Now reviewing my work since January.
14th Jan Some methods (ie working with paper on wall) making me more self-conscious.
21st Jan Quite a simple way of working with paint and pencil. Brushes,finger, pencil, knife being used.
23rd Jan Painting on larger scale. Celia mentioned John Cage in regards to the way I’m working. Aimed to do a painting a day.
31st Jan End of module evaluation.
I’d produced a fair amount of work. Quite varied. One thing I notice by looking back is that if I am ‘stuck’, perhaps I’m doing the same or very similar thing – the moulded cups for example, it could equally be painting – then a way to give my work a boost and to help me see clearly what is going on is to change medium – maybe to go into 3D or into 2D, whichever one I’m not doing and explore my interests with a fresh process.
I described my work (the painting esp.) as primarily listening, rather than the transition of writing into drawing…
Learnt that an hour or two painting (/making) a day is more fruitful than 8 hours in one go.
I can’t tell if I am still not recognising when I am stuck. Probably can’t. What is more important to me now is finding a way to ensure I have regular practical sessions, whether at home or college. Currently (2nd May) I have work on the go in both. Things like trips and meetings can get in the way of this flow of work. Flow is vital for me to sustain my practice. I have come through some mental barriers with my work, but I still need to train myself to be more disciplined in arranging myself enough time to really make work. Make the most of every day. I like comfort and I need to wean myself off activities that aren’t necessary else I will not be able to work enough to maintain momentum post-college (with paid work factored in). It would help me if I just focussed on the one thing I’m doing now (I keep coming back to this) and not to give myself distractions!
Research needed into how others use the mediums I’m currently using.
Talk about other artists work more in my learning journal
The physical nature of my work is varied, yet focussed.
Restricting my choice of material is helpful to create more.
Qualities I found most exciting were the developing subtlety and the expressiveness of the paint. This is something that is missing in my current work breaking up writing. Less clear expression, due to material I’m working with. How can I make it more expressive? My obvious reaction is to say by building up layers of the broken up letters and rather than stick them on randomly, to play morewith the broken up letters so they (almost?) become something else.
Hayward Director Ralph Rugoff talks about artwork that ‘reflects the times in which we live’ – I wonder if mine does? Am I ‘making art about my own experience of contemporary life in my historical moment’? Yes.
