My last post was dated misleadingly, as it was yesterday's but I wrote it after midnight!
So, today. I knew it would be a short day as the department only opens for the morning on Tuesdays, but even so the time whizzed past alarmingly. I spent much of the time preparing scraperboards for the fourth year class I'll be teaching tomorrow, using indian ink on mountboard. They've bowed quite a bit, but hopefully nothing that a pile of books won't sort out.
I spent the rest of the time messily: pouring plaster into yesterday's ten moulds through inplausibly tiny holes (plaster all over Emma's hand – sorry Emma!) and making a very fiddly three-part mould that I don't have an awful lot of confidence in.
Still, Zach in the space behind me was playing Bob Dylan, and it was all good.
I wish there was money in art. Then I could do it every day, forever. It was a lovely day today. I just immersed myself in art for the whole day. Eleven hours. Those public school students have long days … but I wasn't complaining.
Once Emma had shown me how to make two-part moulds from modrock I was away – feverishly making moulds of my beloved relics. I was desperately smoothing the last few strips when Charley came round to switch off the lights and lock up at 7.45 pm.
In an earlier interlude, I took a small group of Year 13 students to Cley church – a fantastic medieval church nearby. The students' brief was to gather information – sketchbook, rubbings, photographs and especially video – to work with over the next two Monday sessions. It made me want to start a new project based on Cley church: what a place! And they even had apples in the porch to help yourself to.
Yes, I know it's Saturday, but Gresham's is a boarding school and the art department is open every day of the week. Well, actually I'm being let off Sundays, and I'm taking up that offer, as there is still so much to do here.
It's very much like two separate worlds that I'm existing in at the moment. The art department offers so many opportunities to paint, draw, print, sculpt, cast … and if I think of any extra materials I'd like to use, I just have to ask Charley and he will happily get them in for me. I have to pinch myself!
But that world is far removed from the world of my computer and printer – not forgetting, of course, a fine selection of cupboards – that I've already invested a great deal of time – and money – in working with. While I'm at school I try to think about the stuff at home and work out how everything might fit together in the exhibition, but it's only at home that I can get more of a perspective on the necessity of being true to my own practice when push comes to shove.
Meanwhile, I unmoulded my plaster relics this morning. Some of them have potential, while others needed to be remade slightly differently. So it was out with the squidgy clay and gooey plaster again. Fun! And in the way that these things often happen, when I peeled the clingfilm off the moulds I suddenly found I had the makings of another piece of work …
This afternoon Dan was running an adults' etching workshop in the department. Like everyone else I encounter at Gresham's, he was incredibly friendly, and I felt able to ask him for a few printmaking tips. I'm thinking of working with candle wick on a soft ground, using my own body measurements.
But not tomorrow. That's a day off. Sort of.
I was a bit nervous this morning, as it was my first teaching session with a Fourth Year group. The subject was – as it will be for the entire seven sessions with the group – POPPYHEADS! Well, what else?
I talked a little about Festial, and showed the class several examples of the different ways I've used the poppyheads in the pages of Kalender. I gave each of the students a photograph of one of the poppyheads in front view and profile, and they'll be using that image as their source to develop in various ways. It seemed to go OK, and some of the pupils even said 'thank you' as they left the room. I'm still getting used to the politeness I encounter at the school!
During the day, Emma showed me how to make press-moulds for plaster casting, and my workspace is now full of drying plaster relics. Can't wait to see the results tomorrow!
Thursdays are 'mornings only' – welcome in many ways – but the morning whizzed past as I worked on four more poppyhead monoprints. I'll have a look at them when I get in tomorrow, but first impressions are that none of them quite cut it, despite (or perhaps because of) my determined working and reworking of the plate.
I just don't draw in my practice!
So why am I drawing on plates?
Is it all right to have a go at something just for the challenge – even fun – of it when you have a solo exhibition to put up, three weeks today?
Is my ineptitude endearing? Is something being expressed in the hand made image that is not apparent in a photograph? Is it significant that I put so much concentration into the work; so much of myself?
Maybe the value of the exercise has been in kicking me out of my comfort zone. On the other hand, surely it's OK to know where your strengths lie and work to them, rather than insisting on humiliation because you, as an artist, should be able to turn your hand to anything?
I can't decide.
