The Cooler King (part 2)

I dont feel so guilty now I read Claire Eastgate’s new blog:

www.a-n.co.uk/p/4558498

What she says about working as an artist for money and the satifaction that brings or does’t bring is something I have wrestled with on and off for a long time and I,m looking forward to her talking about a new phase in the development of her work.

I have begun my new commission another big mosaic, not a new development for me, an opportunity to develop technique may be!

But that is not what I wanted to tell you. I wanted to say that doing a commission and developing your work by doing what floats your boat or stimulates creative juices is possible. last June 2013 I tilled the interior of some public toilets on Dover Promenade. This really took mosaic to a place I wanted to take it and had been waiting for many years to do this, after countless rejections proposing this approach on all kinds of public projects. I call it ‘organic tilling’ and of course is inspired by one of my hero artists Hundertwasser.

see the photos here

http://rob-turner.blogspot.co.uk/

There were political sensativities about the project and the toilets remained closed for about 10 months even though they were fully re-furbished. Closed right up untill last week when they were finally opened to the public and my tilling seen for the first time……! It was great to see the results in a finished building (not a building site, which was how things were when I last saw it). And those commissioning the project were very pleased as well. It costs 20p to use the toilets, and see the artwork…bargain!

I took a day off public art during the Easter period and made my own paints from the clays and rocks from the cliffs near where I live. I wrapped some in foil and backed some in a bonfire to make darker colours, and one yellow made a red, surprised when that came out the other was a slightly darker grey. I painted a wooden head and some sticks and put them in my garden……..all part of what I really would like to be doing…… instead I’m in the cooler through the summer now developing my mosaic technique.

Perspective, time and reflection.

That is it.

If I look back and can see why I am so frustrated.

I had a purple patch for a few years, where my clients allowed me to have ideas and they worked with me to help me realise them. I was experimenting with new materials, new ways of working and being an artist so so great.

Now, just by the roll of a dice really I have two very different clients, with different surrounding circumstances.

No; my clients are just as nice, just as well meaning, but the BUT is things are linked to so many other influencing factors that I can’t make things happen and neither can they, I feel powerless.

I am not installing the set of seven mosaics I spent more than seven months making, its …er….. on ice and I have cancelled my accomodation booking. I am sure I will install them, but even the site that has been built for them is now having alternatives considered.

The ‘partnership working’ on this project is a blend of:

Property Developer

Town Council

and County Council (Highways Dept). which is where this last hurdle that has taken all involved on programme by surprise at the 11th Hour. So something like 2.5 years later were still hitting unexpected issues.

My other project is a blend of

The community, through a representative,

The Council,

and the Councils Architect.

All with views, ideas and agendas which opose each, other so when one agrees the other undoes what went before. I have no real clear boss or employer and it is ‘my responcibity’ to gell these organisations together to agree shared goals, and get progress, while addressing all points of view.

I have managed to stay true to my oringinal inspiration or idea, after a lot of input from all partners on content, subject matter, composition, colour descisions, site, size and format. I wondered why was an artist brought on board at all, other design proffesionals and arts administrators were taking on that role, and all that was really required were contractors to tender for the implementation of an already given design.

We have at last appeared to have passed through all that, and my original starting point has now become addopted and I am drawing out my design now. Of course this is on the hurry up now after such as slow start, I was paid to start in Nov. It feels a little like working for free now, though of course that is not true.

So by comparison life as an artist was so great, when I felt I was working with my clients. This however, is the other side of the coin. But only a phase and I will survive in the cooler through the summer. And come out wiser, looking for interesting things to do.

I believe I left the workshop door open overnight my mistake!

How do I know that? Because I found the door open you ask me, well that may be true but I am in and out and cant remember if I just popped in to get my phone charger or something trivial. But the reason I know is because my dog Cosmo was particularly interested in things. News sniffs to sniff and stuff and exploring behind places he had no interest in before!

Did mice or a cat wander opportunisticly in I wonder. Nothing missing or taken only my enthusuiasm for work. But I am feeling better after my little tantrum last time and preparing the cartoon for my next mosaic will start on that tommorrow. Today….well pigments at Turner Contemporary…….I am really excited about that. Pigments Painting….just dreams at the moment, more mosaics to make for the forseeable.

So the mosaics cut up and stored ready to go. Accomodation booked and installation starts week 22nd after bank holiday. The installation is the part where the craftsman or tradesman really comes to the fore and installing these mosaics is just as much part of the process as making them. An old friend of mine many years ago said

‘the measure of a good craftsman is how they adapt and cope when things go wrong’.

Never a truer word spoken.

I took a photo every time I started work on the final mosaic ‘The Windmill’ and put together what is really a cartoon (the other sort made of still pictures joined together).

Mosaic Flick Book (The Windmill)

Do you know what?

I am just a bit fed up with art….bored with it….not particularly interested by it. And I feel slightly guilty about it as well.

Artists Talking have put a link to my blog from the home page and tweeted snippits from here……and I just cant be bothered! So I appologise for not making the effort, and realise it would have been good to capitalise on the profile it provides.

But I have been in the cooler since last Sept and loosing the will to live in there. I have nearly finished the series now and will install them soon.

But….here’s the thing……I will probably have to continue the isolation and dig really deep mentally as it is likely the next commission is another large mosaic.

Art as a comodity, is this OK?

A straight forward you do this and we will buy it! Very very simple.

Should there be more?

Why should there be more?

All very boring.

I have already been paid to start it, but have had to make a lot of design modifications and have been unable to get it nailed….as it were! The emotional investment seems high on these kinds of projects and now and again it seems all a little overwhelming.

and I’ve got nothing to say.