A day of contrary expectations and trauma. I should know better that to have any expectations of Orkney weather. Hot soup for lunch and extra clothing resulted in a fine sunny day with a mild breeze rather than fierce wind. […]
There is no wall in Trench Y. Down near the loch edge they found a large promising stone – but underneath it had a plough mark, which dates its arrival in position somewhere in the early 20th century. So the […]
The Rapture of the Archive For me this is the moment of human connection with the past – a dizzying flash of recognition that something in my life is the same as another human being long dead. My act of […]
Despite my cavalier attitude yesterday, today I made a list of things to do in the remaining two weeks. It consists mainly of portraits, which are my preferred way of having conversations with the archaeologists. Some people are shy of being […]
Week 6: only another two weeks before things start to wind down. It’s time to concentrate, to focus on important things and not get distracted by random events – or is it? Today I enjoyed seeing yet another extension to […]
I had my initial meeting with the team at Brighouse Recycling Centre yesterday and bought a giant fibreglass yellow pepper for 50p from the on site ‘Revive’ shop at the recycling centre which intercepts items destined for the skips. The […]
I’m artist in residency at Brighouse Recycling Centre for Brighouse Festival 2018. I will be working on site researching and and undertaking Rubbish Conversations leading up to the Festival (5-14th October), culminating in a performance on site and exhibition at Brighouse Library
One of those days when the morning is so stimulating that it doesn’t matter if rain stops work in the afternoon. Sinead, the supervisor in Structure 10 came to tell me that they had just uncovered a beautiful stone axe. […]
Back on site after a week away. A lot has happened. Small extensions in both Trench T and Trench Y. A hearth has been discovered in Trench Y. Does that mean they will leave it open for next year instead […]
Am now into the second week of my residency at Ilam Park. It has been refreshing to be based out of doors in spectacular scenery and, so far, sunny weather. Ilam Park is a National Trust property which has been […]
A review of Re-Imagine the City, a residency exhibition at Artcore, Derby. On display until 19th August 2018. Words by Lydia Grey, Images by Artcore.
Last week marked the 3rd and final week of my residency at Access Space that saw me utilise candle making to respond to the news of the day. Being the final week, it saw a shift of focus from working […]
As I take a week off from being on site, I’ve been wondering what has been achieved so far this year. Here are some thoughts and a few images from the past three weeks. At the start, I filled a […]
It is the end of the third week and some archaeologists are leaving, which means making sure I draw and interview people before they go. Drawing portraits is a perfect way to have a sound recorder running to hear my sitter’s stories and views on the […]
My relationship with the artefacts found on the dig. I need to be clear about this. I am putting the thing into the context in which it was found. That means not only drawing a stone in the hole in […]
It seems that for everyone the best laid plans are perpetually disrupted. This morning, one of the archaeologists told me that each night she makes plans for the next day, which dissolve almost as soon she arrives on site. In […]
A deeper sense of involvement on site today. Not that I don’t already feel immersed in the dig. The archaeologists are increasingly showing me what is going on – from sharing a find to explaining the process. Some things are […]
Yesterday was the first Open Day on the Ness of Brodgar site. We had over 200 visitors in the Art Hut, which meant going out to draw in the trenches was difficult. So I began a repeat of my ‘play’ with […]
I’ ve been busy interviewing a resident of one the seven houses now comprising Kearsney Court, which was completed around 1900 as a residence for Edward Percy Barlow, the owner of Wiggins Teape, a paper manufacture. (Barlow is mentioned in Watermark, a Dover Arts […]
A first oil painting on site. One of the benefits of spending a whole afternoon on one piece of work is listening to, and learning about, the ongoing the progress of the excavation – interspersed of course with discussions on […]
It’s week 2 of Scents of our Time at Access Space and, thankfully, I’ve finally managed to get a bit of visual material (almost) completed: Designed in a manner that apes news graphics, this painting continues a precedent set with […]
Lunchtime on the grass. This week there are a lot more people working on site, with another group coming next week. Down by the waterside, Trench Y continues to prove interesting. A change in the earth colour and texture suggests […]
After days of sunshine last week, the weather has become more typical of the Orkney I know. It may be cold and grey but the colours and the clouds sitting on top of the hills are a gift to paint and draw. […]
There is progress in Trench Y, down by the water’s edge, where they are looking for the outer wall of the settlement. A test pit revealed what they were hoping for so this has been enlarged. Obviously it’s early […]
