ARTISTS TALKING

# 149 [13 February 2012]

Delivered all the work to Mello Mello. Just need to send some images to Matthew alongside the statements so he knows which pieces to place them by. He was a lot calmer about the whole thing than me, haha. He seemed happy with it all and knows what he's doing so I don't know why I'm stressing!

Tomorrow I'm installing 'Inner Beauty' at Wolstenholme. Joe is kindly opening up at 8am so I can get on with it. I need to be home at the latest by 2 and then it's off to Folkestone for the evening before heading to Paris the following morning. I'm going to miss the 'Fixation' opening, I'm gutted. But I am back on Saturday morning so can get over to Liverpool to Mello Mello if anything goes wrong with the solo show and get it sorted in time for the opening.

# 148 [12 February 2012]

I'm going to drop off the work for mello mello tomorrow. I'm feeling a little nervous about it now, Matthew hasn't seen it all yet and I'm worried that it'll be to late to make any changes if its not all alright. I'm also worried in case he has any problems installing it because I'll be away whilst its being put up and I don't get back until the opening night. Fingeres crossed it'll all be ok.

Here's the description I've given for the recycling workshop for publicity, I hope it's not to much:

Workshop with Julie Dodd on 11th of March
Recycling plastic milk containers to create flower garlands

Learn how to transform plastic milk containers into beautiful flower garlands just using a pair of scissors. These garlands make unusual décor for any room as an eye catching feature and a hanging addition to an existing frame or mirror.

# 147 [10 February 2012]

Just spent about an hour reading other blog posts instead of writing my own. There's lots of interesting blogs and lots exciting projects going on at the moment.

I've finished the work for Mello Mello, although I might quickly make some more, but I'll have to see if I have time. With the build up to Valentines day my Mum is going to need me to work all weekend, but might make a start on something anyway.

I've put 'Inner Beauty' into five boxes arranging them into different colours and shades of colour ready for Tuesday morning,eek. I'm nervous about putting them up... I know it seems madness as I've alreday installed them before but it almost feels like someone else did that now and I'm trying to follow a pattern that only exists as a blurred memory. I wish I'd photographed it more carefully. I remember thinking at the time, 'this work could be shown so many different ways, it never has to be the same twice', but now I want it to be. And it's especially important to me to show it 'just right' as this place is where I first thought of making this work... I know it will be alright, it just nerves!

# 146 [8 February 2012]

I've realised that I didn't publish my last two posts, so sorry if you've been bombarded with them all at once. I type them on my phone when I'm not near a computer but it writes in one consecutive line, so I can't edit it, correct spellings or even read it back when I've saved it until I'm next at a computer and I often forget to publish it then.

I'm still exhausted but I was really busy in work today, usual stuff though, nothing really exciting. oh I did get to display the lovely birds in reception that the students have been making. They are great, they've been making blue tits, chaffinch's and grey wagtails inspired by Abigail Brown and they're absolutely adorable.  http://www.abigail-brown.co.uk/birds

This evening is being spent finishing off work for Mello Mello and then tomorrow I think I'm going to start on the 'sticks and stones' project again.

# 145 [7 February 2012]

Just got back from Manchester and I'm exhausted so won't go on for long. Talk went well, really relieved. Everyone seemed to enjoy it, once I got into the stride of things I settled down and I think it flowed ok, even got a few laughs and almost all where at the intended time!

I was lucky, mine only needed to last 10 minutes or so. Michelle did the main presentation, I thought I knew a fair bit about altered books but it was a real insight and was very interesting.

I started with talking about my practice in general, what led me to work with books and where it's taken me now. I broached the subject of if my work fitted into category of altered books, with my own conclusions and finished off the pp with quotes from the comments received from Elena and Sam.

From listening to Michelles talk it seems that when it comes to whether an artwork is an altered book or not, it is considered to be a sculpture if the book doesn't look or act like a book and its function has become only sculptural, but her own opinion is very open to altered books being various forms that books have taken on. I suppose there isn't a right or wrong answer, it's personal, it's your response to the work that's important. I've never been concerned to what catorgory any of my work fits into before, well besides 'craft' it was only that the talk was specifically about altered books that I thought I'd better know, but now I'm not going to allow myself to let it determine what approach I take in making my work again.

# 144 [6 February 2012]

Work was tiring today, painted walls, cut mounts, hanged pictures, painted canvases and cut lots of lengths of ribbon! When I got home I felt to tired to start working again but two coffees later I perked up enough to start again. I prioritised and worked a couple of hours on my presentation for tomorrow night. I thought of lots I wanted to add, so I think tomorrow I'll spend most of the day running through it ovber and over. I need to get a couple of bags worth of altered books to take with me but I have to make sure I'll be able to carry them back because I'm getting the train from liverpool. This evening I couldn't think straight anymore so I've been working on some unfinished stuff for mello mello. Nearly there now, can't wait for a few days of rest.

