What would life be like without these online spaces now? It is almost impossible for me to imagine. I’m definitely in agreement with Jonathan Moss in his latest post. It has opened up a whole world of communication and support that I’m sure has been a huge factor in helping me evolve my practice and feel in some way connected to something much bigger than just myself.
I was quite fascinated to look back on just a normal days browsing history and post it, just to see how it felt. The answer- quite uncomfortable really, almost like I’d exposed too much of myself. Even though I had actually taken some stuff out…like online banking, I still felt like I was doing something completely inappropriate. I wonder how revealing our online footprints are?
Anyway, yesterday I was busy in the studio again. That always feels like a much more healthy activity, in contrast to my job at the gallery when I have far too much time to ponder, yet no freedom to do.
I have been starting to work from these images that I collected and work them into a space. I’ve been using insulation tape to mask out the lines. It allows me to work rapidly, make changes, add to, take away and not be precious about it. I really enjoy this way of working. Continually moving from photo, to drawing, to wall, back into sketch book with notes and more sketches. Each time I move into a different medium there is the trace of the last move I made still in my mind. Things pop up, almost of their own accord. It almost feels like I’m shaking and shaking my thoughts around in my head until things rattle out.
Still, I’m not sure I have any clarity about where I’m going with it yet but I have some ideas I really am looking forward to trying out. I’m going to enjoy the inspiration while it’s with me and try to keep following the momentum. I’m sure there will be lots of time for the critical questions and analysis over the coming months. Now I just want to do do do.
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I’ve now got settled into my new space. It is a really odd feeling. Digswell had become my everyday routine. Not doing the familiar drive along the windy back roads to Welwyn seems the strangest part. That route literally feels engrained in my mind, like every time I did it, it carved out a deeper and deeper physical groove through my mind.
So now I have a new winding road to use every morning and this one is particularly wibbly wobbly indeed. It’s well and truly out in the sticks. I spent my first afternoon alone there today and was extremely apprehensive when I arrived. I had got it into my mind that there could be the possibility that I might not be able to do any work there, like it would have the wrong feng shui or something like that and any creativity would seize up from the moment I crossed the threshold. I had a really restless night last night with this concern playing on my mind.
Today though it’s fine, actually it felt really good. For the first time in ages I have a desk looking out over a grassy meadow. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a studio with a view…in fact on consideration I never have. I don’t think I’ve ever worked in such a quiet space before either. I am looking forward now to getting into the routine of it and making it feel like my own.
Art work wise, Christmas has not been a very productive time for me, although this I anticipated. I actually feel pretty invigorated by the break from it all and am keen to get on. I’ve looked back over the stripped down drawings I did of car park stair wells today and can see many aspects about them that I want to pursue. I’m heading back out with the camera very soon.
Another thing on my mind, before Christmas, I asked a fellow artist to draw a space she knew reasonably well but couldn’t see at the time, on an A4 piece of paper. The only brief was that she draw it however she wanted but how she thought best communicated the space to someone else. I would really like to see how others approach this too. If anyone would like to do it for me here I would be forever grateful! Rules are no words and just pencil and A4 paper, and it can be anywhere you like and just a quick drawing/sketch. If you can do one you can email it to me at [email protected] and I would be really interested to see it.
Oh, just seen I’m featured in a curated selection on axis…. yay!
http://www.axisweb.org/atSelection.aspx?AID=2391
I have started getting my things together in preparation for the studio move at the end of this month. I’m not going to get a lot of time in the studio over the next couple of weeks so it feels impossible to get down to proper work in there. Can’t start building too much or drawing on the walls, I’ve got to start winding this work space up.
It was rather strange and left me quietly reflecting on the three years I have spent in the space, as I attempted some organisation and gathered up all this stuff. All the things you unearth during a mass sort out of this kind. The piles and piles of photos, cds, slides (blimey!), magazines, half used sketch books, many different drafts of artists statements on scrappy bits of paper, the list goes on! There is evidence of the occasional attempt to organise (dated albums, the odd folder with dividers) but these I can see, although well intentioned, have been short lived. Most stuff has been hastily stashed in boxes, plastic bags, all in no particular order…a sorting nightmare! I took the brutal approach when it came to throwing out and keeping. I want space not old rubbish. New studio, new leaf, new organised Christina……ha yeah right!
A side from this packing up I did get into London to see some good exhibitions over the week too. (have made a firm commitment to myself to dramatically increased the amount of exhibitions I visit) Having my student rail card has helped massively with this new commitment. Over the last few weeks I have enjoyed some great days in London, whizzing around on the tube from place to place. I particularly enjoyed the Roger Hiorns piece on Harper Road, Seizure. I found it completely fascinating, a dazzling spectacle, literally a gem concealed within the drabbest block of flats ever.
Other highlights of the last 2 weeks… John Baldessari at the Tate Modern, Bloomberg New Contemporaries 09 at A Foundation near Old Street and For the Blind Man at the ICA. Next week Sophie Calle exhibition at White Chapel.
Any suggestions for what’s good to see at the moment would be very welcome!
