This blog documents my attempts to develop my practice as a part time student, working towards a Fine Arts degree at UCS. My aim has been to establish a focused narrative that expresses my view of the human condition in a relevant, but not always reverent way.
My work reflects my perspective as a woman, in a patriarchal society. I am currently examining my thesis that women need armour, either to protect their body and mind, or to enable attack on the Ties that Bind.
The photo of the scarecrow, signalling to no-one in an empty field [is not my own], but reflects my frequent despair which I seek to alleviate by making artifacts, to try to communicate.
Can’t add any more as not allowed to upload any more pictures……so i will attempt to continue on a second blog “Tough Love”
I have been working with the idea of a helmet made from pill casings for some time, attaching them was the main problem.Sewing and glue gunning was unsatisfactory.
Then it occurred to me recently that in the detritus of my workroom I have a small polystyrene head, possibly abandoned by my daughter. This provided a base and by sticking pins through the pill strips I could use the attachments as a further comment the message.
The helmet of protection also subdues.
Have been feeling a bit overwhelmed with ideas which are started but not completed lately. Each day I think “i could do that” I need several lives/elves to produce what I would wish too. A workshop of assistance would also be helpful, See Ryan Gander, Chapman Brothers.
It is also perhaps a mythical?female trait of multi tasking, women’s lives are often less structured, perhaps we are genetically programmed not to have tunnel vision which might be necessary for hunting, so decided to focus again, to return to some background research on the subject of Masks and Helmets in my Cover Her Head theme.
Portraits are often revered for the accuracy of the likeness, but the interpretation of the inner personality produces lasting art. The expression of this hidden person feeds into my theme of Armour, the need to show or hide. A Mask, a Covering.So I looked at the work of Frank Auerbach, Francis Bacon, Micallef…the latter work stimulated thoughts of strips of textiles or dripping plaster and now I have the urge to construct some huge? chicken wire masks…….
Have started work on a Collaboration with the English dept at UCS. Have chosen 2 poems one about not knowing who ones great g’ma really is….and another 6 word statement about the “Pills don’t work”. Hopefully this latter one will give me motivation to finish my medical helmet.
The figures are inked onto peplum which is stiff enough to stand up but flexible enough to stitch.
I had in mind the Russian dolls that fit inside one another but swerved off into the idea of 4 separate figures that could group together.
The sketches were spontaneous and perhaps need more research and thought about scale. But they are part of my mission to loosen up and interpret rather than illustrate. Take advantage of my ability to draw but not let it take over. Or is that an excuse to be impatient.
It has been a pressured year what with polymyalgia and the need to get something achieved before I became too tired…..and the www.glengerrard.com website [requirement of Professional Dev.]and this blog and my mother having a stroke and of course the dreaded dissertation, still no feed back.
Life and Art; Art fills my thoughts but Life requires physical attention. Women are culturally programmed to nurture others before themselves, and my website now reflects this theme, which makes it feel more personal.
I guess I should look at my own dear g’ma, and great g’ma but perhaps that falls too close to stereotypical women’s issues??
