Monday 23rd
Guess? Writing, spent Morning finishing a few illustrations for an application and printing out for Tuesday, then sealed the box containing them. had to leave it all out to go to a meeting bout an event i am planning later i the year. Find you get into something, a piece of work or a poem then you loose flow by having to stop midway. Prefer to spend all day on one thing rather than bits but thats getting rare….at the moment.
Spent evening discussing with 2 friends, a filmmaker and another artist how to begin a collaborative relationship for a new body of work i am evolving. Very exciting as the way we will work will influence the way we relate to each other and hence the outcomes. The 'journey and story' are the most important aspect at this stage and that is constantly changing shape. This documented experimentation will push contextual boundaries around 'written word, personal space and vulnerability' as well as being he basis for a series of new digital and 3D work. Lots of rain, Lots of wine, good food and intense conversations. Walked home buzzing with ideas, will write these down on the train tomorrow and talk with ACE and gallery later in week.
When i illustrated books, no one was readily interested how i did the work, the research, the roughs, just that the end product fitted the brief. I always felt this was a waste as i found the process the most interesting and exciting but drawing the final illustration the least. Now its 180 degrees turnaround and i prefer this, much more inspiring and creative. What or where is it going to lead too? Guess thats why i found 'fossil' hunting so stimulating, you never knew what was going to be 'uncovered' next. I try to weave that 'energy' in to my current work.
Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd
Both days a blur of writing the bursary applications, a document to present to a Rail company next week and preparing boxes, i cannot separate them… Was ok as the boxes dried outside in the sun. Watched a few films to break up the days and played about programming a few of the synthesisers i have, no reading involved…..
Actually had time to create today, felt good
had space so reflected on my 'journey'. I had been asked a few days before if i could change my past, would I? I dont think i would not really, it informs what i am and do, even the abuse….besides who knows? and does it matter?
What does matter is todays aniversary, is its the 2 years to the day since i first rang Arts Council Enland…
will have a drink…cheers SP…..
Friday 20th
Attended university graduation today and learnt the results of some of the students i had been working with. All really good so was pleased for them. Sorted out some items for a gallery submission with a senior technician in Biology. Spent some time explaining about the work and how dyslexia and genetics are entwined. Was time well spent and ordered.
Walked to Aspex to meet with Alex from 'explore', their out of gallery arts program. Sat in the 'ARC' room and had a chat. (It was a ARC session 2 and a bit years ago that pointed me in the direction of ACE….) Would i be interested in working for a day and installing an intervention on an allotment. Yep, proposed something and its sorted….. read about it on September 3rd.
Walked back with Alex from explore, again i now take every chance to chat with fellow artists and dream up future collaboration. Such a difference from self inflicted reclusive-ness…
Thursday 19th
Today i went to Brixton, South London. Hadn't been there for 25 years, not since i lived near when i was at Kings College in 1980.(geology) Hadn't changed a lot just seemed busier and full of 'mobile phone' shops. Train up from Portsmouth again to Victoria, was disappointingly uneventful, gave me time to again write down some ideas and work on them. Spoke with the 'conductor/ guard' for a while about AP.
Visited a long standing disability artist about a future commission that may well turn out to be quite involved. Had a very good time and it was important for me as i learnt about some of the roots of disability arts in the UK. Its all very well to 'read' about but comes to life when you hear experiences first hand. A chronology of disability arts can be found on the 'Disability Arts Online' website. Rarely get to engage like this with other disability artist, esp as i'm a 'newcomer' to the scene.
Again the journey back was uneventfull, still cannot get the picture of the 'woman as bagel' out of my mind. Quite disturbing, as PW aspergers tend to be very literal in a sometimes pedantic way but always pictorial!. A spade is a spade, a digging instrument for the garden……..
Wednesday 18th
Spend a few hours first thing updating this blog: Then head to London via 'Hove' to meet with Stevie Director of DaDa South (DS), Sign Dance Collective (SDC), an Artist (whose project it is) and the National Arts Development Manager of Mencap about a prospective 'sound' collaboration for an 'intervention'. Project sounds very interesting and respect and enjoy working with SDC and DS so throw my lot in with them. As an access enablement for David B from SDC a small 'acid yellow' figure was used. Whoever held the figure was entitled to speak so he could follow who was speaking one at a time by lip reading.
Aaaarhg yellow! Don't touch yellow (Aspergers thang!)
Devil drives a yellow car: I bullied myself into painting this (with covered and prepared books) last year at a solo ahow about 'abuse' (violently ill while painting it), revisited it this year at 1st Disability arts open at Holton Lee, along with 'my school pen'and won the Judges prize.
Compelled to 'keep quiet' till could hold it in no longer and asked for the 'figure' to be put on my paper pad, one finished it was 'flicked' it to next person to speak. Ended up being quite amusing diffusing the unease i felt at the 'yellowness' (Aspergers goes hand in hand with synaesthesia, and mine certain colours i 'feel' and 'taste' yellow creating a foul fungus taste and fear. Complicated my work as an illustrator for a long time, maybe thats why i prefer B/W. Can get very complicated. Read 'curious tale of dog in the night time' and you will understand)
Headed to London Bridge but had difficulty reading the train info to get back and had never been through there before and it was very busy so headed to Victoria which i Know well and like. Trip back on train interesting and quite surreal. A very young child a few seats away spent most of the journey pointing and shouting at a woman in the seat behind calling her a 'bagel'. Luckily she was asleep and i still cannot see the connection? Very DADA. Gave me time to note down the locations and ideas i had seen for artwork at Victoria and other stations on the way.
In late, tired and i have to be in London again tomorrow.
