I had a bit of a stressful week but the studio kept me going! I think I am still suffering from the labyrinthitis as my world occaisionally goes a bit wooow.
Thursday evening there was an Art Space artist meeting discussing a number of issues. It was a first for me -interesting-a great group of artists in a mutually supportive and professional organisation and I feel so fortunate to be part of it.
Yesterday was flash group day-this is a peer group session which happens each month where artists at Art Space meet as a group to discuss work, proposals, applications-lots of things. The topic yesterday was to review the work that I have done so far. I was rather nervous as I am not keen on speaking in public and find it difficult to think on my feet. But I think for me it is always good to push myself and go out of my comfort zone-it keeps me on my toes and stops me from sitting back and stagnating. The session started at 1.30. I had planned to prepare in the morning-of course I have been thinking about it for a while but I wanted to go in and sort out the room and have a little time of quiet reflection. My plans were scuppered though as I spent the morning at the dentist having emergency work done!-Not the best preparation!!!
9 artists came along so it was a little crowded in the studio-especially as I have so many wet canvases in there. The work was discussed and I had some constructive comments and a lot of encouragement. It was suggested that the work was moved out into the gallery space so we could see the works in a less crowded space -this was especially helpful and I’m so glad we did this. Thanks Jeannie! I took the opportunity after the flash group meeting to photogragh some of the work in the space.
Another artist also discussed a work in her studio which was interesting and increased my understanding and appreciation of her work.
The flash group was a chance to have some feedback about my work-to see another artist’s work and studio and to get to know some of the Art Space members.
A friend from the MA called by on his way back from a PhD meeting in London-always good to see him and discuss work. We often meet when he is on route from London back to the IoW and watching the development of his work and the different directions the PhD is taking is interesting. At one point I was considering further study-don’t think it’s for me-certainly not at the moment.
Lots to think about after the Flash group-lots of decisions to make-lots of work to do-exciting stuff-just not enough hours in the day!!!
Off to London tomorrow to Tate Modern and the Paul Klee exhibition :o)
I have really missed studio 22 and was SO pleased to get back. I had a couple of hours yesterday-Tuesday-(still feeling a bit wobbly) and today had most of the day there with a short break to get back for the dog. I have been working on the large blue canvas and its looking good. I was aiming to do a series of 3 large works for the exhibition but still undecided on the 3rd colour…so, my studio neighbour suggested I did 4!!! If I can work out how to make a stretcher I might just do that if there is time.
My order came of 3 lovely good quality pre stretched canvases-and my lovely linen-it almost seems a shame to paint it!!!
I did start a series of 4 small canvases which I had stretched and gessoed before I was ill but I’m not terribly happy with them-I will add layers and work on them slowly over the next few days/weeks. I started with grey colours with touches of primary colours but it all looks a bit wishy washy at the moment. Maybe it is the scale thats wrong… I also started another work inspired by driftwood-a piece of boat washed up on the beach. Again its work in progress.
On Friday there is a Flash Group meeting in my studio to discuss my work so far so I did spend a little time rearranging and clearing up-even swept the floor! I will have to move things around when I start working on my 3rd big canvas. When I moved into the studio it was empty, white and spacious. Now I am running out of room! In some ways it seems I have been there for ages-I feel so at home. Other ASP studio holders are so welcoming and friendly and it is so good to work alongside other artists-inspiring- plus I am now so addicted to painting I can’t imagine not painting!
Planning to go in for another full day tomorrow-At the start of the residency I was asked to keep a record of time spent in the studio which I have done in my diary. I have planned to use this as a piece of work. I have had a couple of pieces of scaffold wood in our porch. Why? I haven’t got a clue now!!! I am using one of them to record my time spent in Studio 22- 183 days-the wood is 183cm long- Perfect!
As I am writing this blog the news of our weather is on the TV. It is disturbing to say the least. My blog seems so unimportant at a time of such devastation around the country. I will add an image or two but suddenly I feel that’s it for today!
8 whole days without going to the studio- I am missing it so much. Stuck in bed, I have been reading and researching and dangerously discovering retail therapy from a sick bed via a lap top!!! I have a big (6’x6’3”) stretcher sitting in the studio waiting for some canvas so I got on line and ordered some linen (cotton wasn’t wide enough!) … I am looking forward to that arriving.
I have been having some weird dreams and have often felt very strange but during my better times I have been further considering the interpretation and reading of an art work and the artist’s intention. Des Kilfearther http://www.deskilfeather.com/ has also considered this-in his ebook entitled “Introibo ad altare Dei”. His aim is “to explore whether or not it might be possible the unconscious self over-rules artists’ intention?” (Kilfeather,D.P. (2013-11-20) (Kindle Locations 128-129). Central to his book is an examination of Victor Willing’s painting “Night” and asks “Did Willing’s narrative come from his conscious or unconscious? Was his artist’s intention determined or perhaps over-ruled by his unconscious self?”( Ibid. Kindle Location 128-129) This area of enquiry is something I know little of but it seems that these are huge questions to which there may or may not be answers.
