I have now hung all my paintings, the photo wall is complete. The floor has been painted and the fabric sculpture is in her place. I have brought in the plinth to hold my bronze sculptures ready for assessment. I just have a few photographs to add to my sketchbook, a few more details need to be added to the fabric canvas, this blog needs to be printed out and then I am as ready as I can be.
My space inside and out.
Photograph taken by Tricia Cottrell (2015)
This blog has become a valuable tool within my art practice but for now, I am signing off.
My son came to visit unexpectedly and as the studio was open on Saturday we popped in so that he could see my work. I was telling him about my intention to hang a wall of photo’s and he offered to help me get it started.
Before I left for the weekend, I had placed the fabric sculpture in the corner of the wall opposite the eyes canvas, when I walked in to the space on Saturday it looked as if it belonged there – decision made.
That left the outside entrance for the photo wall, the more I considered the space the more I felt that this was the perfect space for it sitting, as it did, alongside the fabric canvas. I am going to hang the photographs on the wall with panel pins. The wall will be like a pin map of my life shot through with the nails of abuse. this links to the crucifixes which feature in two of my paintings, signifiers of my catholic upbringing.
There is also a strong connection between the photo wall and the fabric piece. Family snapshots have a power disconnect because you have no control over the way you are depicted. Both pieces work in the same way, I had no control over what was happening to me and the happy smiling faces in the photographs hide what was really going on.
Starting the photo wall.
Photograph taken by Tricia Cottrell (2015)
Having made some progress on the frame front, I have turned my attention back to my space. I have made some decisions.
I haven’t actually hung anything inside the room yet, I want to make sure that my work shows the story I want to tell, in the most effective way.
The eyes canvas (Windows of The Soul) will remain on the main wall, it is a strong piece and I think it works well there.
Opposite it will be, the photo wall, the fabric sculpture (Unhealed Wounds), or The Abyss. I still need to give this decision more consideration.
On opposing side walls will be Loss of Innocence and Prisoner of Silence, I want the paintings to be in dialogue with each other.
Tomorrow is the start of the bank holiday weekend, time for reflection and to finish the frames.
When I came in today I discovered that David had been into the space the previous afternoon after I left and changed the works around again. Loss of Innocence and Prisoner of Silence are now on adjacent walls instead of opposite each other and The Abyss is now opposite the eyes canvas. He also suggested that I leave the entrance walls empty, in order to put the paintings list on and the extract from the blog. Three different layouts, three different opinions – I am very confused. I decided to get on with the frame making and give much more consideration to the curating of my space. I have been battling with the frames all day, wishing that I could afford to have them professionally framed and when I cut the last piece of the second frame at the wrong angle, I began to lose the will to live! ENTER THE WHITE KNIGHT. Robin came into the workshop and saved me from complete despair. He walked me through the artists guide to frame-making, with patience, practical advice and assistance. I left the building with two constructed frames, albeit with more work to do – filling, sanding and painting and fitting the boards into the frames, nevertheless, I went home in a very happy and much relieved state of mind. I couldn’t have done it without him.
Robin came into my space and moved the pieces of work around. The fabric canvas on the main wall – it now has a title, Breaking the Silence. That crucial act was the beginning of this whole process, my speaking out, so it seems an appropriate choice. The eyes canvas on the wall opposite and Loss of Innocnce and Prisoner of Silence on the opposing side walls. No space was designated for the fabric sculpture. I thought it worked quite well except that I really want to use the fabric sculpture, I will sit with it for a while.
Jane was the next to take a look at the space, and proceeded to change everything around. She felt that the eyes canvas was the strongest piece and that it should be on the main wall and that the word canvas should be on the outside wall as it didn’t really work with the paintings.
We moved it outside, it seemed overwhelming in that corridor-like space but maybe that’s a good thing. Several hours later and getting used to seeing it in its new location I have to agree with Jane, it works better as a stand-alone piece.
I have started to make frames for Loss of Innocence and Prisoner of Silence. The original frame for Loss of Innocence was a really poor effort at frame making ( my first attempt I might add) and needs to be replaced and I want the frames for both to be the same.
