Yesterday i finally installed object for moving over #2 at Napton skate park. It was actually quite strange to do – as it was going into a skate park it sort of got lost as a piece of work, Also the fact i was skating it myself (i’ve been a skateboarder for over a decade) made me view the work in a sort of confused way, i think i need to go back and view the work without having my skateboard with me and when I make further objects for skateboarding i think i need to try and remove myself from skateboarding so i can evaluate more clearly.
However seeing other people skating on and around it made me quite pleased. This process of installation really made me wish I had of had chance for people to skate object for moving over #1 when it was installed at central library in birmingham.
Another exhibition opppertunity has also presented itself – an outdoor exhibition at Coombe Abbey near Coventry and i was asked to put togeather a proposal pack, something i had not done before – but found quite useful in actually reviewing what i had done before. I have proposed the installation of rope swings to intergrate the sites play and walking space with each other.
Also at Coombe Abbey there is a wood turning workshop coming up which i am going to take part in, i am quite worried its going to be quite an old fashioned craft based day – but i guess with a bit of research before hand i can approach it with a method which will help my pratice.
Again a busy 5 or so days! I attended the animation workshop at Leamington Spa art gallery that i have mentioned before and really enjoyed it, it was more of a 3D digital modeling workshop than an animation workshop but i found this more useful to my practice than i feel animation would have been. I was also looking at the days tuition style and was quite interested to see it was basically pure instruction/step by step and i guess that suits the computer work / sat at desk style of learning and am still looking for other workshops to participate in so i have something to compare it with. The last workshop I took part in was a relief print workshop with Ryan McCalland which i feel i got more out of due to a greater interaction with the artist and being able to incorporate the workshop into my own practice. However the digital modeling workshop has left me wanting to experiment a bit more so i can really see what is possible.
I also finished Sign work #2ready for the LSA summer show and have had 5 limited edition prints of the work made which i am going to number and sign on the rear, these are going to be priced at 20quid (unframed) and am pricing the sculpture itself at £300. I am really pleased with how the piece has come out and its finish has actually convinced me to only show one work as opposed to the two i was planning on. I am still really looking forward to seeing it in an exhibition space and as my prints still haven’t arrived I’m quite excited to see them as well. This being the first time i have had to price work i really struggled on deciding on a price and am still not really sure how i decided on £300…its times like these where i definitely noticed how useful the uni studios and staff are!!!
I have been struggling to make work over the past week, and not for lack of ideas or materials or even time… The thing i have been struggling with has been trying to work in a studio which is actually a room in my flat, there are so many distractions which just aren’t there when working in an actual studio space!!!
Despite this struggle i have managed to be fairly productive, i have started working on a new sign work, using a pre-fabricated sign i found on ebay – i have been treating the surface ready to apply the text and should have pictures up (on here) later in the week. I am planning on using gloss paint to get a really smooth, convincing and almost reflective quality but am not sure if perhaps some sort of metallic paint would be more suitable or even a vinyl of some description – which i guess will be discovered when the work is finished!!!
Another thing which has been keeping me busy has been filling out my entrance form to the LSA (leamington studio artists) summer exhibition I have been invited to exhibit in as well as trying to decide what to actually show!!! I have decided upon my gazibo roof piece which i have provisonally titled object for living under as well as the sign piece I have just been discussing which I am calling sign work #2. I am really excited about the prospect of this exhibition as it will give me the opportunity to see my work alongside other workingartists and in a gallery space i have not had the work in. From previous experience this process of seeing work in a different context is really useful.
I am still also waiting for an opportunity to install my work in Napton skate park which i hope will be happening soon. I am also returning to Bournville College tomorrow an am looking forward to seeing what the students have done since I was last there.
In the past 2 weeks i have also visited The Potteries Gallery in Stoke -on- Trent and a folk music and dancing day at MAC both of which were enjoyable but i wasn’t paying much critical attention and need to get myself back into the routine of visiting exhibitions and really paying attention.
