ARTISTS TALKING

# 1 [19 July 2010]

A constant fascination with my family history, memories and childhood  & how this has shaped my life, has been dominating my art practice in recent years.  Yet I feel my work has been merely observational and working on a unsubtle surface layer. I feel I've been merely scratching the surface at something much deeper lying within. 

Since the end of my foundation course, I've been contemplating my inspirational sources in order to reveal the true identity of my artistic practice.  I want to begin my degree with confidence that my practice has 100% integrity of what it means to me to be creative.

My final project and dissertation, of my foundation course, threw up a lot of questions and issues around what I am trying to say with my art. I gather a collection of objects, found and familiar, and place them within the white cube for viewers to make their own connections and decisions. But how is this art?

Maybe I borrow the rules from my other profession as a writer and want to tell stories not only with text but also in a visual way. As Susan Hiller once said:

“I take it that any conscious configuration of objects tells a story. In fact this is something I’ve believed for a very long time…that any collection of objects was an ambiguously bounded unit that told a particular story, and it was by setting the boundaries that the story was told.”

I suppose things will all become more clear throughout the duration of this course and through the use of this blog.

# 2 [19 July 2010]

I was at an artist's talk last week, with a bit of networking. I talked to a fellow artist and she said she was going through the process of trying to talk to other people about her art. She said she always has difficulties when it comes to talking about her art. I said she could practice on me. She was an installation artist, using found objects, textiles and text etc.

I couldn't see her difficulty. I understood her work and saw connection with mine.

Thinking about this experience now, I've just had one of those light bulb moments and realised that we get in such a fuss about our work and how to describe it to others. We make it difficult when it isn't.

Is it out of embarrassment or a lack of confidence in our work?

I'm not going to play that game anymore.

# 3 [19 July 2010]

I'm forever researching one thing or other; Billie Holiday, the Yorkshire Ripper, fish! This generates a mass of notes and images. I'm going to have start sorting through them, to try and get some order- physically and mentally.

My thinking process takes me off in all directions. I have one idea and then it all sprouts off with million of different possibilities. I get all fired up and follow them down alleys. Exciting and stimulating as it is, it is a challenge to keep it all going and to achieve something tangible. After the first bloom it does take a lot of time and effort to keep the glow, glowing.

As a reality check i visited the North of the Wall exhibition in Tynemouth today. There were lovely pieces on display from local artists that are simple. Simply beautiful; from the large vibrant abstract painting to the small oil on board painting. Just do.

# 4 [26 July 2010]

I receive these twice weekly emails from an artist called Robert Genn. I'm note sure how I found him, on the internet of course, but I thought it might be useful to sign up for these emails. These emails can be hit and miss but sometimes what I read hits a chord. Like the last one I received. This one email was about 'finding a voice', something that has been occupying my own thoughts recently.

Genn make the distinction between voice in style to voice in cause. Ideally voice in stlye develops over time while voice in cause is based on an attitude or issue. These can change with growth, development and experience.

His advice for artists to finding their own voice is fourfold:

1. Make stuff - an artist who practices, putting in the time to/for work will generate clarity and direction in their work.

2. Have a hunger - an artist hungry for knowledge and self-knowldege moves forward.

3. Have a curiosity - an artist with wonder will try anything to find out how something works. Wondering if you can do it gives you the reason to try.

4. Feel joy - an artist has to feel joy in themselves and feel they are giving it to others through their work. There's no point in producing art if you are not happy doing it.

I suppose I will use these suggestions or rules as I progress through my practice as I think Genn has highlighted some important points here. They may seem obvious to some but these truths tend to get lost in the thick of things.

# 5 [27 July 2010]

The baby is fed and watered and has fallen asleep in my arms. I have visions of getting down to some work, cracking on with projects, achieving a sense of achievement. Instead, I boil the kettle, make a coffee, kick back to read some of the a-n blogs and profiles. Am I procrastinating? Or am I gaining inspiration? Whatever, I am still engaging with my art, still keeping the wheels turning.

# 6 [28 July 2010]

I've got some time in Scotland soon. I'm hoping to get some perspective on things as well as create.

I've got a new sketchbook for the occasion. I love starting a new sketchbook. Maybe it's something that's stayed with me from being a child when I used to wander around WHSmith's and Riley's (an old art shop). But I always feel filled with hope and possibilities when I open that book and see that blank page. I never fail to cover that first page.  It might be the next few pages I have trouble with.

This time I plan to be honest with myself and get up close and personal with my sketchbook. I'm not going to plan everything out first or over analyse. Just do and enjoy.

# 7 [10 August 2010]

I'm back. Had a terrific time away. Managed to work in small sharp bursts of creativity. Not to plan, not sure where it's leading to but I have been enjoying myself.

Still working on the small scale, I've been working on coloured paper with watercolours and letting the paint take on a life of its own. Included a couple images here.

# 8 [11 August 2010]

I've set myself a summer project to keep my hand in, but it's here, there and everywhere. I think this indicates to me that I have loads of ideas, some good, some bad. I make time to follow these ideas to a conclusion. Well what I think is a conclusion. But sometimes I finish a piece of art and sit back and look at it and think is that it. Is it complete? Is it the best it can be? Does it need to go public to be complete? Does it need a seal of approval from someone respected for me to see it as art?
Maybe this is a waiver in my confidence? Maybe I'm questioning what is art? What makes my installations art and not just reality?
Have I mentioned that before?

Yes it all sounds familiar now. I was asking the same questions in my first post here. Does this mean I'm just going around in circles? Or does it mean that with every new piece of 'art' I'm asking the question - is this art?
Too many questions.

# 9 [12 August 2010]

Degree in Applied Art 2010 - The ideas

1. Inks and paints - Laventille Grids -  representing the houses carved into the slopes of the Laventille hills.

2. Photography and installation - Angels and Whore - The idealised representation of women -whiter than white.

3. Photography - Colour studies - Collecting photographic images of colours just like that collection of images containing musical notes showing at the Baltic now.

4. Installations in the landscape - using found objects during walks to create along the way. Richard Long inspired.

5. Paints and inks - Futurism - in different mediums copying the style, sampling colours and shapes.

6. Photogaphy - Rocks, Seaweed and Lichen - close observations and recordings of the growth and patterns created. Ingrid Pollard's Near and Far exhibition inspired.

7. Painingts- Still Life- Picasso inspired skill life paintings of animal skulls. Large scale.

8. Performance Art - A Jazz Singer -  following in Sophie Calle's footsteps!

# 10 [16 August 2010]

My mind's not on art reallly at the moment. I'm trying to focus but my mind is insisting on wondering over my new habit. I've taken up a number of new sports and I'm really getting into them and my training.

I'm thinking now is there any way I can combine the two. I know it's early days but I'm in that enthusiastic -all-a-glow sort of phase where everything has to gel in order to keep the rose tinting continuing. Otherwise, I'm going to start experiencing guilt for neglecting my art.

I'm forever putting the pressure on myself.