DEGREES UNEDITED

# 113 [17 July 2010]

First Class Honours :)

# 112 [18 June 2010]

1. ʻA Space for Contemplation on the True Nature of Impermanenceʼ 

A dramatic circular construction of charred salvaged industrial timber fixed together to become a sculptural form. The individual pieces used as drawing elements to become pointed spires, striking shapes and well defined negative spaces. The circle has an opening through which items placed upon the floor are visible. The opening invites viewers to enter the space. On the floor is a rectangular box made from timber salvaged from a salt works. The surface is encrusted with growing salt crystals, filled with wood ash and contains a small, living oak tree. Next to the box is a Tibetan singing bowl. Sound from an industrial process is audible as a subtle but powerful presence that dies away and then arises again in a continuous cycle. The title makes reference to the Buddhist philosophy that all things are subject to perpetual change. In meditation, a person concentrates on the rise and fall of their breath as a contemplation that all that arises passes away only to arise again in cyclic renewal. The piece contains symbols of life and death, and acknowledges death as an important part of the cycle of life. Salt crystals are in the process of growing on the wooden box and will eventually cover the box completely and grow across the floor and onto the carbon if left unchecked. The oak tree is growing from the ashes of burnt wood signifying new life, just as fresh growth springs up from burnt forestation. Found sound from the industrial process of salt production is mixed to form an audio experience that rises and falls, to die away and then arise again in a resurgent cycle. The Tibetan singing bowl is traditionally used by Buddhist monks at the start of meditation who strike it with the wooden baton to produce a beautiful ringing sound that fades very gradually to silence. It is used to help quieten the mind prior to meditation. The singing bowl is a philosophical symbol that invites the viewer to contemplate the cycle of destruction, death, rebirth and growth into new life.

2. ʻH20 - NaClʼ  A wall mounted, salt encrusted cabinet roughly constructed from timber salvaged from the roof of a salt works, stands ajar to reveal shelves with three rusted hinged wooden books and a terracotta salt pot. The salt pot is encrusted with crystals that are spreading from the pot to grow organically across the shelf itself. Below the cabinet is a desk on which is placed another rusted hinged wooden book. Pages are lying open inviting the viewer to read the surface of the wood which is ingrained with the historic residue of the salt making process and growing salt crystals. A pair of reading spectacles lies on the page as a trace of a readers human presence. A test tube rack containing 4 test tubes lies in front of the cabinet, two containing water and two containing brine. Although the liquids look the same, the pure water contains growing algae, whilst the brine is too strong to sustain life and contains a desiccated seed head. The title of the work ʻH2O - NaClʼ is the scientific chemical formula for water and salt.  

3. ʻContinuityʼ  Video (1min 38)  This short film shot in darkness 600ft below ground in a salt mine features found sound mixed from explosions and snatched images of mineworkers and machinery. Text is overlaid which makes reference to the lifecycle of salt and its importance in giving and supporting life, saving life, taking and preserving life.  

4. ʻCrystal Cutʼ   A crusting of salt crystals grown organically from liquid brine. The pattern of sweeping curves is taken from photographs of the marks made in salt rock caverns from rock cutting equipment. The underground rock caverns have a tremendous energy of cyclic existence that transcends human intervention.  These crystals grown from salt brine painted onto the glass from a tracing of a photograph of the marks in the rock. Left in hot sunshine, crystals have formed and continue to grow in response to moisture in the air. Trapped between glass, this ʻdecohydranteʼ lifecycle process is suspended.  

5. ʻFormationʼ  Three square panels of two glass mounted on wood cut from salvaged timber from salt works. A crusting of salt crystals grows organically from liquid brine. The progression of the three begins with fragmented organic forms through to fully joined forms. This progression is a reflection of the organic growth of the salt crystals that continue to grow if left undisturbed. 

# 111 [13 June 2010]

Wirral Met Degree Show

Carolyn Shepherd

'Continuity'

The industrial landscape inspires me.  This body of five works is a response to the salt industry in Cheshire.  Salvaged timber and mine-working ironmongery, salt crystals, brine and found sound combine to express the concept of continuity. The cyclic process of salt sees it change its form in a lifecycle of perpetual renewal.  My influences include David Nash, Miroslaw Balka and Wolfgang Laib.

