ARTISTS TALKING

# 21 [22 June 2010]

11 June

I had a meeting with Paul Bulkeley, architect from Snug Projects we are working together on the ArtChitecture project in the New Forest. Paul came to visit my studio for a first time to see and get an idea of how I am working and to have a better understanding of what my requirements are for a studio space. We discussed how we can approach the exhibition that opens on the 26^th of June at ArtSway and made plan of action of how to best exhibit the work in progress.

Saturday 26 June - Sunday 27 June 2010

Presentation and Discussion: Saturday 26 June 2010 at 2pm

Three teams comprising an artist, architect and engineer have been collaborating to develop proposals for temporary live/work studio spaces at three sites in the New Forest. The project will offer opportunities for debate on sustainable development and contemporary art in the rural environment. The exhibition offers an opportunity to see the work to date, hear the teams talk about their proposals and join in a discussion around the issues raised.

Project Teams:

The artists involved all have experience and understanding of working in sensitive environments, the architects and engineers are all locally based practices with a commitment to sustainable design.

•Artist: Elpida Hadzi-Vasileva *Artist: Hywel Davies  •Artist: Stephen Turner

•Architect: Paul Bulkeley  *Engineer: Nick Gradidge •Engineer: Michael Dorgan

•Engineer: Trevor Thickett *Architect: Carl Leroy-Smith •Architect: Graham Perring

For more information please contact Phil Smith at Solent Centre for Architecture + Design Ltd:

telephone: +44 (0)23 8028 3053 or email: phil@solentcentre.org.uk

ArtSway

Station Road, Sway, Hampshire, SO41 6BA

T: +44 (0)1590 682260  E: mail@artsway.org.uk  W: www.artsway.org.uk

ArtSway is open: Tuesday - Sunday 11am - 5pm

# 22 [22 June 2010]

12-13^th of June

I love the kung fu camp, happens once a year and it is very hard work but there is so much going on and so much to take in and learn that the days go very fast. In the evening we stay until early hours and play games and have fun, an incredible weekend of White Crane Martial Arts in Shoreham.

# 23 [22 June 2010]

14^th of June

It was my first day on site and the beginning of my commission in the new building at St Bede’s Catholic college in Bristol. I met with the depute head Patrick McDermott and the ABC Scaffolding at the reception of the old school. The staircase of the new building was handed over to the school this morning, which meant that I could start with my work. We walk over to the staircase with the scaffolder Colin to finalise the scaffolding which was installed the following day.

# 24 [22 June 2010]

15^th of June

9am I met the scaffolders in the induction room of the Skanska office and after a brief induction we were able to start on site. The scaffolding was up in 3 hours and I was able to start with my work. Firstly I covered and protected all the hand railings incase of damage and collected an overhead projector from the school.

I began with setting up the tree proportions and drawing onto the wall and ceilings. This wasn’t an easy task as the light in the staircase was to bright and you could hardly see the projected image, also the staircase space was not wide enough to achieve the required angle and the positioning of the projector. I decide it to wait until it got darker and tried to black out the windows using black sheeting found on site, which I believe is used for roofing protection… after hours of playing around with the perspective of positioning the image on the walls and ceiling I decide it to scrap the projector and continue by hand. I left site at 10.30pm that evening.

# 25 [22 June 2010]

16^th of June

Second day of drawing on site and again very long hours but with success I finished the drawing and now the walls are ready for the relief stucco modeling on Monday. It was very tricky to get the drawing on the windows done as this had to be very accurate. The drawings and the glass are being send to an etching company so if there is any mistakes this will show and it will be very costly.

# 26 [22 June 2010]

18^th

I got the window drawings back to my studio and worked on the detail and the final design.

I contacted the V&A museum, the costume and textile department to discuss the donation of my Gunna dress (the chicken skin dress) for they collection. The dress was created at the Gloucester Cathedral last year and performed by Mitra Memarzia as part of my final exhibition Motectum.

# 27 [22 August 2010]

20 th June

Meeting with Adam Chodzko in Whitstable.

21th of July

Meeting with Simon Evans in West Peckham, Kent, to discuss a possibility of collaboration on the Romany project. The afternoon when very well and there was a mutual interest of working together. We are meeting again beginning of September and we are going to visit some potential groups to work together.

# 28 [22 August 2010]

3^rd of August

Back at St Bede’s.

Matthew O’Donovan and myself finished the stuccowork in July and this was left to dry for few weeks. Now I am back and together with Teresa Llewellyn working on the painting and finally gilding the work with 23.5ct gold leaf. The work is really starting to take its shape and looks amazing.

The windows are being etched and delivered back on site and hopefully installed on Wednesday or Thursday morning.

We have one more week to finish the work. The scaffolding is being taken down on Friday the 27th in the afternoon.

# 29 [22 August 2010]

6^th of August

I had my second interview for the Southgate Project in Bath and I am so happy to say that I have won the project.

This will be an amazing opportunity and really looking forward to working with all the different professionals involved with the Southgate project and Sarah Collicott, the Arts consultant from Insite Arts.

# 30 [22 August 2010]

9th of August

Artsway Associates meeting with Paul Hobson from CAS at Artsway in the New forest.

Paul Hobson covered

 (a) Strategies related to developing public collections of contemporary art - challenges facing public collections, approaches to acquisitions, the work of CAS in this area  

(b) Things artists need to know about the commercial market, things to think about in developing a relationship with the commercial market and how to develop relationships with private collectors.  

(c) How endorsement is formed in relation to the commercial market, promotional and selling strategies for artists/organisations like ArtSway

This was a very, very productive and interesting afternoon.