In a sea of tasks, at a time weeks keep passing quicker and quicker ,I have been offered to take residence at the container where Container Project’s Woodbridge ‘Me Time’ sessions have been taking place.
It has been lovely to take part as a volunteer and have the chance to extend my work with May Cornet. These is much more to come, we will be setting the terms and sharing every step, starting now.
Study of the container
I have spend an intense extra hour of drawing at the container on Monday (01.11.21). Starting off by mapping the inside, the existing furniture as well as the exterior alongside my ideas.
Link to time-lapse> https://vimeo.com/641170771
I find documenting my process very interesting as no artist often has the chance to look at themselves from a side. It really helps me understand my process and even that I have been back to drawing for more than a month now, I still can’t believe I am actually doing so. The more I draw, the more natural it gets.
Thanks to my study I have established several outlines of the work I will be creating. The windows will be the main part I will be engaging with. They will be my tool for viewing the work from the outside of the container. I want to play with perspective and use yarn (for now) in a hot and in a cold colour. This will bring better contrast for my play with symmetry. Another new element I am planning is engagement with the floor and sealing.
As I live in Ipswich and will need to plan my trips for the residency, I have made a ruff plan for at least 2 more days/afternoons that my work might take. Marking the invisible, I will highlight my suggestion at the container.
I will need a step ladder, white duct tape, yarn, two tripods and two devices, alongside a sketchbook and pens. Also, so far I have only been assisted for taking my installations down and I will be searching for full on help for this work. It will be a new challenge that will contribute a new element of my work- verbal and written directions for installing.
22.11.21 – Closing tea with May
We went on a walk along the river (Deben) today to reflect on our experience and chat about plans for the following 6 months over tea. It was a very clear, although chilly day and I must admit one of the most enjoyable work related conversations I have had so far.
Here are the main topics we discussed:
Support through mentoring over my Container residency which will not necessary lead to a final exhibition and can be about the process of drawing, studying and proposals. By leaving it open there will be more space for creativity. Afterwards we can only see where it leads us to. The aim is to link the inside and the outside community through my work and the container, bring opportunities for each side.
We spoke about my Studio Project Space residency and my current interest in testing ready-mades ( Shumensko beer bottles). May suggested I could take an element from the bottles such as the colour red and imply in my future yarn installations. We also spoke about future experiments with materials and fixing emphasizing on thickness (by layering the lines) and particular circular (closed) hooks. I will consider using ribbon or self naturally coloured yarn.
May shared that she sees the river as a thread which connects us all. This ties very well with the idea for creating work in response to the landscape linking with the container.
I have shared my plans for after university as well as my dissertation topic, deadlines and concerns. She encouraged me to present my dissertation instead as I mentioned it as sounding unsure but aware I enjoy speaking.
Temporal conclusions from our conversation:
Residency could be culminating in June and until then we will keep in touch along side the ‘Me Time’ sessions. When they return in spring depends on funding. Up until then we are planning to have regular monthly calls starting in December .
Wisdom of the day is
things take time, you cannot push the river, you must let it flow.
25.11.21
On my way to have a late night tour at the Fitzwilliam in Cambridge, soon after our closing tea ,May and I had a conversation over the phone. As her own commitments will demand more time after Christmas and myself am in my last year of uni it has been decided It will be best to postpone the next ‘Me time’ sessions as well as the residency up until June 2022 the earliest.
