Jim says the 3D photo modelling he is doing is beginning to be used in planning – and saves a lot of time where the excavation is chaotic and difficult to draw. It means they can do a simple plan […]
In Trench T they are uncovering an Iron Age wall around a structure, which is built over, and through, the Neolithic. There must be many reasons why they chose to reuse the site, but perhaps one was that it commands […]
Open Day on site – so I used the need to stay in the Art Hut, to be available for visitors, as an opportunity to play with my collection of stones – now trying a Neolithic version of oil paint […]
Yesterday, a second quick painting of an archaeologist in the trench. At last I am beginning to paint with the same direct approach that I have for drawing. A shame the dig ends next week, just as I’m getting […]
A small piece of flint with a sharp edge has been found in Trench X. It doesn’t fit known examples of flint tools; but, like yesterday’s ‘crayon’ has an indentation for a finger or thumb that facilitates a good grip. […]
Rain today provides an ideal opportunity to review material collected to date. I’m not sure why I’m collecting small bags of crushed stone but no doubt a reason will eventually emerge. Rain also prevents any drawing in the trenches but […]
This October sees me take up an artists’ residence in orchard Square – a retail unit in Sheffield. The residency will be open to the public, and as such it provides a means to develop my body of work and add […]
As this is a long term project, it can feel overwhelming in its scale and complexity (like the dig itself). Despite the fact that archaeology is rooted in the past, my residency is about bearing witness to the human activity […]
There are some pieces of stone which have been uncovered and now the parts with iron layers are rusting. They are difficult to draw and paint because I’m not interested in just rocks and prefer people. My project is about […]
One of the supervisors is feeling that he hasn’t accomplished much in his trench, because it is not only complex but confusing. There is a balance to be achieved between working fast through the midden, to get to the structure of […]
Yesterday persistent rain and mud making an abstract painting on the floor of the supervisors’ hut. Today, bright sunlight creating sharp shadows and the ever present wind blowing clouds into many shapes.
I have a meeting in Taunton at 11am. According to Google maps, it’s a 2-hour drive. I follow the instructions dictated out loud by my phone the whole way ‘at the roundabout take the third exit and stay on the […]
the ups & downs of my first artist-in-residence project
Today I discovered micromorphology. Samples of soil on site are cut and put carefully into small tin boxes or, if larger, wrapped in clingfilm. These are then sent away to be suspended in resin, from which very fine slices are […]
The boulder has been taken out of the entrance to Structure 8, and they are removing stones and roof tiles that fell in – to get down to the main slab. Apparently, interesting things are found in doorways. It has […]
Yesterday, halfway through my painting, the sky on the horizon went black with rain and a small twister. It was too late to alter the sky, but I think it may show in the way the foreground picked up the […]
Yesterday, halfway through my painting, the sky on the horizon went black with rain and a small twister. It was too late to alter the sky, but I think it may show in the way the foreground picked up the […]
Changeable weather again – so what’s new? Chris, who makes carved stone balls using neolithic tools, has suggested composing a still life of them. Why does Chardin come to mind first, when I empathise with Cézanne’s approach. Chris agrees we […]
An amazingly still day – hardly any wind, which is so unusual. Voices carry across the trench. Huge cotton wool clouds moving very slowly. Some rain on the far horizon. The sky is so big. The trench is huge when […]
Trench tour for the many specialists working with the Ness of Brodgar makes me feel in awe of the complexity of the dig. Put in parallel with my project as Artist in Residence, it shows up the bewildering nature of […]
Everyday sexism, everyday omission of herstory. ‘nid byd, byd heb wybodaeth’ (1991, Aaron & Rees) A customer tweeted her frustrations at the everyday sexism and gender stereo types on children’s clothing recently. “Looking 4 kids’ holiday clothes this morning at […]
Hugo talked most interestingly about how Structure 14 may have been built – what was probably established first and how, bit by bit, the (non architect based) structure gradually appeared over time. Stones straight on to earth. (Our early C19 […]
Re excavation. Revisiting an eight year old trench. Yesterday they excavated the black plastic. Today brushing, weeding and gentle spade work, dragging off earth settled on top of previously exposed stone. Like working with a big trowel. Not on their […]
Something orange showing in the mud – a piece of oxidised pottery. Another piece slowly appears as the trowel gently scrapes away the earth crumb by crumb. Trying to draw the undulating stones like wafers, which I wrote about on […]
The Orkney Museum have given me a space, just off the Archeology display in Room 1, for an exhibition of work from my Artist’s Residency on the Ness of Brodgar in 2016. The show is now open and will continue until the end […]
