The birth of my blog, in the final throes of level 6!

The nights have drawn in and I find myself weaving again. I feel there is more to this and I need to explore it further.

 

There is something organic about the weaves. You can see every thread and mistake, every exposed and misshapen edge and its just gorgeous. When manipulated it can resemble gills, the stitches opening, before I then return it to its original shape, however there is always a memory of the movement. Copper thread gives the impression of strength but it is most fragile on its own. A copper weave is similar to any textile, when weaved the many become one.

So do not ask me why I decided to stitch it and turn it in to a sculpture and remove all the life. I think I had the word sea sponge  in my head and I could not move on from it. Sometimes you have to own the strange decisions you make and this is one of them.

I believe that the ‘Sea Sponge’ phase is now out of my system and i can appreciate the shape for what it is. The warp which continues from the weft unused is really interesting. It does resemble a sea urchin, an organic form. It does exploit the light to its advantage, my neighbours love it anyway.

I am continuing to weave.

 

We have the luck of playing with our work in a designated space. To either see how the work sits in the space or to work within the space. It’s a place to bounce ideas around and we are very lucky to have this.

I have observed my peers work exhibited in the ‘space’. Their, practice, their intricacies to investigate the deconstructions, negative space, and layers. It is beautiful how one can observe the patterns of others’ practices. Their ability to stay with a material or a way of working, honing their skills, I, cannot see such a path for myself and it makes me question what I am doing all of the time.

I am process based, I am taken by the moment, the material, and the emotion. I get an idea and then dump the whole chaotic process in one room. To stick with the fun theme of the balloon. I wanted to incorporate playfulness in art.

I wanted the viewers to participate in the artwork, to pick it up, handle it, see what’s involved, and how it looks underneath. It’s not about the sophisticated white plaster, it’s about an art piece collecting the memory of the viewer, the fingernail mark, and the slight abrasion to assist the art to evolve.

I also wanted to address my recent annoyance whilst attending a couple of galleries recently. The signs on the wall, the lines on the floor, and how the viewer deals with the ‘line’ if placed in unusual ways.

I had some wonderful feedback, it was good to hear that people struggled with the contradictions of red lines and the texts that requested people “Pick me up” next to the art piece.

I also realized that my own need to dump my idea in a room, could be done but I had forgotten the fundamental rules of presentation. I forgot about disabled access, I had left the nails in the wall from the previous exhibitor. The plinths were scruffy and the plaster disappeared into the surroundings.

I had a chat with Jane and she suggested that I explore other ways, with what I have in the room. To play with the lines.

So, Red Tape, which usually stops people from doing anything has allowed me to explore how shapes and lines change the aspect of the space and how colour enhances, compliments, or overshadows the work.

To me this looks terrible, it’s so far from what I wanted to achieve that it has allowed me to understand that somewhere in the middle, this display could have been so much better. I know that the space is part of the installation not just a room. I will be experimenting with the placement of the art, it doesn’t have to be on a plinth, does it? Pigmentation for plaster and size. Lots to think about.