The third component of my skills development project was to talk to someone who could help me move my making processes forwards and help me think through what the direction of this could be.
For a number of years I have been making sculptures in two ways – using large flat shapes cut out of wood and theatre-flats; and casting from plaster on concrete.
I have always been interested in the idea of the work being an environmental experience, with view points that unfold as you navigate it in space. Content being communicated through a variety of modes to give an overall impression or sense of something.
Alongside I have been developing a body of small works using casting processes in plaster, concrete and most recently Jesmonite. I wanted to get a sense of how I needed to adjust my making process with these in order to make large scale work and scale up.
These works have drawn on casting processes with flexible materials, such plastic bags and plastic tubing (packaging materials mainly) and I was having problems with work breaking- having no knowledge of what variations in mixtures I could get away with or how to shore up my makeshift moulds.
With my A-N Bursary I was able to get in contact with another artist who’s work I have been fascinated by Katja Larsson for some bespoke advice and a supported making session. She and I were in artist-led exhibition ODDS at Assembly Point Studios in 2017 and I have been following her practice since then.
Katja has been able to look at the work that I have been making and give specific advice around how much bigger I can go without breaks forming, identifying potential weak spots, as well as pointing out where my improvised moulds work and where they need more support. She has also been able to give me an idea of the materials I would need to make much larger scale works and work out a budget for up-coming funding applications.
As well as the technical feedback around a specific project, connecting with another artist around the work has given me the opportunity to extend my professional networks
