Karen Logan
Frustrating day
Finished new panel, ironed it and carefully pinned it into place, tried not to stretch the fabric while allowing it to find its fit. Result – still puckered and hanging oddly.
The cloak is unwieldy and hard to handle. I draped it over the ironing board to see how the outer/inner fabric was working together (or not). The fabric wasn’t lined up at one edge – even after careful measuring and cutting. Unpicked hand stitched seam, and also the seam on the other edge of the cloak to release any tension there.
Attempted to lay cloak flat on the floor, but it was difficult to do this with two layers – it is huge! Tried my best but have now separated the outer and inner fabric, will stitch the seams flat into place, iron again and the attempt to join both together once more (hours of hand sewing required). I also need to find somewhere with a huge table.
If this doesn’t resolve the issue then I’m wondering if I need to buy a huge piece of fabric to line the cloak? The bias cut outer fabric may not sit well against non bias cut… Is what I’m attempting too difficult?
The outer cloak is made of similar cotton type fabric, the lining a mix of cotton and some looser weave tablecloths and I’m wondering of this is causing the problem. So the cloak is folded away again and issues unresolved. I understand why my subconscious was avoiding this work.
Over these last two days I’ve reflected on the unseen labour that goes into creating an artwork, the trial and error, frustrations and dead ends before something clicks into place.
Tracey Meek
Another fine day spent evaluating and bringing together various elements of my fungi experiments. I realised that it’s not just mycology that I am interested in, its ecology; root systems, shared networks within the natural world, the too and fro, the symbiosis. I guess when I relate it to my practice, or my experience, there is a sense of frustration, a very basic, why can’t humans be more like this. Or where has our natural instinct gone? When did the ‘we’ get replaced with the ‘I’ Once again, all faith is restored over a lovingly prepared bowl of soup, and a sharing of thoughts and ideas, and fears (and frustrations.)
This cardboard clone (layers of cardboard and oyster spawn) has been sitting in my airing cupboard for a few months, gathering momentum. Again, I took it out, soaked it in sterile water and left it overnight. It is now open to the elements and it should get a lovely soft white coating, hopefully followed by mushrooms. I love the last remaining flashes of cardboard, clinging onto the mountain for dear life, about to be taken over by an avalanche. These brick-like structures fill me with joy, and I begin to consider how I might combine with other life forms.
Tricia Rice
First and last
I spent this second day of the residency exploring my beachcombed collections in the context of the regular journey to visit my Father on the Sussex Coast. Each stop on the beach in this part of the country is tied to that visit and often part of my travel. It does mean the individual collections are part of a bigger story and my journeys. The first collections mark the beginning of my practice, the last marks the final visit to Dad, the weight of which drew this avenue to a close for now.
