Blog 25

I think when I wrote my last blog I was feeling kind of panicky. I feel calmer today, more composed, thoughtful.

There has been one or two articles published recently referring to participatory / group / social (community) art and they question what has happened to the private experience and individual 'imaginative engagement' with art? This makes me feel better and reminds me that there is a place where I can communicate with the public or community en masse with my work. And it doesn't have to be labelled 'socially engaging', but can be individually engaging and to lots of people.

A slight deviation on these thoughts leads me to think about our financial crisis and questions being asked if culture is in crisis? What are the values of artwork beyond monetary values? Aesthetic values, anthropological values, environmental values?

Individualism and the idea of the individual artist working in a studio making art supposedly no longer exists in the contemporary art scene. Its almost perceived as 'uncool'. As people travel more, work remotely and are dispersed on an international scale, we all communicate and collaborate together via the internet, Skype, social media, the telephone, me included, yet we are still on our own in a physical space (and probably on a mental level too), just like the artist of years gone by. We have the technology now to make us feel like we are not on our own.

So what else have I been thinking about since I last wrote a blog?

I've began receiving regular email bulletins from the Association of Art Historians. The subjects discussed and the language used can be difficult to understand, but these emails provide me with bite size nuggets of thought provoking questions about areas of art practice, historical and current, that interest me. There are also a number of curators who write for these bulletins and they are an area of expertise I would like to tap into.

Subjects that have come up include materiality (which I will discuss another time), along with museology and the functioning of the museum, modes of display and exhibition as an ephemeral event. I am fascinated by how art is made (the artist's process) and how it is displayed and portrayed / presented to the viewer. What I make in my studio, how can I share that with others?

The word 'ideology' has been cropping up. What an exciting word. Beside it's economical and political nuances the idea of creating a 'visionary speculation' (I quote the dictionary here) is a thrilling thought. I keep thinking whether I should write a manifesto to give more direction to my work.

To quote the Portuguese I feel like I am on 'the edge of the world'. Not about to jump off, but happily sitting to the side looking on.

I am waiting news of funding for my solo show. I do hope this comes through soon as it will allow me to move forward with this project.

I'm also considering the idea to take a trip this summer to the outer islands of Scotland and visit some of the galleries, see if I can set up a new project for next year.
 

Blog 24

For my dissertation in 2009, I questioned what is the role of the artist in contemporary society? And all those old haunts of mine are coming back again. I have so many questions about the role of art and the the artist today and what is my role as an artist in all of this?

I've been catching up on my art journals these last couple of weeks and they invariably bog me down with all the numerous layers of thought and activity that are happening in the national and international world. Art that is participatory, includes community involvement or activism are key areas constantly addressed, yet I am not a community artist. This feels problematic for me.

On a practical level, I've been piercing my roll of paper for over 100 hours now and it was starting to feel repetitive. The process that I meticulously follow was starting to feel like hard labour. I am feeling a bit better about it now.

I think I'm trying to establish a formality to what I do. A structure and a justification. This is for the work that I make (the thing in itself) and myself as an artist.

There are three things to consider:

1. The act of making, which I approach in a simple way. I love the simplicity of it.
2.  (a) Reading, thinking, and writing about the theory and context of my work. (b) Keeping up to date with contemporary art practice. This feels the most complex and challenging part of my practice - good and bad.
3. Computer, networking time. This can be informative, is necessary, yet sometimes an all time consuming activity.

I think I'm feeling restless at the moment. Thinking lots and not wanting to think at all. Wanting to talk lots and not talk at all. Feeling a need to explain myself and not explain anything at all. In terms of the creative process, the way I am right now is said to be a good thing. Arrrrghhhhh!

Blog 23

Shawn and I are now living on the Isle of Mull in Scotland. We are living in a house having deserted our van which sits lovingly outside. I miss living in our van.

Our new home is beautiful, big and spacious, but it comes with responsibility. It needs looking after, cleaning and maintenance. It is our place of work.

One of the rooms is my studio. It is huge compared to any studio I've ever had. I have been able to roll out the pierced paper I have been working on over the winter. Here are some photos of the work 'in progress':

I am very pleased with the results, but as mentioned in my last blog, the makings of this artwork have been very mechanical. I hope to be able to engage with the work in more depth now.

I've been up to the arts centre on the island where I had my residency last summer. It was lovely to be back there and meet up with friends. The centre have a great program lined up for the coming year and I look forward to being part of this community.

The last two years travelling in the van have been brilliant but it is time to stop and earn some money. With happy memories of our 'van life',  my focus is on my solo show, developing my networks and portfolio.

Blog 22

I've been working the last 2½ months and time for my art practice has been severely lacking. This is the plight for many artists.

I have been piercing holes into my large roll of paper, the beginnings of the artwork for my solo show later this year, and managed to achieve 2m worth. I was surprised and very pleased. But, it has been a very mechanical process done without much thought, pure mechanical making. I haven't really felt attached to the work.

When we get to our next destination I will be able to roll the paper out properly and have a good look at what I've done so far, and 2m worth of pierced paper should give me a good indication of how the work is going to look on a larger scale.

Shawn and I are on the move again returning back to Mull in Scotland, this time for a longer stay. It also means I will have my own studio to come and go as I please. I am very lucky for I will be able to take up a full time art practice and get those creative juices operating properly again. I am really looking forward to it.

Other news to tell is that a video has been produced from the show I was in last October 2011 called 'Postcards from Europe' where artists from all over Europe were invited to create a postcard sized artwork responding to the place where they live and work.

You can view it at http://vimeo.com/33565803
For more information about the project go to www.postcardsfromeurope.org/

Blog 21

I haven't written a blog post since the 27th September this year. It's not good. We have moved 600 miles from Mull in Scotland to Dorset on the South Coast of England. I am working at the moment, within a non art role, and time for making art work has been severely shortened, but it won't be for ever.

Excitingly, I have managed to start work on my solo show, piercing hundreds of holes into a roll of paper 1.5m wide by 10m long. It is going to take a long time to fill!

Time between working, managing my practice and home life will be a juggling act and writing will become a prize moment. I will dip in as and when I can.