I have started my exploration by visiting the Gorge, making notes, painting, drawing, printing and filming. I have cut up Allison Neal’s written notes about the cultural, geological, scientific and engineering history of the area and placed them in a box.…then picking these notes out at random
As I find out more interesting facts, findings and come up with questions about the Gorge I am adding them to the box, along with eliminating notes of no interest, so my collection about the Gorge is constantly being added to and edited.
This is creating a flow in my exploration of the area and the production of new work.
So far I have used video, Styrofoam printing and painting in my response.
I’ll be Saline etching, taking prepared aluminum sheet to the Gorge and responding to the site while there as well as once back in the studio.
I plan to print onto thin paper allowing the lines to be seen from the other side, i.e. as drawn originally.
I’d like to make the most of this chance to work with other creatives, forming varied collaborative relationships.
Collaboration as conversation, as exchange or as a dynamic pairing challenging our working methods? How might I explore what I am capable of with this collaboration?
This project is important to me because I have felt unconnected to the land I now live in for a long time and this open exploration of an area is beautifully grounding for my sensitive and responsive approach to art making.
I am fascinated by people and land. This is my dream project – working with creatives of the area and focusing on a geographical area because I love discovering other creatives mindsets and process’ and this gives me an excuse and an arena to explore the area physically and textually.
The possibility that Shakespeare wrote Midsummer Nights Dream in one of the caves, although only really only a rumour, is something that I keep coming back to.