Such thoughts are maybe important to consider at some time but for now I am concertrating on painting and formulating ideas about the exhibition.
On Friday I got advice from the GP who suggested I take sea sickness tablets-Have taken a few which seem to have steadied my world a little so I am hoping to get back to the studio in the next day or two.
The room is dark when I switch off the light. I turn to lie on my side and see the familiar line of white- a streak of light which creeps in through the gap in the curtains and sits on the ceiling- an ally in the long nights and a reminder of light and hope. I have been looking at this strip of light for hours over the last few years during sleepless nights of worry.
“The dog goes mad rushing around the house. My mother tries to calm her down. The dog bites my arm.
I am frantically dashing through a long, dim, grey corridor off which are closed doors of different sizes and colours. I go from room to room-there are people everywhere and I am looking for a quiet peaceful empty space. Time is running out-I climb down a narrow spiral staircase and find myself in a pedestrian street. It is dark but there is muted colour everywhere.There are doors to explore off this street but the noise…the noise and the crowds…I have to get away.
We are together at last and having fun. We eat and drink until it is time to leave but then discover there is no door out of the room -we are trapped- “Climb out of the window”-There is a wide shelf-like window sill on which sit 3 beautiful large ceramic vessels. I climb up onto the sill-go quick…hurry,hurry-I am worried I will knock the vessels….there are people waiting behind me…we have to get out…I have no choice but to go and as I do the vessels topple-I am falling…..
There is a lot to move-everything is grey and a dull brown-piles of stuff though the things are indeterminate..we are moving them from one room to another. Pile things high, we are running out of space. Keep moving…keep moving….
The street is lit with colour. There is a happy atmosphere, people laughing and having fun. We wander up the street. Half way up the hill things change-there are still the same colours but lots of noise..the noise gets louder and sounds angry and menacing. We cover our ears with our hands. The atmosphere is threatening and we feel danger. We have to get to the end of the street and back to safety…we dodge through the crowds -run…run…we find a small turn off the main street to the right-quick….”
I open my eyes and see my comforting streak of white light. I’m safe.
I am still stuck in bed and frustrated I cannot get to the studio and continue with my work.I have no studio news or images to blog about. All I can share with you at the moment are my dreams.
Frustratingly stuck in bed feeling rubbish with a fluy cold. I am a very impatient patient and annoyed not to be well enough to go to the studio. I tried to get up earlier and nearly fell over-I think I may have a bit of vertigo/Labyrinthitis-not that I’m an expert-I’ve just been researching out of frustration and interest!!!
Watched some you tube films of Gerard Richter and his methods of working. Couldn’t sleep last night so read some Derek Jarman’s Chroma-lots of references so may well be a book to keep revisiting.
I have been thinking of my work -my present project together with work I want to do in the future. I am wondering what I will do with the large canvases I’m working on-I’m not sure they will fit in the car and where on earth am I going to put them even if I do get them home! Oh well….I dont believe in practicalities,it stiffles creativity!
I came across a quote whilst researching that I thought interestingThe Art Institute of Chicago
Happy birthday to the French Modernist Fernand Léger, who once wrote: “There is no such thing as ‘abstract,’ or ‘concrete’… There is a good picture and a bad picture. There is the picture that moves you and the picture that leaves you cold… A picture has a value in itself, like a musical score, like a poem.”
I wonder how people will see my work-hope it doesn’t leave them cold! I have been worried about my exbibition but I think I always get anxious before showing my work. The interview with Richter was very reassuring. Its good to hear that well respected artists enjoy process and value playing. Robert Storr points to this importance of process and comments on Richter’s ability of letting go of control so other things happen. Storr also points to the fact that Richter in never influenced by anything but feeds on everyone and uses everything but without leaving any residue. By this I take him to mean that there is not one single point of reference-where the painting takes you is not confined and indicates a phenomenological response to a painting. This approach to work was also highlighted at the talk I went to in Chichester on Sean Scully’s work. How do we see a painting and how do we resond to it? How can we know the artist’s intention? Many times I have stood infront of a work and I just don’t get it-I don’t understand. Maybe it’s not so important to find the “right” meaning-rather to respond to a painting and experience the work.I find it all confusing but if the viewers can experience and feel something when they stand infront of my work, whether or not it was intended, I’ll be very happy.
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Virginia Topp
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