RE-VISIT, RE-VIEW. PART ONE
Over the years I’ve made a huge amount of work which I’ve not resolved. I always thought I had a high failure rate, but actually, as time goes by, I realise there are lots of pieces which still feel relevant and right – they’re just not finished. I think, like many artists, I have always been guilty of rushing on too fast to the next new, exciting idea, without really interrogating the last one.
One of my post-MA resolutions was to go slower; take more time, invest more thought, and to re-view some of that work which is not yet anything, which I’ve never shown, but which could and should become something. With this in mind I proposed two pieces of work for the East Sussex Open at Towner which were conceived 2 years ago in a project at the Redoubt Fortress in Eastbourne, one of whihc had been shown once, the other is new.
The new piece, a wall drawing, Spread, has developed slowly, little by little, since I took the original photographs of invading roots in a semi-subterranean room in the Napoleonic fort. I made the drawing in a corner in a liminal space adjacent to the gallery. Although I was reasonably satisfied with it, I can see now that I’d like this work to develop further; I’d somehow like to remove it a step or two away from the realistic representation which it exists as at the moment. So this work must be revisited and re-viewed some more. I’m coming to realise that as part of a natural evolution, each piece of work can become the next.
PICKING UP THE THREADS
Looking back at my last post I realise I left off rather abruptly, so perhaps the best thing to do is to sum up by saying that the show went up, seemed to be well received, and a good time was had by all. I then rushed back to my MA to throw myself whole-heartedly into my last few weeks and focus on my final show at Wimbledon.
Months have gone by and I’ve settled down into my post-Quay Arts, post-MA routine, working at home in my studio, on new projects which are exciting and unsettling (nothing new there then).
The desire to re-start my blog has come about for a variety of very different reasons. I find it’s a great way to reflect on my work – selecting photographs to show, writing about the work, making contextual links, and, at times, getting very welcome responses to the posts. But also, I’ve recently started a blog about the new artists’ network I’m setting up in partnership with Towner with the support of a NAN Futurific! bursary and I’m (rather oddly) feeling the need to reinforce my identity as artist first and foremost and arts organiser second.
www.a-n.co.uk/p/1102904/
www.judithalder-live.co.uk/wanderings_exhib.html
TRYING THINGS OUT
Made great progress yesterday. All the wall-hung work is up so now plenty of time to try things out and titivate.
Still got my fold-out books to finish. They’re printed and folded but I need to finish off the covers and put them all together. There was a bit of time to do some of this late in the afternoon and when the cafe closed at the end of the day the sun terrace was the perfect place to work.
BUBBLE WRAP, BOXES AND B&B
Oh the joys of B&B! I could happily live this life for a bit longer. Friendly little B&B, no-one to think about except me. TV, internet, books, bed and a cooked breakfast.
Will start hanging the work today. Got everything unpacked yesterday & found that my careful studying of the gallery plan seems to have paid off. I’ve got just about the right amount of work & may even choose to leave some of it out of the show if it’s better without – “less is more” as my studio-mate often reminds me.
I’ve still got some finishing off to do on my books though, so no time to be complacent. Better get started then.
CAR, FERRY, CAR
I’m off. Stocked up with pills to leave for the cat, food for the family; the work’s (mostly) finished (there will be time for some in situ finalising when I get there); ferry’s booked – 12 o’clock; car’s loaded and I’m off.
Hopefully there will be more time to catch up with some blogging when I’m installed in my B&B with time and space to focus ONLY on the show. Sounds great.
