DIY residency

I finished the grid drawings, packed up, and took a week holiday in Athens.

I feel I’ve had a very productive time in Crete, for the duration of the DIY residency. Looking back I really got into the zone, and focused intensely on my work, which is what I always need to do, otherwise I dont do good work. So this whole period, feeling quite lonely at the start, became a very productive period.

A key aspect was the deadline – I had to get the work done before I left the rental apartment. I had no choice but to get my head down. Deadlines really help!

Coming back home, I hope I can keep some of the same focus, but I somehow doubt it, as I live in a small house full of people! I know I need to find an affordable studio space, but in London this isnt easy.

In Athens we visited Greece’s national museum of contemporary art, EMST https://www.emst.gr/en

Some of the exhibits there made me think about how to display the grid work in the gallery space …

The matrix of paintings have been pinned to the wall – using drawing pins. This works fine for this work, but obscures some of the images. As my works are quite detailed, and often have text, I cant use drawing pins as they will obscure.

The other example I found interesting is pottery nailed to the wall, but the nails just touch the sides of the work, to hold it in place. I think this is probably the way to go.

I thought a lot about the format for the display, and if I should use frames. In the end I decided against, and to mount each drawing on cardboard. I thought this would fit better with the theme of the show, Clutter, which is a scruffy theme, and I expect quite a few of the works will involve a mess. So framed works … I dont think they fit with this.

I managed to finish the grid drawings, though didnt quite do as many as I intended. This is how they look together, laid out on a sheet, just to give an idea. I haven’t quite decided the display format yet, but will post some ideas on this.

Am considering these type of frameless clip frames:

https://www.frames.co.uk/ready-made-frame/15/clip-frame

18cm x 24cm

And then fix each frame into place using L pins.

If I present 12 grid drawings – 4 x 3 – then using these frames, placed alongside each other, will take a minimum wall space of:

width: 4 x 18cm =72 cm
height: 3 x 24cm =72 cm

This is what I have so far … another 2 grids to make. I have 3 days left, should be easily doable … famous last words!

But … I am undecided again about how to display the work. As the paper is warped on some off the drawings, I need a way to make them flat. I’m not sure if pinning to a wall, or using magnets is going to work. Then again I’m not sure about framing either … but pressing them down with glass will help them lie flat.

I’ve been working steadily for the past week or so, trying to make more grids. I had planned on making 20, but I only think I can manage 16, within the time I have left. I think the effect should work with 16.

The weather turned and has been really cold and horrible, and this was really conducive to making work.

I wish I’d started producing work earlier on in my residency. I realise I left it a bit late, and I spent too long trying to decide what I was going to do. If I could do this again, I would have my ideas already mapped out and aim to hit the ground running.