Just starting this blog with a little trepidation as it will be concerned with the lead up to my final show.
I will attempt to make it chatty and informative. It will be fed by my entries in the Critical Journal we are required to write as part of the degree. This is used as a continuous diary of reflection on practice.
I am just at the point where I’ve been working as artist-in-residence at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden for over six months as part of the professional practice module. I’ve been blogging throughout!
http//:botanicgardenartist.
blogspot.com
Recently I went to a talk by Professor Paul Coldwell, at Spike Print Studio. One phrase really hit home…when he said: “I’m a pessimist intellectually but an optimist emotionally” and that really chimes with my dark thoughts of a planet’s future, but on the other hand the absolute beauty of a silver birch, with a few golden leaves left, on a very grey November day.
Interesting talk and challenging ..”using the brain not just the craft” in printmaking with examples from the history of art (Rembrandt, Goya) and contemporary art Wenda Gu (used rubbings off granite carved stones). The latter reminded me of Xu Bing with his giant scrolls of printed work, taken from a huge number of woodblock characters.
After working through a garden season producing an installation of 10 laser etched site specific haikus (thoughtments), and a number of drawings and etchings, I produced a composite digital print of the overprinted etchings – Botanic dream. Water came up as a key ingredient.
Thinking about the need for water – what comes up?
– a glass shelf, with a glass turned upside down on it
– with the title
‘This is not an oak tree’.
Thank you Michael Craig Martin, thank you Renee Magritte.
Great tickle of the grey matter but what about the visceral?