Artist Statement and further photographs at www.carolynshepherd.co.uk

# 110 [12 June 2010]

Private View night last night was a huge success. The show is impressive. It's very special to me to see all our work together in a stunning cohesive whole. I really don't want to know our marks and gradings as it will spoil the very special memory of an awesome exhibition.

More photographs to follow.

# 109 [10 June 2010]

Jiggling cable runs. Altering that plinth yet again. Burning movie DVD.

Camped out in the gallery till 8.30 with an early start planned again for tomorrow.  

No posting tomorrow as there is no internet connection from the gallery. Will probably snooze through the private view which begins at 6pm. 

# 108 [9 June 2010]

Hot day in the gallery again. Gently sliding a 12ft by 6ft charcoal structure around on a delicate wood floor. And then gently sliding it back again. Delicate operation. I've a feeling I'll be doing it again tomorrow.

Not happy with cabling arrangement but need to work within health and safety constraints. This will need more alteration tomorrow. 

Not happy with two of my plinths, so again this needs sorting tomorrow.

Video and soundtrack still need some adjustment too.

Plenty of work still left to complete on Journal, and a Statement of Assessment to write.  All of this is slightly behind schedule, but I've been working flat out since January so I'm not sure where I could have tweaked the project plan to fit more in!  I've probably just done more work than I intended to do. I seem to remember writing a couple of months ago that it would be a tight squeeze in the final week.

Dispelled some stress by testing out the sound system in the circle with some dance music. Might try this again tomorrow if the tension runs too high!

# 107 [8 June 2010]

Hot and dirty day again. Mending broken bits. Positioning. Repositioning. Biggest challenge is protecting the gallery wood parquet floor from charcoal dust and wood scratches, also avoiding floor sockets and making sure cable runs do not pose a hazard to visitors.

A bit behind schedule but just have to keep slogging away.

Conveyancing contracts due to exchange and complete this week - great news! It would be even better news if it was happening next week instead, but I'm just pleased to have the house sale finished.  This just means I have a bit of extra clearing and packing to do before I can hand over the keys.  I will have to find time for this somehow. Good job I believe in miracles.

# 106 [7 June 2010]

Hot, tired and dirty.

2hrs to pack stuff up, 2hrs to load van, 1hr to drive van to gallery, 2hrs to unload van, 1 hr drive home.

Up at 4.30am this morning so ready for a good sleep.

Cream cake Chrissie deserves a Lifetime Achievement Award for putting up with me giving orders all day, but the fun we had erecting the loading trolley had us in tears laughing and will go down in history as the funniest moment of my whole degree experience!

Stuff arrived with a few breakages but can be repaired in the gallery tomorrow.

All under control. Ask me again on Friday morning!

# 105 [6 June 2010]

Organising packing things into boxes, mending broken pieces, ticking off lists, making new lists. Tomorrow I set up in the gallery. Just hope it gets there in one piece as it's a 40 mile run there in a hire van. Will be taking a full toolkit with me just in case of disasters en route. Sorry no photos but the grass in the garden is so embarrassingly high now it is obscuring the sculpture! Will post photos when it is safely in situ.

# 104 [5 June 2010]

Gorgeous day again for working outside. Continuing to tie up loose ends. More of them than there should be. In fact some parts are a bit frayed at the edges and I'd forgotten how much there was left tidy up. It's always the fiddly last things that take longer than they should.

Whilst assembling the test tubes of pond water that are forming part of my other installation I find that there are some creatures living it. Although this is a wonderful evolution to support my concept of the continuation of the lifecycle, me being an animal lover I'm a bit concerned about their welfare. Should I return them to Applied Alison's pond where the water came from or should I notify the Performing Animal Society and bring them along to the show? Not sure if they need to paid up members of Equity? Being as the show runs for a fortnight though they may hatch out into frogs during that time - not sure how long this takes? This could be a problem - along with the other insects that have moved into my burnt wood sculpture whilst it's been in the garden since March.  I hope the wildlife doesn't steal the show!