# 143 [5 February 2012]

Ok, this is what I came up with in the end for the solo show at Mello Mello.

Artist Statement

I graduated from Wirral Metropolitan College with a first class BA honours degree in fine art in 2009. I continued to develop my practice at the same institute on the fellowship program for a further year and I have since been working independently as installation artist, printmaker, altered book artist and bookmaker. These different areas of my practice often cross over becoming one in the same thing. 

I work predominantly as a paper installation artist, my artwork is based on repetition and is inspired by pattern and shape found in nature. I feel compelled to work in multiples, which I use to mimic life, growth and regeneration. I get a certain satisfaction from producing installations using intense processes that are repeated to generate numerous duplicates. I use this concentrated method to create an impact on viewing and hopefully motive a positive response.

Beneath the Surface Exhibition

‘Beneath the Surface’ is inspired by human cell structures and explores different printing and construction techniques to represent cell production. Worked mainly in paper to demonstrate the fragility of life and created in multiples using repetitive processes to illustrate how the body renews and repairs in order to survive.

And then tiny write ups for each piece of work...

Blood Streams 2011

Blood Streams convey how robust and yet delicate the human body is at the same time through the use of wire in conjunction with paper.

Altered Cells 2012

‘Altered Cells’ was created in response to the genetic engineering of cell production. Able to identify fault and alter cells is an advance that can be life changing but where will it lead and at what expense.

Cell Production 2012

‘Cell Production’ followed intense screen printing sessions to mimic cell productions repetitive process and was developed further so the cells flow, moving in different directions, all trying to find their way.

Blood Cells 2012

‘Blood Cells’ represents beauty found in the inner body. The colours chosen for the cells are taken from blood, organs and skin.

Untitled Cell Series 2010

Collaged from relief prints this work contains several layers which represent the changes which come about in our lives. Some layers becoming almost unrecognisable.

I can't believe it took me all afternoon and evening, but atleast it's done now and emailed off. I'm feeling a little less stressed now. After next week I'll be able to relax a little, I've got the artiat talk this Tuesday evening, Mello Mello work is being delivered on Monday 13th and wolstenholme work is being installed on Tuesday 14th, then I need to crack on with the altered book exhibition work but that won't be as stressful and I can't start sanding until it's a little warmer anyway because it needs to be done outside. 

# 142 [4 February 2012]

I'm really pleased and surprised to see this blog is in the top ten artists talking blogs! It was great to get in it when I was artist in residence at Arena but I never thought my day to day life blog would be of any interest to anyone, it's just me waffling on about mundane things usually!

Today is going to be spent writing statements for Mello Mello.

I've think I've finished the ppt for Tuesday. When I ran through it I realised that I'd only be showing one true altered book installation though. I had considered my 'Illegal Logging', 'Pores for Thought' and 'Building Blocks of Life' as altered books but when I was looking through the presentation for any mistakes I realised that really they're not, they are made from books but they take on completely different forms now and arent recognisable as books at all, the book was only the material used. I realised because I've included 'Paper Eggs' and 'Inner Beauty' at the end to show where altering books has taken to and I was humming and harring over whether to include them when I started thinking about the other work...

I've just been trying to find the definition of an altered book but so far wikipedia is as good as it gets...

Just realised I didn't upload images, here they are. I've been working on my statement for Mello Mello all afternoon, this is all I've got so far:

‘Beneath the Surface’ is inspired by human cell structures and explores different printing and construction techniques to represent cell production. Created in multiples using repetitive processes to illustrate how the body renews and repairs in order to survive.   

# 141 [2 February 2012]

I've spent all day sat on the floor to make these pieces as there isn't a table large enough. My back is aching but they're done. Obviously they're not going to be viewed on the floor but I don't have walls large enough to photograph them. I've tried hanging them on panel pins and they sit fine on them. I'm surprisingly happy with them, need to write the statement etc tomorrow after work and put together a power point presentation for Tuesday, for the artist talk on altered books at hot bed press.

# 140 [1 February 2012]

I know you'll think I'm crazy starting something so late in the day, but last night two ideas suddenly popped into my mind for Mello Mello that are so much more aesthetically pleasing than what I've already produced... So I've been working really hard, only on one idea though in case I don't get them done in time at least one might get finished.

So the first idea came to mind because over Christmas I decided to do a clear out and whilst doing this I found some printwork I'd produced in college. I was never going to show it again because it just wasn't quite right, I didn't know why but I'd never been happy with it really. Anyway I couldn't bare to through it away but I guess it's been on my mind ever since. Last night an idea suddenly popped into my head of what I should have done with it in the first place so I'm giving it a go. I wanted to make it into one huge piece but I wouldn't get it in the car and also it would probably become to fragile as it's only thin paper.

It's quite quick to construct though because the most fiddly part has been done, this is the enjoyable bit making it have movement. The finished piece took me a few hours last night and I've started the others today after work, hopefully they'll fit together nicely on the wall, not sure how they're going to be attached yet though.