In my last Blog 54 I wrote about different acts of making, referencing my artist's statement and my questioning of everyday actions. I have been doing a lot of making recently, yet making under the term 'art', less so. "What is Art" anyway? That continuous debate that goes on...
I have been on a Sewing Bee course for the last 15+ weeks, thoroughly enjoying the process of garment making, re-learning skills I haven't used since I left school. I've made a skirt from scratch, and lined it, and a pair of trousers, all materials given to me for free. I have altered four other skirts, a pair of trousers and a shirt, all that can be worn again, just for that bit longer. I am keen on the idea of 'make do and mend', 'recycle', in all areas of our life and how can we sustain ourselves in our new situation?
In my artist statement I question, "why do we make things, keep things, covet things?". As Shawn and I begin the transition from house to a mobile home you'd think we'd be 'experts' this time, but the de cluttering process has been just as stressful as previous, although we have seriously shifted a lot of no longer wanted belongings this time. There is always room for more de cluttering 'improvement' though and my current motto at the moment is "move the house, not the belongings"!
So you can see perhaps why I have been a little (perhaps a lot), distracted from making 'art.'
In between packing up and sewing clothes I have been knitting myself a scarf, mainly because I really like the material (mohair). I am a novice knitter using a simple pattern which instructs the maker to cast 30 stitches onto size 5.5 needles and knit from one end of the ball of wool to the other. That's about the limit of my knitting skills!
There are two things that have struck me (reminded me) with this little project, firstly, the calming effect the act of knitting has had on me in between my other stresses going on, and secondly, the following of a simple instruction, using a simple tool and one material. This is what my pierced paper is about - piercing holes using a needle on a piece of paper from one end to the other, and then colouring it - needle, paper, pigment, brush. I must not loose sight of this approach, to my making of art.
As I am knitting, my scarf reminds me of our large roll of bubble wrap we have. There is a visual similarity. My scarf is slow to make, hand crafted, using natural materials. The bubble wrap is quick to make, mechanically created, made with plastic.
There have been a few articles come up recently about scrolls and scrolling, and it's got me thinking about the idea of scrolls and the act of scrolling in my work. The dictionary describes 'scroll' as a roll of material or coiled form. It may contain information, and is rolled up when not in use. The other meaning of 'scroll' is to move across and around a computer screen, for example, searching, reading information. This can be continuous, even infinite.
In 2008 I saw Jack Kerouac's draft scroll of 'On the Road' 1951, a diary of his journey across America. I had no idea at the time of who he was and the significance and popularity of this work.
In 2008 I saw Jack Kerouac's draft scroll of 'On the Road' 1951, a diary of his journey across America. I had no idea at the time of who he was and the significance and popularity of this work.
I think there is this sense of scroll and scrolling with my work:
My knitting...
Bubble wrap
Pierced Paper 'Scroll', An Tobar Arts Centre, Isle of Mull 2012
Photo: Stephen Hurrel
Pierced Paper for 'A Given Structure' Exhibition, Fringe Arts Bath Festival FaB, 2014
I have been looking at work from artists who use flannel and felt when stitching and have got some samples of these materials to compare and contrast against my watercolour paper. I am still trying to expand and move forward with my blackened pierced paper works. I have done some small tests using pigment, paint and ink on the fabrics but these current ideas feel too much like the language of print making and not the way I want to go. They are only small samples though and perhaps by repetition and scale I might find a way?
One more chat about material. I had the pleasure of meeting with a local craftsman this week who is going to make me a belt. Very enthusiastic he told me about his material, leather, showing me a hide, the dyes he uses to colour them, his numerous tools to cut and carve, and finished products. A drawing design was on the workbench and he demonstrated mark making into the leather. It looked like he was cutting into butter.
So, where do I end here? My last blog referenced making and this text discusses more so materials.
Firstly I must make the transition from house to van.
Big - Small
Static - Moving
Exciting - Daunting (or is this the other way round??)
Stressful - Relaxing
Let's hope so!
Shawn and I first time in our van
East Scotland October 2009