Finding an identity as a solo artist, among other things. R&D project 08-09. Esc

So now I find myself within a new collaboration with Jenny, now called 'Hunt & Darton', with a performance that’s been through the mill, and is know finally finished. I'm still very much attached to Ben and reminisce our work often. I am in the process of archiving Ben and Holly 2002-2009. And I'm Holly, I'm me and I'm finding out a little more about what that means in terms of these two collaborations, the future, my current residence in Hertford, and the move to a new studio located on a farm in the village I lived as a child?

I have recently written my aspirations for this Escalator year and thought I should share them at this point- that way you can all hold me to them.

ESCALATOR ASPIRATIONS AS OF February 2009

To be able to write more fluidly about my practice- OWN IT.

Give the visual art work space AND utilise the visual art work (Sculpture, drawing, painting, photography and video) more- find links to allow it to support and/or become part of performance work.

Carryout a residency in Colchester July 2009- Camping in Colchester, retreat- a chance to combine visual art work with performance in a space away from arts centre venue- for example an alternative space such as the church or an empty shop etc…

Meet key people in the region- HAMMER THE REGION.

Simon at Norwich art centre

Metal- Southend

Focal point gallery- Southend

Digswell art trust- Hertfordshire

Wysing art centre- Basingbourne

Kettles yard- Cambridge

Hertfordshire University Gallery spaces.

To PLACE my work both theoretically and physically.

To identify specific theory to read.

To find FORMULAS and FORMATS to support a personal identity, specifically when applying for future festivals-both UK and beyond, residencies and shows AND/OR to support the day to day ability to developed performative activity i.e. to develop methods for developing movement and vocal work.

To investigate AESTHETIC- find a voice.

To archive my work to date including work as Holly, work as Ben and Holly and work as Hunt and Darton- GET IT OUT AND REFLECT.

Well, after starting the blog back in October it has taken me until now to write again. I'm not sure why exactly but I've been busy so there is a lot to catch up on.

I think initially the blog felt like a pressure rather than a tool to support my process and thinking and I had not figured out in my head exactly how I wanted to use it, but now it feels right again, it feels helpful and good to write things down.

The last couple of months have been filled with developing a piece of work made in collaboration with Jenny Hunt called 'Everybody Moving On'. Having found common ground two years ago, we have been writing together for the past 2 years, developing performances that allow us to embarrass ourselves and laugh at ourselves and the world around us. This process has allowed me to grow as performer, embracing text and spoken word and identify to myself and remind myself of my desire to work within the realms of performance. This new collaboration has also supported the transition from Ben and Holly to Holly work and new collaborations. It took a while there to be okay about the slower pace at which Ben and Holly now work, of which, to be exact includes the making of no new work for the past 2 years. Quite a change from the speed we had been working running up to this and the amount of time we spent together, which was a lot. This process has allowed me to experience maturity and live the life we once would question. What would happen to Ben and Holly in the future when we move, have to commit to a family/children, get married, the stuff we would laugh about, but it happens, it happens as you get older, things change, we change and this will effect collaboration, not for ever necessarily, but maybe temporarily or for a couple of years. We are bound to change and want different things. This still excites me though and still feels like our work, our work is our relationship and although not physically been presented is still very much alive mentally.

'Everybody Moving On' is the culmination of the 2 years spent with Jenny and recently climaxed with a performance last week at the NRLA in Glasgow. A great weekend, and feeling very relaxed we performed and we enjoyed it. It felt good, the audience liked it and the hard work had paid off. To leave NRLA as a performer saying it was all great, felt great.