. That's an A4 page folded in three sections to give the standard DL 99x210 mm result. It is printed on both sides with the statement on the inner side and title, artwork and contact details on the outer side. Although, the second fold makes one outer surface (contact details) become an inner surface! Much more difficult to describe than it is to make. I also have a PDF version for the web and will be sharing this as soon as I have had the pamphlet proof read. Probably after tomorrow's group session.

Of course when I say 'statement' I don't mean just a statement. I'll give you a clue by sharing the sections:

IN THE BEGINNING

STATEMENT

CONNECTIONS

FEEDBACK

EQUATIONS

ACTIONS

AT THE END

The FEEDBACK section contains a quote from Richard Taylor - taken from my a-n Blogger Profile.

Another task for tomorrow is a trip to B&Q to pick up the final bits of hardware necessary to construct my installation (screws, cable ties, that sort of thing).

After tomorrow, I will be spending the next few days reviewing the totality of work produced for this module and then thinning it out to ensure there is an appropriate focus. But more about that later.

# 60 [10 May 2010]

Not from my planned installation, but this earlier work should give a good idea of the flavour of animation I am likely to produce.

It is also an excuse to try out the new facility to embed video here on a-n.

# 59 [9 May 2010]

After a long day yesterday I have three finished videos. I may yet change them but, I need to live with these on-display for a few days. They are very simple and they appear to give the smooth but uncertain quality I have been after. I'll let time tell me if they are right. In the mean-time I will continue to explore other possibilities.

The need to display all three videos forced me to set-up the three digital photo frames (purchased for the installation), which is just as well when I immediately discovered significant firmware differences between them. Despite being the exact same model, only the one (I purchased first) has the facility to auto play a movie from power-on. The two extra screens (purchased at a later date) require the movie to be manually started via a menu system. This is most disappointing and will make life a little less certain during the exhibition. If the power should be turned off for any reason, then someone will have to manually restart the videos (well two out of the three that is). This is a typical systems issue and I will just have to find a reliable colleague to keep an eye on the screens when I am not there.

There was also an issue regarding the highly reflective acrylic sheet placed in-front of the LCD panel - rather as a glass or acrylic sheet is placed in front of a framed print. This feature caused far too many unwanted reflections and a significant distraction to viewing the work. Fortunately, after exploring the construction of the photo frames, it became clear (!) that this sheet can be removed exposing a much less reflective surface to the actual LCD panel.

So, yesterday became a day when one potential problem was balanced by another positive discovery.

# 58 [8 May 2010]

Working well past midnight, I now have more work than I bargained for, because last night's first test video didn't go as well as I would have liked. It feels jumpy and disconnected, when I was after smooth but uncertain. There is a fine line here between success and abject failure. These components are very risky, but I must continue to explore right up to the final moment. I have a risk management plan in place, should things remain unresolved, but that is very much a last resort. So I will keep experimenting and refining until I have something worthy of the rest of the installation.

# 57 [7 May 2010]

The exhibition layout drawing is done. I'm sure there will be a tweak or two required, but the basics should remain the same.

So, at last, I can focus on the animated video components for the three screens in my installation. Except of course I can't. There is the small matter of an artist statement to finish too. This pesky unavoidable requirement seems to demand a much greater investment in time than I am inclined to give. Maybe, I just need to collect all the elements I already have and present them in one place. That idea popped into my head as I typed this blog post.

One of the major benefits of blogging (I have found) is the way writing for public consumption can encourage clearer thinking. If not clearer writing!

Right. I have decided that the animations take priority over the statement, so 100% effort will be focused on the animations this weekend.

My new business cards arrived today. I say business cards but, thanks to moo.com, they are really miniature works of art with contact details on the back. This latest batch have images representing the six related symbol sets associated with TRIARCLE, CIRCUARE and SQUANGLE. I am gradually building a portfolio of miniature art using a business card wallet as the storage device.

I have been searching for a supplier of white mains leads for the screen power supplies and was succesful yesterday. This will allow me to make a statement with the power wiring to the screens by keeping it in full view rather than hidden away. There is a twist to this idea that will become clear in the installation.

Now, I must focus on those animations. I really must. Really I must!

# 56 [6 May 2010]

The visit to the exhibition venue went very well. A couple of hours of discussion and good hearted argument and we have an excellent floor plan laid out with masking tape. I now have the task of tidying this up as a drawing and will do that tomorrow.

# 55 [6 May 2010]

F I N A L · S H O W · D E T A I L S

We have a show within a show. There is the wider Swindon College School of Art Degree Show which encompasses multiple art disciplines and within that context sits our BA (Hons) Drawing for Fine Art Practice exhibition.

Exhibition Title

11°

Location

The Mulberry Building, Kembrey Park, Swindon.

When

Thursday 10th June: 10am - 8pm

Friday 11th June: 10am - 8pm

Saturday 12th June: 11 - 4pm

Monday 14th June: 10 - 4pm

I'll provide a post code and directions when I have them.

# 54 [5 May 2010]

My ideas for the statement seemed to go down well. There is more work to do over the next week (or so) to refine the selection and use of key words and the presentation. I want to make my statement more than just words on a page and intend to try out two different ideas before selecting the final format. I say 'final' but of course the statement will remain a living thing to be revisited on a regular basis to ensure it stays in-line with my practice.

We are visiting the exhibition venue tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon to measure up and discuss (argue) the floor plan. There really shouldn't be a problem with space, we are about half the number of last years third year, but I will be surprised if we have eleven totally happy students without a little bit of heated (artistic) discussion.

Friday will be my first video editing day - I will probably need a whole day for each of three videos, so this will stretch on into next week. Next week is also about test installations in the college studio.

One distraction will be the T20 cricket. With England through to the super eights I have at least three more evenings relaxing (I wish) watching the England matches.