ARTISTS TALKING

# 11 [1 May 2010]

When looking back at the work in the exhibition and writing this it is evident that there were five streams that evolved during the project & were represented in the exhibitio.

Narratives, of which Icarus is an example.

Experimental work with print & collage combination.

Photographed collages.

Drawings that sparked ideas & also became combined in & on the collages.

The playful aspect demonstrated in the early work, the publicity & the workshops.

# 12 [2 May 2010]

Yesterday I sorted the collaged collographs; today I have uploaded some drawings from the exhibition by Angela as they have been important in underpinning the project from the start.

Now the focus is on the new work. Art Allotments has developed so that there are more people taking part. I just have a few more photos to take as the last pieces of work arrive through the post and the results can be displayed. 

This time there are nine of us (one dropped out as too busy). Everyone received from me an identical envelope of bits at the beginning of April. Each package included a figure from a ghost collagraph print & a failed print from saline sulphate etched plate. It was an early attempt when I pressed snowdrops into a soft ground but messed up the timings. Angela put in drawings - sketches that never made it to the final art work stage. Added to this were some pages from an altered book that was begun & abandoned, some pages from a fallen apart music manuscript, some text, assorted paper, hay & other bits. - See photo!

# 13 [3 May 2010]

The hardest thing about Art Allotments 2 was knowing what was in the envelope as I had made it up. I had to try & disassociate myself from the choices of contents made. It was also a challenge  to find 10 identical, or near identical, pieces of rejected work. Finding a few is usually not a problem as I take lots of proofs while making plates. This time I needed ten and luckily I had a near miss print of a long line of collograph figures of women. All were slightly different but alike enough to fit the bill. The etching proofs were mainly textural & big enough to cut up into similar sections. Angela's page of drawings was photocopied so that they were identical in each envelope

I posted the envelopes and put the one I had randomly selected for myself from the pile to one side. When the first collage arrived back I didn't open it until I had finished my own effort.

The figure and the crow were the starting points. I have always admired crows and been amused by their comical stance. My admiration grew after reading Corvus, A Life with Birds by Esther Woolfson brilliantly reviewed by Olivia Laing in an Observer article.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/aug/24/scienc...

I am aware that there is a deeper unconscious rational for my choices allied to loss & loneliness but for the moment that can wait for exploration.

Mellie's and Angela's collages, the first to arrive, also placed the woman's figure  in a central position with each collage and all three were telling different stories.

# 14 [7 May 2010]

Alan & Estella Scholes, husband & wife, both artists, both made collages.  In Alan's work the small figures appeared ambiguously in both pieces.  Was the crow about to feed them or eat them?

Were they holding up the basket or was it about to crush them?

Estella's work was unexpected. She had made a delightful small collage bag, different on both sides & filled it with unused bits.

Note here again to myself .... "Why didn't I think of doing that?"

It struck me that this is a great example of what Graphic Designer Alan Fletcher explores in his book 'The Art of Looking Sideways'.His work has been fresh in my mind since last month when I saw the inspiring exhibition of his work in Cube: Centre for the Built Environment in Manchester. The work there was brilliant, inspiring & also fun. It is having creative fun & the chance to play that has been the core of art allotments since the start.

There are no rules here just guidelines to be stretched.

# 15 [11 May 2010]

Artist Bev Horsley approached the materials completely differently using paint in the work. Her accompanying note described the process as easier when beginning with an “idea” as in the first collage “SEEDS”. The second one she describes as  "...a pure response to colour rather than concept... Once started I didn’t want to stop! Best fun I’ve had in ages."

# 16 [15 May 2010]

Sue Campbell's collage was full to bursting with pieces falling out of the envelope as I opened it & the glue still tacky.

In contrast Jacs Collins' work was  economical, unmounted and held together with delicate stitching. I photographed back as well as front as that struck me as an important aspect.

# 17 [15 May 2010]

Both pieces made by Jude Willerton are mounted on black. She says in her accompanying note "The first attempt was very random & spontaneous with no real plan... The second (The crow) came together easily & spontaneously."

Whenever I see the crow appear it is, for me, part of a story. .... He/she may be coming, going, comic, opportunist, onlooker, harbinger of doom, admired, feared, loved or despised. What next I don't yet know but crow has entered my own work and is waiting for the idea to take shape.

Now all the pictures from the first round are uploaded it suggests a time to reflect on how the art allotments are developing. It is really interesting to see how others interpret the same material in such individual ways.

If I consider what influence this project has upon my own work so far it is to make me to open my eyes wider & wider to the possibilities of collage techniques in both the visual & non-visual world.

I am determined to welcome images that appear. If things go wrong with what I am working on - I cut it up, rearrange & look again as many times as it takes. Cutting & pasting is a much more satisfying way of changing & making corrections. Reflection comes later...at least 24 hours. This process of taking a number of given materials and quickly choosing & combining a selected few in a playful manner continues to be inspirational.

# 18 [29 July 2010]

Far too much time has passed while I have procrastinated about continuing this blog.  All was going well then there was an unexpected exhibition opportunity, which took up a few weeks, work  and lots of other stuff that needed to be done until suddenly I had all the finished Art work and was going on holiday posting the third set of envelopes as I travelled on my way.

So, having made my excuses I will finally I will put up all the work from  last month before this months envelopes start arriving through my letterbox.

# 19 [6 August 2010]

If the cartoons didn't trigger a response then the text, or in this case the letter z seems to have been the key.  Overall the responses seem to fall into 3 categories. Narrative, text/word or letter inspired or abstract as a response to colour, tone, texture or shape.

The responses of the participating artists have been polarised. "It was really hard, I wasn't inspired & I took a while to make something. OR "It was great, I did if after a stressful day & it was fun and restorative"

Again the key to every response it not having to chose the materials.  Someone else has done that, it is fun, there are no value judgements and it does seem to  inspire other ideas and inform other work.

Today when struggling to shape an idea I tipped out a collection of relevant reference materials. There was no help where I needed it but instead something new has appeared. Lying among the scraps & cuttings, a random chance arrangement. I have left it as I write this and will return later & look again.  

# 20 [14 August 2010]

I am still posting pictures from July as the new envelopes from August are coming back in the post. Reading again the accompanying comments I am struck how it is the importance of  immediacy in the project that keeps everyone focused.

Estella related "I decided to go for the first idea that struck me and not get involved with adding to much - just a bit of pen - The temptation is to add paint and consquently make the collage into a more serious Work of Art by obliterating a lot of the elements. Better to be spontaneous in the spirit of the idea!"

Jude was more serious and in her work pasted some thought provoking speech bubbles from two people in conversation. 

"Thinking & talking" 

How is it affecting me?

Why? and What is it about?  and

What is it meaning?

She comments that she wasn't sure she liked the outcome ... Alas something common to us all occuring much too often.

Bev ... illustated here, found her idea flowed easily.

"Thanks again for a really great envelope of stuff - what a pure pleasure to do something uncomplicated, fun and stress free!!! My contribution was inspired by colour (again) - the purpley - pink colours immediately evoked lavender, cypresses, holiday in Umbria...

Tomorrow I will open the new batch!!